Black music has contributed £24.5 billion to the UK music industry and generated 80% of recorded music revenues over the last three decades. The numbers are staggering. The question UD have been asking for nearly 25 years is simpler: who gets to build on that, and who gets left out?

UD’s flagship Industry Takeover returns to London’s Rich Mix on Friday 12th June, 2026, a one-day conference built exclusively for a new generation of music industry hopefuls. Over 100 artists, executives, entrepreneurs, journalists, technologists and cultural leaders will fill the building from midday to 6pm, with 15+ sessions across panels, workshops, masterclasses, two UD Live showcases and a closing cypher.

TRENCH return as official media partner for the day, and host Journalism In 2026: Who Actually Decides What Music Matters? at 12:15pm on Screen 2. Moderated by writer and creative strategist Jude Yawson, the panel brings TRENCH senior editor James Keith together with digital creator Cee Valentina, producer and DJ Lo-Wu and freelance music and heritage specialist Naz Hamdi. The conversation: how stories get chosen, scenes get shaped and hype gets built in an era of algorithms, influencers and shrinking newsrooms. If you write, post, tweet, edit or commission about UK music, it’s the one to be in the room for.

Elsewhere on the bill, V&A East curator Jacqueline Springer opens the day with The Music Is Black: A British Story at midday, discussing the V&A’s landmark exhibition on Black British culture and musical heritage. Writer, DJ and ‘Yellow Squares’ author Elijah follows at 2.45pm on The Stage with Deep Feedback Loops—a keynote on his design system for creating ideas that create more ideas. Then, in The Studio at 3.15pm, TRENCH executive editor and archivist Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan moderates Music As Activism, Archive & Legacy, joined by Dr Joy White, Georgina Cook (Drumz Of The South), Naz Hamdi and Marcus Barnes.

The afternoon closes on home turf for grime. Risky Roadz powers Basslines & Bloodlines: Music & Enterprise at 4.45pm; Kiss FM’s Elie Prohan will be moderating a family-led panel on legacy, entrepreneurship and what happens when bloodlines and basslines collide, with Roony ‘Risky Roadz’ Keefe, his mum Nancy Keefe, Beau The Beard and Grime Gran. At 5pm, Rude Kid takes The Stage with co-host Shelbee Tee for the closing Cypher. Bring bars!

The wider programme features broadcasters DJ Target, DJ Limelight and BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Jade Style, CMU founder Chris Cooke, Fontana A&R Charis Richards and Stemettes founder Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, alongside workshops on event production, vocal mixing, intimacy in photography and creative funding.

UD engages almost 2,500 young people each year through its programmes. Alumni have gone on to work with Apple Music, Nike, Island Records, GRM Daily and Rinse FM, while artists supported through UD have shaped some of the most influential moments in modern British music.

“Black music is one of Britain’s greatest cultural success stories,” says UD founder and director Pamela McCormick MBE. “It has shaped global culture, influenced generations of artists and created enormous value for the UK economy. We fully support the growing focus on developing creative opportunities across the UK, but London’s role in nurturing talent and driving cultural innovation must not be overlooked.

“At UD, we work with young people because we believe the future of the industry is already here. Every day we see extraordinary talent, ambition and creativity coming through our programmes. Industry Takeover is about creating a space where the next generation can connect with industry leaders, discover new opportunities and gain the confidence, knowledge and networks to shape the future of music themselves.”

Tickets to Industry Takeover 2026 are available now via Eventbrite.