IMPALA’s 25-YEAR ANNIVERSARY #WHYINDEPENDENTSMATTER PROGRAMME CONTINUES AT SO ALIVE MUSIC CONFERENCE IN SOFIA WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN EASTERN EUROPE
(IMPALA Executive Chair Helen Smith and Music Journalist Alan Pedder during IMPALA’s 25th anniversary interview)
Sofia and Brussels, 19 October 2026
As part of IMPALA’s 25th anniversary programme #WhyIndependentsMatter at So Alive Music Conference in Sofia, IMPALA travelled with a delegation of members to discuss shared priorities and highlight the work of the independent sector across the region.
The programme included a meeting of IMPALA’s central and south eastern Europe network, chaired by Kristiyana Georgieva of ANMIP, to discuss growing local digital markets, finance, discoverability, charts, copyright and opportunities for closer collaboration.
(ANMIP’s Kristiyana Georgieva chairing IMPALA’s central and south eastern Europe network meeting)
IMPALA also joined a meeting hosted by ANMIP with members and local collecting society, PROPHON, who also supports the So Alive conference, to discuss opportunities and challenges in the market regarding public performance and broadcast collection and distribution.
The conference had an impressive set of keynotes and panels featuring independents, including Ruth Barlow (Beggars Group) who was interviewed by Alek Bošković (Sonosuite) for ‘Independence Isn’t a Genre: Who Actually Wins in Today’s Music Industry?’. Ruth talked about Beggars’ work in today’s music market and how independents align with their artists, as well as her contribution to collective work, including as chair of the UK association AIM.
IMPALA Chair, Dario Draštata (Dallas Records / RUNDA ADRIA), moderated ‘Who Owns THIS? AI, Copyright and the Fight for Music’s Future’, where Executive Chair, Helen Smith, joined Alice Oliveira (Partisan Records), Silas Schwarzkopp (MusikWoche), Sebastian Beresford (Artist / The Download Generation) and Manos Dedevesis (Stay Independent / HERMES).
(Left to right: Manos Dedevesis (HERMES), Sebastian Beresford (Artist / The Download Generation),
Helen Smith (IMPALA Executive Chair), Dario Draštata (Dallas Records / RUNDA ADRIA / IMPALA Chair),
Alice Oliveira (Partisan Records) and Silas Schwarzkopp (MusikWoche)).
Dario Draštata also chaired a session on the music sector’s green transition and the EU’s GreenBeat Nexus Programme. Meanwhile, IMPALA board member Anca Lupes (INDIERO) moderated the panel ‘Making the Impossible: How the World’s Biggest Festivals Shape Global Music’. Additionally, Kees van Weijen, IMPALA board member and president of STOMP, led a mentoring session for new music executives from Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria in the Balkans.
(IMPALA board member Kees van Weijen (STOMP) with mentees from
Slovenia, Croatia and Bulgaria at the SoAlive New Faces mentorship session)
IMPALA’s anniversary programme included an interview with Helen Smith by music journalist Alan Pedder (The Needle Drop / The Line of Best Fit) reflecting on IMPALA’s 25-year journey, independent ownership and the importance of supporting diverse music markets across Europe. The celebrations concluded with anniversary drinks, bringing members and the wider music community together to mark 25 years of independent music and connections built across Europe.
The visit also put the spotlight on IMPALA’s Faces of the Independent Sector series, featuring an interview with ANMIP’s very own Kristiyana Georgieva. The interview highlighted what independence means to her and the opportunities and challenges facing artists from underrepresented regions.
(Helen Smith at IMPALA’s 25th anniversary reception)
Helen Smith, IMPALA Executive Chair, commented: “Thank you to So Alive Music Conference and ANMIP, including Ruth Koleva, Kristiyana Georgieva and Marko Anastasov for hosting and organising our programme this week. Thanks to all members who participated and also to IMPALA Chair Dario Draštata (RUNDA ADRIA) and board member Kees van Weijen (STOMP), who continues to spearhead partnerships in the region that grow our collective intelligence and power across the whole of Europe.”
Ruth Koleva and Kristiyana Giorgieva concluded on behalf of the ANMIP: “We thank the delegation who joined us in Sofia from across Europe to celebrate IMPALA’s 25th anniversary and be part of So Alive. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss with the full network from our region and beyond, as well as celebrate IMPALA 25. Having so many wonderful people from our independent music family here means a lot to us. Here’s to the next 25 years.”
Discover more about our IMPALA 25 programme on our dedicated anniversary page.
About IMPALA
IMPALA was established in 2000 and now represents over 6000 independent music companies in Europe. 99% of Europe’s music companies are small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists. Known as the independents, they are world leaders in terms of innovation and discovering new music and artists – they produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs. IMPALA’s mission is to grow the independent music sector sustainably, return more value to artists, promote diversity and entrepreneurship, improve political access, inspire change, and increase access to finance. IMPALA works on a range of key issues for its members and started a new co-funded work programme as an EU cultural network in 2025. IMPALA runs various award schemes and has a programme aimed at businesses who want to develop a strategic relationship with the European independent sector – Friends of IMPALA. This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary programme #WhyIndependentsMatter with a series of interviews Faces of the Independent Sector, as well as reports and other features, see more here.
