Vincent van Gogh in watercolour created by generative AI software Midjourney AI, prompted by Netha Hussain - Own work Vincent van Gogh in watercolour generated by Midjourney AI

Cutting Edge CE Returns to New Orleans

by: Leave a comment

The 34th Cutting Edge CE Music Business Conferences and Events will take place Aug. 26–30 at the InterContinental Hotel New Orleans, bringing together musicians, industry professionals, attorneys, filmmakers and cultural organizers for five days of panels, workshops, showcases, and legal education.

This year’s theme, “Your Music Business Guide: AI Is Not Enough,” takes a deliberately contrarian stance amid the current rush to position artificial intelligence as a cure-all for creative and career challenges. Rather than selling AI as a shortcut to success, Cutting Edge 2026 focuses on how technology fits—and where it doesn’t—within the realities of music-making, business acumen, and human creativity.

Early-bird registration for Cutting Edge CE ends March 30. A

While AI tools are increasingly marketed as instant solutions for songwriting, marketing, and career management, Cutting Edge CE aims to ground the conversation in practicality. Sessions this year are designed for both enthusiasts and skeptics, asking hard questions about authenticity, sustainability, and what actually moves the needle for working artists and professionals.

Planned sessions include:

  • AI Clinic for the Enthusiast and the Curious

  • The Anti-Hype Stance

  • The Primacy of the Human Element

  • Business Acumen vs. Content Creation

  • Songwriters and Metadata

  • Recording and Engineering in Today’s Studios

  • Record Release Ecosystems: Products, Process, and People

  • Managers’ Sessions: Streaming, Touring, and Promotion

  • Studio Days and Expert Consultations

  • Moment of Truth

The conference ultimately advocates for a hybrid model—one where AI enhances, rather than replaces, human creativity, relationships, and strategic thinking.

A cornerstone of the conference since 1993, the Cutting Edge Entertainment Law Seminar will run Aug. 27–29, offering a three-day CLE-accredited track led by leading entertainment attorneys.

Titled “AI: The New Superhighway – From Live to Streaming,” the seminar examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal lifecycle of entertainment assets. Topics range from foundational issues such as professionalism, entities, and trademarks, to contracts, digital music, ethics, management, and future licensing models—drawing a parallel to the early internet era explored in Cutting Edge’s landmark 1994 seminar.

Showcases, Camps, and Cultural Gatherings

Additional Cutting Edge CE programming includes:

  • Cutting Edge Music Business Panels, covering touring, sync licensing, publicity, and post-pandemic career strategies, with mentoring and one-on-one consultations available.

  • NewWorks Artist Showcase, offering bands and solo artists the chance to perform for industry professionals. Submissions are now open.

  • Cutting Edge Songwriters Camp (August 26–30), an invitation-only pre-conference program designed to dovetail with conference activities.

  • Roots Music Gathering, highlighting global communities where music functions as cultural expression—and addressing the challenges cultural bearers face in rapidly changing neighborhoods.

  • Film & Interactive Media Workshops, focusing on production in tax-subsidized regions, recurring media formats, and the “Music in Movies” screening series.

Creators House & Festival and Partner Events

Cutting Edge CE also connects year-round with partner events, including the Creators House & Festival, a free public event for artists, entrepreneurs, and brand builders featuring performances, film presentations, and community awards.

In January 2026, Cutting Edge will participate in events surrounding the Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans, including songwriter showcases at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and collaborations with NOLA Downtown Music & Arts and Fullcircle Fest.

Founded in 1993, Cutting Edge CE (formerly the Cutting Edge Music Business Conference) began as a forum to educate musicians about emerging industry trends. It has since expanded into a multidisciplinary series of conferences and workshops addressing music, law, film, technology, and media business education—bringing together both emerging and established professionals.

Discounted hotel rates at the InterContinental New Orleans are available for registered attendees.

More information and registration details will be announced soon.

To register now, click here.