Entering the Industry: Mentorship, Access & Professional Development

Reality, Responsibilities & Skills for a Career in Live Events Production

A Full-Day Seminar for Students and Emerging Professionals

A full-day seminar dedicated to students, volunteers and emerging professionals looking to understand how the live music and events industry actually works from the inside.

Designed as an educational and practical introduction to the live events ecosystem, the programme combines industry insight, applied safety knowledge, mentorship discussions and real-world case studies from professionals actively working in festivals, concerts and large-scale productions.

Across six hours of sessions, participants will explore how live events are built behind the scenes, how departments collaborate under pressure, what responsibilities come with working in public spaces, and what pathways genuinely lead to sustainable careers in the industry.

The seminar includes interactive discussions, practical examples, Q&A sessions and a hands-on simulation exercise focused on crowd awareness and decision-making in live event environments.

No inspirational clichés – just an honest introduction to the realities, responsibilities and opportunities of working in live events.

14:00 – 14:30 How to Get In – and Who Will Help You
With Roxana Luca

A discussion about the real pathways into the live music and events industry, how professional development actually happens, and why mentorship, reliability and attitude matter more than image or ambition alone.

Topics include:

• Volunteering, mentorship and entry-level opportunities
• Learning through observation and responsibility
• Asking the right questions
• Avoiding overconfidence in high-responsibility environments
• The difference between healthy learning environments and exploitation
• Why behaviour and professionalism directly affect safety

The session also explores how careers develop over time within touring networks, production environments and festival structures built on trust and collaboration.

14:30 – 15:15 Meet the People Behind the Industry
Hosted by Roxana Luca

Featuring:

• Codruța Vulcu – ARTmania and AROC president
• Silviu Scrob – Technical production manager, ALIS member
• Alina Bălan – WomenInMusic, Watermelon Agency
• Daniel Klinger – Lighting Designer, UNATC professor, ALIS board member
• Valentin Palade, Raluca Negruți – Brigada de Voluntari

An open discussion with some of Romania’s representatives behind the stage about the realities of the live events industry: building festivals, working with international artists, managing large-scale productions and creating opportunities for the next generation.

The conversation will also address volunteering systems, internships, industry expectations and the operational realities behind major productions involving artists such as Nightwish, Jessie J, Katie Melua, Metallica or Korn.