NAESE is what happens when the people who design instruments, the people who play them, and the people who build the tools around them come together, under one roof, as a community.
NAESE is designed around the people, not around the floor plan.
NAESE was started with one founding principle: the people carrying this culture forward deserve rooms engineered for real conversation, genuine discovery, and continuity across days. The floor layout, the pacing, the multi-day structure, the listening environments… all of it is designed to make interactions feel unhurried, authentic, and meaningful.
Cleveland is the natural choice for NAESE. It has the perfect blend of accessibility, affordability, and amenities to make NAESE work for the people we want to serve. NAESE is in Cleveland because it's the best city in the world for what we're building.
Cleveland gives us a modern, centrally-located convention center in the middle of a vibrant, walkable downtown. It's a city with a rich musical history and a thriving creative scene. It's a city that understands the value of art, music, and community. It has the infrastructure to support an event like NAESE, and give our attendees — and anyone that comes to Cleveland with them — a great experience while they're here.
From world-class attractions to award-winning restaurants, Cleveland offers an unmatched experience for our attendees and their friends, no matter what their interests (and budgets) are.
NAESE's home base is a LEED Gold facility with a 4-acre green roof. Its food & beverage through Levy Restaurants is locally- and responsibly-sourced, organic, and farm-to-table, some coming from the Center's Urban Garden, which you can visit. Its Grind-to-Energy program converts food waste into electricity. It's one of the most sustainable venues in the country, and it was a perfect fit for our values and the values of our community.
Let's talk about Cleveland's downtown, home to NAESE.
Over 50 restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars, and other places to eat and drink are within an 8-10 minute walk of the convention center. Downtown Cleveland is easy to get around and full of character. It's a place where attendees can explore, connect, and experience the city outside of the convention center.
Want a different vibe? Cleveland has you covered. Tremont, Ohio City, Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, and more cool neighborhoods, all with their own charm, are just a short car or train away.
And, the City of Cleveland has embraced NAESE.
Cleveland has fully supported our efforts to bring NAESE to Cleveland and have invested in making it a success. That's not just "Midwestern-nice," though Clevelanders are that, too. It's a city that values community. That values all of us.
It's a city that makes travel easier for a meaningful chunk of North America. You can drive from most of the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast in a single day, including New York City (8 hours), Philadelphia, Toronto, and Chicago.
We couldn't and wouldn't want to build NAESE anywhere else, and Cleveland has been with us every step of the way. We can't wait to show you around.
In electronic systems, the first signal is the moment something becomes active. It is when communication begins.
Year 1 of NAESE is titled First Signal. It's not just a launch label; it's the framing for how we think about Year 1 and the people who help make it happen.
Launching an event like NAESE requires early trust. We created the First Signal program to recognize the people who were willing to say "this should exist" and back that belief when NAESE was still just a signal, and not yet a proven institution. Rather than hiding that reality, NAESE names it and honors it.
All First Signal attendees and exhibitors receive:
Being part of the First Signal doesn't affect booth placement, programming decisions, or awards. It's recognition for early belief, not preferential treatment.
First Signal is a Year 1-only window. Once it closes, it never reopens. But the recognition itself is permanent; First Signal Attendees and Exhibitors are always part of NAESE's origin story, in our records and in our program. Year 1-only swag, pricing advantages, and early-access opportunities don't repeat in future years. But, our thanks for your trust does.
NAESE is built to be welcoming, inclusive, and respectful for every attendee, exhibitor, performer, staffer, and volunteer. It's an obvious working condition for any community event.
NAESE has a published Code of Conduct that applies to everyone on the floor and at official programming.
The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland is fully ADA accessible. Wheelchair access, accessible restrooms, and elevator access throughout. We're working with the venue and our hotel partners on additional accommodations: quiet rooms, sensory-friendly programming windows, and clear sightlines from accessible seating in performance spaces. If you have specific access needs, contact us before the event so we can plan with you, not just for you.
NAESE welcomes international attendees, exhibitors, performers, and speakers. International participants are responsible for their own visas and customs requirements. We're happy to provide letters of invitation when needed; reach out to the email below.
Questions about any of this: hello@naese.co
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