CHINA: The 2026 edition of the Guangzhou Entertainment Technology Show is scheduled to take place from 6 to 8 April at the Canton Fair Complex, occupying Zones A and D of the venue. Recognised as one of China’s key trade platforms for the professional entertainment and live events technology sector, the exhibition continues to position itself as a comprehensive showcase for the industry.

This year’s extravaganza promises a notable expansion in scale, spanning approximately 150,000 square metres and featuring 14 dedicated pavilions, with participation from over 1,000 exhibitors representing both domestic and international brands. The show floor will cover a broad spectrum of sectors, including professional lighting and audio, LED display technologies, conference systems, stage effects, laser technologies, cultural tourism equipment and associated stage infrastructure. And beyond the exhibition itself, GETshow 2026 will also host a series of concurrent events designed to highlight emerging technologies, application trends and practical use-cases across the professional AV and entertainment technology landscape.

The show’s conference programme will commence with the “Intelligent Integration of Sound and Light, Empowering the Industry — 2026 Performing Arts Equipment Industry Summit Forum”, scheduled for 5 April. The forum is jointly organised by the Industry Association of South China Entertainment Equipment, the Chinese Society of Stage Art and the Panyu District Lighting & Audio Industry Chain. Positioned as a platform for industry dialogue, the summit will bring together directors, lighting designers, audio engineers and stage art specialists to examine current trends and developments within the performing arts technology sector. The programme will include discussions centred on large-scale cultural events and cultural tourism projects, with a focus on how advancements in sound, lighting and stage technologies are supporting evolving production requirements and broader audience engagement.

In addition to its exhibition and conference programme, GETshow 2026 will also feature a series of large-scale immersive lighting presentations under the “Cshow” banner. Developed in collaboration with industry production teams, these showcases are designed to demonstrate the integration of lighting, audio and control technologies within creative, performance-led environments. Positioned as experiential highlights of the show, the installations aim to illustrate how technical systems can be applied in synchronised, multi-sensory formats, combining programmed lighting sequences with music to create cohesive visual and auditory experiences.

GETshow 2026 will also host a series of industry-focused competitions aimed at supporting emerging talent within the sector. These include the 4th “GETshow Cup” National Young Stage Lighting Designers Competition and the 2nd “GETshow Cup” China Audio Engineers Competition, both initiated by the Industry Association of South China Entertainment Equipment and co-hosted by the Chinese Society of Stage Art. The competitions have attracted more than 200 participants, including students from universities and colleges, as well as early-career lighting and audio professionals from across China. Serving as a platform for skills development and creative expression, the programme highlights the next generation of designers and engineers through practical demonstrations and technical showcases across lighting and sound disciplines.

In tow, GETshow 2026 will place a strong emphasis on facilitating business engagement through organised buyer programmes and industry networking initiatives. The exhibition is expected to attract a significant number of professional visitors, including curated buyer delegations coordinated by nearly 50 industry associations and chambers of commerce from across China. In addition, the organisers have collaborated with industry media platforms such as WorldShow, HC Audio & Lighting Network and Fenyu Exhibition to support targeted procurement activities. Collectively, these efforts are expected to bring together over 1,000 professional buyers, alongside international visitors and trade representatives from more than 100 countries and regions, reinforcing the show’s role as a platform for cross-border business exchange.

Alongside the main exhibition, GETshow 2026 will also host the Guangdong Performance Industry Annual Conference & Achievement Exhibition, organised by the Guangdong Performance Industry Association. Positioned as a key regional industry gathering, the event will run concurrently with the show, bringing together professionals from across Guangdong’s performing arts sector. The programme will include an achievement showcase recognising notable developments within the region, alongside a series of industry acknowledgements spanning categories such as leading productions, influential venues and emerging performance spaces. The initiative aims to highlight regional progress while fostering dialogue across the wider performing arts and entertainment technology community.

GETshow 2026 will also provide a platform for education and academic exchange with the debut of the “Evolution · Creation” Guangdong Stage Art Education Joint Exhibition. The initiative is jointly organised by the Guangdong Society of Stage Art and the Industry Association of South China Entertainment Equipment. Positioned as an educational showcase, the exhibition will highlight developments in stage art training and practice, reflecting the growing importance of academic engagement within the broader performing arts and entertainment technology ecosystem.

The show will also host a series of technical forums aimed at knowledge exchange and system design best practices. These include sessions focused on Dante audio networking platform system design and optimisation, alongside discussions on network architecture within professional AV environments. Centred on real-world applications, the forums will explore approaches to designing for different use-case scenarios using networked audio platforms, while also examining broader trends in system architecture. Additional discussions will address the growing influence of AI and cloud-based technologies on workflow, scalability and system integration across the industry.

An outdoor line array demonstration area will also form part of GETshow 2026, taking place from 6 to 8 April at the South Square of the Canton Fair Complex. Located outside Halls 4.1 and 5.1 in Zone A, the showcase will feature live system demonstrations from participating audio manufacturers. The outdoor format is designed to provide a practical listening environment, allowing attendees to evaluate large-format line array systems under real-world conditions. According to the organisers, more than 30 domestic and international brands are expected to participate, presenting a range of high-performance touring sound solutions.