Sounds Of Europe

Europe is a diverse region consisting of many nations, cultures, languages, traditions, ... In order to enhance the cohesion in such a diverse region, collaboration, understanding and exchange is necessary. Out of a shared passion for culture and music more in particular, 13 music festivals from 11 countries have a big wish to collaborate to show the richness of the European musical traditions all around the continent and to strengthen the whole sector active in this field.

This field is our shared vision on music; all of the partners have a deep respect for music rooted in tradition - both local and migrated traditions, for the craft, the musicianship, and feel there is an urgent need of help in this segment of the music scene, to avoid traditions disappearing. This music rooted in tradition is not a static, historic interpretation, yet it is a very lively, although threatened, evolving expression of top musicians with a deep knowledge of their or other roots and an open view towards other styles and the future. It is about musical creativity rooted in tradition brought in a contemporary context.

From the shared vision comes the project that wants to create a strong network for the exchange of artists, cultural actors and expertise, that wants to promote the participating artists with all means possible (both physical and digital), that wants to connect and activate audiences and cultural workers, and wants to organize all activities with the highest attention to ecology and sustainability.

Mission

The projects main aim is to create a network of cultural actors with a shared artistic vision in music to improve the international recognition and exchange of a diverse range of European musical works and traditions, artists and cultural workers, in an efficient, sustainable and ecological network, in order to strengthen the CCS active with contemporary European music rooted in tradition in accordance with digital and technological innovations and challenges.

Goals

--------- DIVERSITY

We aim to promote, share, present, connect cultural actors in the musical sector, both artists and cultural professionals, with a shared artistic vision and a focus on under-represented and vulnerable genres linked to the roots of the European peoples, both autochthonous and migrated (folk, traditional music, ethno, world music, and all fusion styles derived from them), including the musical and linguistic context.

--------- CAPACITY BUILDING

We aim to set up an international network for the exchange and promotion of musical works, artists and cultural actors, and organize a wide range of activities around diverse topics, in order to improve the capacity and competitivity of the CCS in this musical field.

--------- ECOLOGY

We aim to improve international mobility in the EU in a sustainable and ecological way by implementing the EU Green Deal. We aim to make use of the existing train-infrastructure to the maximum.

--------- DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

We aim to improve promotion of and interaction, participation and intercultural dialogue between artists, cultural actors and audience, and share good practices and experiences by the use of all digital and technological innovations at hand, in the partner countries and in the whole EU. A central website will document all activities, will host a 'Sounds of Europe' radio, will bring together online video tutorials, webinars, ... for a wide audience who wants to get more expertise around a certain topic.

Help a part of the music sector in need in all ways possible
Promote, share, exchange the European musical and hence linguistic diversity
Creation and strengthening of an efficient European network with a shared vision
Strengthening of the CCS active in the field of contemporary European music rooted in tradition
Exchanging a selection of artists from and to all participating countries
Exchanging of personnel from and to all participating countries
Sharing expertise between partners and to beginning and more experienced cultural workers
Make use of all media, digital and virtual promotion tools currently available to share to a very wide audience all aspects of the CCS

The project

13 festivals / partners / countries who provide each a portfolio with minimum 5 groups each year. Portfolios are a starting point of communication between partners and can be altered, enhanced any time.
Minimum one band from each participating country will be programmed in the course of the whole project (4 years) in each country; each concert will be accompanied by at least two other activities (promotion / media concerts, interaction with local musicians during rehearsals, workshops, sponsor concerts, masterclasses, interactive talks, seminars, ...)
Groups are selected according to the following criteria:
Quality
International potential, but not mainstream
Genres: folk, ethno, world music, traditional, ... a link with musical traditions from the region or who migrated to the region, ranging from expressions that are very close to the historical origin of the musical tradition, to contemporary interpretations in which the tradition is approached with respect; electronica can be used to support but is never the starting point.
Extra focus on diversity in the region (for ex. Roma minorities, African migrations, Middle-Eastern refugees, Latin American communities, ...)

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