IADT and Creative Futures Academy partner with The Entertainment IP Summit 2026
14th & 15th January 2026 – Free virtual global event for senior leaders in film, TV, games, animation, publishing and immersive media.
IADT and the Creative Futures Academy are delighted to partner with The Entertainment IP Summit 2026 that will take place online, broadcast from the IADT National Film School Studios, on the 14th and 15th January 2026 bringing together senior decision-makers across film, TV, games, animation, publishing, podcasting, XR/VR and transmedia to examine how stories are developed, scaled and monetised across formats and global markets.
The two-day event is free to attend, with registration now open at The Entertainment IP Summit 2026. Registrants will also receive on demand access to all sessions for 90 days after the event.
The Summit opens with a headline keynote interview featuring Eoin Colfer, one of Ireland’s most successful authors and creator of the globally acclaimed Artemis Fowl series. Colfer has sold over 25 million books worldwide, with his work adapted into a major screen production with Disney starring Colin Farrell. His keynote will explore the art and business of building enduring IP from page to screen and beyond.
With just days to go, the Entertainment IP Summit 2026 has revealed its full two-day programme, bringing together leading creators, producers, executives and strategists from across film, television, games, animation, publishing and immersive media.
The free virtual summit takes place 14–15 January 2026, with registration open now at: www.entertainmentipsummit.com.
Designed to explore how entertainment IP is created, scaled and monetised in a rapidly evolving global market, the Summit examines the full lifecycle of intellectual property — from story creation and early development to audience building, franchise growth, legal frameworks and emerging technologies. Registration includes 90-day on-demand access to all sessions.
Day One
Exploring IP Development (14 January) opens with an Opening Keynote from Eoin Colfer, internationally bestselling author of Artemis Fowl, on “What’s the Story? – The Art (and Mischief) of IP Creation.” The day continues with sessions led by Nuno Bernardo (beActive) on building IP from the ground up; Triona Campbell (Roundstone Media) on IP development for European producers; Suzanne Kelly (RTÉ) on the broadcaster’s role in developing IP; Emmet O’Neill (StoryToys) on IP in the mobile games space; Alan Swan (RTÉ) on branded entertainment; Anthony Geffen (Atlantic Studios) on immersive storytelling; and Gavin Lawler (Innov8 Creative Academy) on building distinctive, market-leading IP.
Day Two
A Global Perspective (15 January) opens with Professor Henry Jenkins (USC), widely regarded as the “godfather of transmedia,” delivering a keynote on fandom and audience building in the connected age. Sessions throughout the day include Daniel White (Little Dot Studios) on developing IP on YouTube; Bethany Thomson (Sea Star Productions) on the rise of mobile vertical video drama; a panel on Ireland as a hub for creative IP featuring James Hickey, Catherine Keane, Maria O’Brien and Jamie Macken; HaZ Dulull (Beyond The Pixels) on the convergence of film and games; Jeff Rivera (Collective 5 Entertainment) on self-green-lighting and AI; a legal panel chaired by Simon Pulman with Russell Binder and Austin Vaziri; and Diana Williams (Kinetic Energy Entertainment) on building an IP-driven business from a US perspective.
Supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland through the Screen Stakeholders funding scheme, and partnered with RTÉ, IADT, DV4 and Calico Media Interactive the Entertainment IP Summit is designed for creators, producers, rights-holders, commissioners and executives navigating the future of cross-platform storytelling.
Registration is free and open now at: www.entertainmentipsummit.com.
“We’re entering a new era of entertainment where stories no longer live in a single format,” said Suzanne Leyden of Calico Media Interactive, one of the event organisers alongside DV4. “Audiences build loyalty across screens. This event brings together the people pioneering cross-format IP- from franchises and fandom to AI-assisted development – to share what’s working right now and what’s coming next.”
“Conceived as a virtual event from the outset, the Entertainment IP Summit draws on DV4’s expertise and experience in producing successful online and hybrid events, allowing Calico Media to concentrate on delivering an outstanding line-up of speakers and sessions.”, Simon Fine, DV4.
Speakers & Highlights
- Eoin Colfer, best-selling author of Artemis Fowl
- Anthony Geffen, Atlantic Studios, director of Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough
- Professor Henry Jenkins, University of Southern California, widely regarded as “the godfather of transmedia”
- HaZ Dulull, Beyond the Pixels, pioneer in game-engine filmmaking
- Nuno Bernardo, beActive Media, expert in lean IP development
- Jeff Rivera, Collective 5, on greenlighting yourself with AI
- Bethany Thomson, Sea Star Productions, on the rise of mobile vertical video drama
Key Highlights of the 2026 Programme
Day 1 – 14th January 2026: “Exploring IP Development”
A deep dive into storytelling fundamentals, building concepts from scratch, branded entertainment strategies, regional broadcaster roles, and case studies of IP development in practice.
Day 2 – 15th January 2026: “IP Development – A Global Perspective”
A focus on fandom and audience building, mobile vertical video drama, Ireland’s unique advantages for IP development, the convergence of film-and-gaming, franchises, legal considerations and the rise of self-green-lighting through AI.
Who Should Attend
If you’re a creator, producer, studio executive, rights-holder, broadcaster, game developer, publisher or IP strategist looking to stay ahead of global entertainment trends, this event is designed for you. With speakers spanning academia, production, legal and digital innovation, the Summit offers rich cross-sector perspective.
Additional speaker announcements – including a marquee keynote – will follow in the coming weeks.
About the Entertainment IP Summit
The Entertainment IP Summit is the premier online event for senior decision-makers in film, TV, games, animation, publishing, XR/VR and transmedia. It delivers expert guidance on protecting, managing and monetising IP in a fast-changing global entertainment landscape.
In addition to support by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, the Summit partners are IADT and RTÉ.
Registration + Sponsorship
Registration is entirely free and open now via the Summit website.
Sponsors and partners interested in aligning with this high-level global gathering are invited to contact the event team at The Entertainment IP Summit 2026.
