SALT Conference 2026 Preview: What Church Tech and Creative Teams Can Expect
SALT 2026 arrives in Irving, Texas on October 14, and for church tech and creative teams it is one of the most practical events of the fall. The conference is organized for the people who make Sunday happen: sound and lighting operators, video and streaming teams, designers, worship leaders, and the volunteers who support them. This year's theme is "How Great Thou Art," and the program combines main sessions, workshops, and four-hour masterclasses with art installations and time with vendors and partners.
SoundPro will be attending SALT 2026, and our House of Worship team looks forward to connecting with church tech and creative teams throughout the event. This preview covers the schedule, the workshop tracks, the sessions most relevant to church technology, and a few ways to get more from the event, whether you are attending or following along from home. It also points to SoundPro guides that go deeper on several of the topics you will hear about at SALT.
Planning to attend? Tell us what you want to talk about and a House of Worship specialist will follow up before the event.
SALT 2026 at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | Wednesday, October 14 through Friday, October 16, 2026 |
| Venue | Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Pkwy, Irving, TX 75063 |
| Theme | How Great Thou Art |
| Audience | Church creatives, tech leaders, worship leaders, and volunteers |
| Format | Five main sessions, five workshop slots, optional masterclasses, art installations, and partner time |
| Registration | Available at salt2026.com. At the time of writing the SALT site listed standard tickets at $547 and noted that fewer than 100 tickets remained. |
Schedule: What Each Day Looks Like
Wednesday, October 14
Masterclass registration opens at 11:30 AM, and masterclass sessions begin at 12:30 PM. General registration opens at 4:00 PM, and the opening main session starts at 6:30 PM in the Worship Center.
Thursday, October 15
Thursday starts with a main session at 9:00 AM, followed by the first workshop block at 11:00 AM. Lunch and forums run at noon, and workshop blocks continue at 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM, with lab and vendor time and a break in between. A third main session closes the day.
Friday, October 16
Friday begins with a main session at 9:00 AM, followed by workshops at 11:00 AM and 1:15 PM with lunch and forums in between. The final main session is at 2:45 PM, and the conference wraps at 4:00 PM.
Workshop Tracks
Workshops at SALT are organized into tracks, which makes it easier to build a schedule around your role. The 2026 lineup includes these tracks:
- Masterclass: four-hour intensives on specific production, creative, and leadership topics.
- Foundations: essential training for entry-level volunteers and staff, covering audio-visual basics, communication, and event planning.
- Production: sessions for the people who run sound, video, lighting, and live services.
- Worship: sessions for worship leaders and teams.
- Film and Design: video production, graphic design, and motion graphics.
- Digital Media: church communications, content, and online presence.
- Creative Process: sessions on building and sustaining creative work.
- Leadership: guiding creative teams, building culture, and developing volunteers.
"Conferences deliver the most value when a team arrives with a short list of real problems, not a general wish to learn more."
Sessions Worth Noting for Church Tech Teams
The full program is broad, so here are several sessions and topics that connect directly to the equipment and planning decisions houses of worship are making this season.
LED walls
The Foundations track includes "LED Walls 101: How to Find the Right Screen for Your Ministry," presented by Stephen Brokalis. The session breaks down the specifications, terminology, and practical considerations churches should understand before investing in LED. If you are weighing a move from projectors, our church LED video wall guide covers the same ground from a buyer's perspective.
Christmas and Easter production planning
In the Film and Design track, one session uses Christmas and Easter productions at Seacoast Church as a case study for preproduction, including the tools and questions that help prevent problems before the day of the event. With the holidays close, this pairs well with our church busy season tech checklist.
Volunteer recruiting and onboarding
The Leadership track includes sessions on onboarding and training new production volunteers and on creating environments where people feel safe to learn and make mistakes. For hands-on audio, video, and lighting basics you can use with new team members, see our article on AV operation for house of worship volunteers.
Creative team culture and communication
Phil Bowdle's session "The Creative Team Your Church ACTUALLY Needs" addresses the pressures creative teams carry, and Brady Shearer's workshop "The 7 Building Blocks" presents a repeatable system for church communication. These sessions are less about equipment and more about the processes that keep a team healthy.
AI in church workflows
The Digital Media track includes a session on using AI for church administrative work, such as cleaning up a church database and building reports. AI tools are one of the most discussed church technology trends of 2026, along with hybrid worship, 4K PTZ cameras, and networked lighting control.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses are four-hour deep dives held on the first day, before main registration opens, and they require a Premium or VIP ticket. The 2026 lineup includes "Producing Sunday," which walks production leaders through how The Potter's House Church plans, produces, and executes a Sunday morning service, with the goal of moving from reactive weekends to repeatable production systems. Another masterclass offers a behind-the-scenes look at Plex, Trinity Broadcasting Network's Dallas-area studio facility, which is built to run multiple simultaneous productions.
If your team is considering a masterclass, choose based on the biggest recurring problem you face, such as weekend workflow, broadcast production, or leadership, and review the current options on the SALT masterclass page.
Share your room size, current equipment, and what you want to improve, and a SoundPro Account Manager will recommend next steps.
How to Get More Out of SALT
- Arrive with a short problem list. Write down the three issues that cause the most trouble on a typical Sunday, such as wireless dropouts, stream quality, or lighting on camera, and use them to choose workshops.
- Plan workshops before you travel. Seating is first come, first served, so identify your top choice for each block and a backup.
- Bring photos and measurements. A sanctuary photo, room dimensions, and a list of current equipment make conversations with vendors and speakers far more specific.
- Use the lab and vendor time. The Thursday schedule includes dedicated time to see equipment and talk with partners, which is the best opportunity to compare options in person.
- Send more than one person. Teams that attend together can split workshops, compare notes, and agree on priorities before leaving.
- Write the action list before you fly home. Capture two or three changes you will make in the next 30 days while the details are fresh.
Bringing It Back to Your Church
The weeks after a conference are when most ideas get lost. With Christmas Eve and Easter approaching, the most useful step is to match what you learned to the systems that matter most during the busy season. These SoundPro guides cover the equipment side of the topics SALT raises:
- Preparing sound, lighting, and streaming for the holidays: church busy season tech checklist
- Reliable wireless for large services: best wireless microphones for churches
- Building or upgrading a stream: church live streaming equipment guide
- Planning stage and sanctuary lighting: church lighting guide
- Choosing a mixer for volunteer teams: best digital mixer for church
Talk with a SoundPro House of Worship specialist about audio, video, and lighting for your church before the holiday season.
FAQ: SALT 2026
When and where is SALT 2026?
SALT 2026 runs October 14 to 16, 2026 at Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Pkwy in Irving, Texas. Masterclass sessions begin Wednesday afternoon, the main conference opens Wednesday evening, and the event wraps Friday at 4:00 PM.
Who is SALT for?
SALT is built for church creatives and tech leaders, including sound, video, lighting, design, and production staff and volunteers, along with worship leaders and communications teams. It includes tracks for beginners as well as experienced production leaders.
What is included in a SALT 2026 ticket?
According to the SALT site, a standard ticket includes five main sessions, five workshop slots, a boxed lunch on Thursday and Friday, access to SALT partners, and the art and interactive installations. Masterclass access requires a Premium or VIP ticket. Confirm current pricing and availability on the SALT registration page, since tiers and ticket counts can change.
What is a SALT Masterclass?
A Masterclass is a four-hour deep dive into a specific area, held on the first day of the conference before main registration opens. It is available with Premium and VIP tickets, and attendees select one of the offered sessions.
Do I need to reserve workshops in advance?
No. Workshop seating is first come, first served, so there is no advance reservation. SALT recommends reviewing the workshop options a few weeks ahead so you can plan your schedule.
Will SALT 2026 be streamed online?
SALT has said the conference teachings will be available online after the event with an additional membership purchase. Check the SALT site for current details.
