The fifth annual gathering will bring creators, lawyers, academics and policymakers to the University of Georgia for a day focused on copyright, technology and the economics of making work.
The Artist Rights Institute and the University of Georgia School of Public Policy and International Affairs have set Artist Rights Symposium V for October 19, 2026, in Athens, Georgia.
The fifth annual event will take place at the School of Public Policy and is built around the same core idea that has defined the series from the start: put the people who make the work in the room with the people shaping the rules around it. Artists, songwriters, musicians, academics, lawyers, policymakers and other industry voices are expected to take part in a day of discussion about the legal, technological and economic pressures facing creators.
Creators, lawyers and policymakers in one room
The symposium is being framed as a direct conversation, not a polished conference circuit stop. The organizers say the emphasis will again be on hearing from the people whose livelihoods and creative work are affected by changes in copyright, technology and the business around both. That focus matters. For veteran creators and executives, the real value in these gatherings is rarely the stage presentation. It is the friction in the room, where policy language meets the reality of making a living from music and other creative work.
David Lowery will moderate the symposium. Lowery is Principal Lecturer in the Music Business Program at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and co-founder of the Artist Rights Institute. His role keeps the event anchored in the business of rights, not just the theory of them.
A familiar format with a sharper edge
Panels and speakers have not yet been announced. That leaves the date and location as the only confirmed details for now, but the structure is clear enough. This is not a fan-facing event and not a showcase. It is a working forum for people dealing with the practical fallout of a fast-moving rights environment.
For professionals who have spent decades in the business, that distinction matters. The questions around creator compensation, ownership, licensing and the impact of new technology are not abstract. They shape deal terms, revenue streams and long-term leverage. The symposium is designed to keep those issues in front of the people who can still influence them.
October 19 in Athens
Artist Rights Symposium V will be held October 19, 2026, in Athens, Georgia, at the University of Georgia School of Public Policy. The organizers say more information on panels and speakers will follow.
For now, the message is simple: save the date.
