What is SEAMEX 2026?
SEAMEX 2026 connects cultural workers, academics and performers engaged in music studies or practices across and beyond South East Asia with each other, fostering artistic collaboration between neighbors and creating opportunities for cultural growth and development in the region.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Popular Music Under
Southeast Asian Lenses:
History, Lessons and Ways Forward
History, Lessons and Ways Forward This panel seeks to showcase the longstanding role of popular music in national histories in Southeast Asia. By looking at three studies that investigates the structure, transformation, and functions of popular music in Malaysia, Indonesia, and in the Philippines, the panel opens the discourse for the manners in which music histories are aligned in the region and for a sharing of prospective strategies that the ASEAN Socio-cultural Community can take for further socio-cultural exchange and the potential formation of a Southeast Asian identity.
Navigating Music Policy Landscapes in Southeast Asia
Understanding the intellectual property landscape alongside the broader music policy discourses is always a first step for success in the music industry. This panel provides a platform to discuss the latest policies that affect the music industry and the broader creative economy in Southeast Asia. By allowing for policy dialogue between and among the countries, the panel provides an opportunity to learn from each other what works for musicians and other music workers in this part of the world.
Music as Work: Capturing the Sociological Imagination among Musicians
This panel seeks to challenge the long-held conviction of the general populace that music is not work. By establishing musicians, technicians, producers, and others in the industry as music workers, the panel provides a platform for conversations for the persistence of the music sector despite its longstanding struggles and challenges.
Music Education:
Pedagogy and Access
This panel aims to examine how music education in Southeast Asia is evolving at the intersection of creativity, innovation, and the rapidly expanding creative industries. By bringing together perspectives on pedagogy, curriculum, digital literacy, and the practical demands of the music profession, the session explores how music education can better support students in building sustainable and meaningful careers. Through shared experiences from diverse Southeast Asian contexts, the panel aims to open a dialogue on strengthening inclusivity, resource provision, and industry alignment across the region.
PERFORMANCES
The SEAMEX 2026 will feature some performances is by Filipino artists and guest performers from Southeast Asia and beyond. Following the goals of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) to improve wellbeing among ASEAN citizens and promote social development in the region, SEAMEX will provide a platform for socio-cultural exchange through its featured performances. This mini showcase provides an avenue for its performers to step into the spotlight and showcase their music and culture to the Manila and SEAMEX audiences.
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THE ORGANIZERS
MusikaPilipinas Research Program: Researching the Philippine Music Industry Towards a Sustainable Development Plan
University of Santo Tomas Research Center for Culture, Arts and Humanities
University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music
