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Date: Wednesday, 13 May 2026
Times: Doors: 6PM. Event: 6.30-8PM
Location: The Old Market, 11A Upper Market Street, BN3 1AS (map).
Tickets: £5. Booking Required.
Age: 14+ Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and will be allocated a wristband and/or sticker at check-in.
A unique panel discussion bringing together Ren and the team around him. The event offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it really means to build an artist project outside of the traditional music industry model.
As the industry continues to accelerate, artists are expected to be everywhere at once - touring, promoting, creating, and showing up. But for some, that model simply does not fit. This conversation explores what happens when perceived limitations lead to new systems, and when the response is not to force the artist into the existing structure, but to build a new one around them.
Through honest dialogue, the artist and the team will unpack how they have built their own infrastructure across the project; from making and self-releasing music, to self-producing videos, shaping campaigns, leading social strategy, creating artwork and design, and developing a clothing line, merchandise operation, and warehouse-based fulfilment infrastructure. It is a conversation about what it takes to create a framework that allows an artist to move on their own terms.
Alongside the practical realities of running an independent creative operation, the panel will also explore how care can be embedded into the work rather than added as an afterthought, and how the industry should evolve to support artists as whole people, not just as output.
We’re inviting industry professionals, creatives, and audiences alike to rethink what support really looks like and to consider how access, care, creativity, and infrastructure can be built into the same system.
Part of our Future Creative Leaders (FCL), We, Generate programme for Brighton Festival 2026. Featuring live events, conversations, and a youth takeover, it’s a space for experimentation and community.
ABOUT REN
Ren, is a singer-songwriter, rapper, producer, actor, and director. based in Brighton and Hove.
www.renmakesmusic.lnk.to/explore | @renmakesmusic
ACCESSIBILITY
This event will be held at The Old Market, 11A Upper Market St, Hove BN3 1AS (map). Find their accessibility details for the building here. For further information, email boxoffice@theoldmarket.com or Phone: 01273 201801 -Mon-Fri, 10:00-16:00.
CODE OF CONDUCT
We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, supportive environment for all. We ask that everyone follow our code of conduct, which you can read here.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO DURING EVENT
Just so you know, this event will be photographed/filmed. If you prefer not to be photographed, please speak to a member of the Lighthouse team. The photographs and film we capture at our events are used for marketing and promotional purposes for our programme only and are stored securely.
ABOUT FUTURE CREATIVE LEADERS
Future Creative Leaders (FCL) is a 12-month paid programme offering young creatives from underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to work closely with Lighthouse's leadership team to explore various aspects of creative leadership.
FCL redefines youth engagement by sharing power and resources directly with young people. This 12-month programme goes beyond access or participation. It places real influence, leadership, creative agency and decision-making power in the hands of those traditionally underrepresented in the creative industries.
Over the year, participants will co-curate programmes, select participants for mini-residencies, and recruit their successors, all while exploring alternative governance structures, accountability, and power-sharing.
OUR FUNDERS AND PARTNERS FOR BRIGHTON FESTIVAL 2026
We're grateful to: Innovate UK, Chalk Cliff Trust, Sussex Community Foundation, Enjoolata Foundation, Brighton Festival, Brighton Youth Centre, The Old Market and Art in Mind.