Good news for Austrian talents: Thanks to the participation of the Austrian Music Ambassador Network AMAN (www.aman.at) and the Austrian Music Information Center mica – music austria (www.musicaustria.at) as project co-organizers of ETEP, Austria’s presence at the main conference and showcase platform of the European live music industry has been assured. In the years 2012-2016 at least 20 local bands will perform at the Eurosonic Festival, which sets the Dutch city of Groningen in the spotlight of the European music scene during the period of the festival.
European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP)
With the support of the EU Culture Programme 2007-2013, the successful European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP) will continue its project devoted to promoting young talents from different musical genres. The effort of Peter Smidt, one of the founders and creative director of ETEP, requesting support from Brussels finally paid off. Over the next five years, the program will be further enhanced by promoting even more European artists. Among other activities, ETEP will extend from 60 to around 100 festivals and generate more media attention for European music and artists. In order to achieve this, a future emphasis will be placed on music and artists from Eastern European countries. In this context, the program will operate in close cooperation with the Sziget Festival (Hungary) and the Exit Festival (Serbia).
Peter Smidt: “We believe that there are so many good and original bands in Europe that deserve more European and worldwide recognition. This is what we want to achieve with ETEP. “
European Network for the promotion of musical talent
ETEP is based on the international cooperation of music export offices, festivals and radio stations of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union), which choose the most promising national newcomers (bands can apply directly) to perform at the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival. Every year more than 200 bands appear before an audience of 18,000 visitors, more than 50 festival organizers, 25 radio stations, 180 journalists and more than 2,800 professionals (labels, bookers, publishers, etc.) of the European music industry.
Partner festivals of ETEP such as the Europavox (F), Glastonbury Festival (UK) or Hurricane Festival (D), which choose their line-up from the performing young acts, receive financial support. Austria participants in the program are the FM4 Frequency Festival and the Nova Rock Festival.
Since 2003, ETEP has been able to give more than 400 acts the opportunity to perform at more than 1100 festivals.
Besides the European festivals and export offices, which substantiate the project through bookings, networking and promotion for the artists participating in the run, the broadcasting of the festivals by the partner radio stations is especially important in terms of broad international media support for the newcomers.
Michel Attia, FM4 Radio: “As a long time participant and ORF representative at the Eurosonic Showcase Festival, FM4 is very pleased about this valuable support for musical creativity and is convinced of its impact on fruitful synergy effects for all participants.”
In recent years, ETEP was able to support prestigious acts such as Franz Ferdinand, Anna Calvi, James Blake, The XX, Wir sind Helden and White Lies. Among others, Austrian artists included Ginga, Francis International Airport, Trouble Over Tokyo and the European Border Breakers Award winners Soap&Skin and Saint Lu.
Hannes Tschürtz (ink Music/Schoenwetter Schallplatten): “Platforms such as the Eurosonic are enormously valuable for Austrian artists. They have repeatedly proved that they don’t lack quality – the ETEP partnership is an immensely valuable step to increase the visibility on international ground. This will bring a boost in awareness, which artists and labels can use to their advantage.”
For more information on the project www.etep.nl | www.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl
Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival 2012: 11th – 13th of January 2012, Groningen (NL)
CONTACT: Franz Hergovich / mica – music austria
tel +43 (01) 52104.51, fax +43 (01) 52104.59, Email: hergovich@musicaustria.at