Be2gether Press Centre, Norviliškės, Lithuania
25 August, from 3pm to 7pm
BE2GETHER PROFESSIONAL AREA
- Seminar „European Music at the European festivals: Opportunities and Reality“ (4 pm)
- Meetings with the local and international professionals
- Information about the Lithuanian artists
- Bar and lounge
EUROPEAN MUSIC AT EUROPEAN FESTIVALS: OPPORTUNITIES AND REALITY
Large European music festivals, which attract tens of thousands of visitors every year, more and more tend to include European bands in their programmes (earlier mainly dominated by the US, UK and local music). It was matter of just few years that there has been change in the attitude of European audiences, who no longer seem to be worried about the origins of an act and accepting even artists performing in their own language.
Over the last four years only ETEP (European Talent Exchange Programme) promted 328 gigs at various European festivals. What are the opportunities in there for the Baltic bands and how can we use them better? What are the embedded images about the region‘s music and principal obstacles to become enough competitive to promote the bands to other markets? What should be done on both national and regional levels to change the situation for the better?
PARTICIPANTS:
Peter Smidt, Noorderslag Weekend, Eurosonic, Conamus Foundation (The Netherlands)
Peter Smidt of Conamus Foundation in the Netherlands was always a champion of a new approach to touring bands in Europe, to finding new ways of crossing borders. One of the ideas was ETEP (European Talent Exchange Project), launched in 2003 as initiative of the Noorderslag Weekend / Eurosonic (The Netherlands) with funding from the European Union, negotiated by the European Music Office. ETEP's goal is to stimulate the circulation of European artists within Europe by performing at selected ETEP festivals (53 at the moment) throughout Europe. The actual selection takes place during Eurosonic festival, which takes places during Noorderslag Weekend. The shows are supported by EBU radio and print media.
Juha Koivisto, Provinssirock Festival (Finland)
The biggest rock festival in Finland, the Provinssirock Festival has been organized annually since 1979, with 55.000 visitors in 2007. Each year, at the Törnävä park grounds of natural beauty in the city of Seinäjoki (North West Finland), Provinssirock kicks off the summer festivals in Finland with a line-up of top rock bands and music experiences for three days. The music programme boasts international artists as well as upcoming acts (mainly UK and US based) and a selection of Finland's top bands. The festivals is an active member of ETEP and Yourope.
Jan Reijnders, Eastern Talent Group (Estonia)
Jan Reijnders has left his native Netherlands to set up a new agency. Eastern Talent Group (ETG) in Tallinn, Estonia. He was formerly with The Agency Group’s Amsterdam office. Reijnders describes ETG is the first Western oriented artist agency to serve clients out of Eastern Europe, as well as touring Western acts through the region. The company’s initial roster includes Bomfunk MC’s, Roy Paci & Aretuska, Holiday on Ice, and Ten Sharp. “Eastern Europe is one of the biggest live-touring markets of the world, but most of the major regional acts still find it hard to move into the West. About 40 per cent of my work will be with Eastern European acts and the rest will be bringing acts into the region“.
Sami Peura, Sam Agency (Finland)
Sam Agency is an artist management company and agency representing several Finnish top artists in rap, urban, dance, rock music and jazz. Key artists: Don Johnson Big Band, Poets of the Fall, Von Hertzen Brothers, Bloodpit, the Five Corners Quintet and others. Sami Peura himself works with Bomfunk MC‘s, Don Johnson Big Band, Poets of the Fall, Lounge Lions, Jack and the Daniels and some other artists.
Registration fee for professional participants: € 20
For registration and further details, do not hesitate contact Music Export Lithuania: daiva@mic.lt
