Music Cities European Exchange

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Music
Cities
European
Exchange

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9th Jan - 20th Feb 2023

About MCEE

A Capacity Building Programme
for a Thriving Music Ecosystem
9th Jan - 20th Feb 2023

The Music Cities European Exchange is the world's first capacity building programme for thriving music ecosystems. We offer a 6-week virtual programme that starts on the 9th January 2023. The programme includes live lectures, workshops and roundtables that will cover a range of topics including introduction to music cities, music tourism, night-time economy, music and UN Sustainable Development Goals, socio-economic impact of music and music city policies.

This EU-wide programme will also facilitate cross-sectoral networking opportunities with a selection of 54 diverse candidates across job functions from all the EU members states. The programme will also invite global leaders of music ecosystems to share best practices with our cohort.

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Participants MCEE

Participants

Director at curiosibot

My background is in Music Engineering and Production, having spent my 20's working in studios in New York in music and post production. After moving to Valencia, I expanded my work into interaction, creating installations shown at Sonar and Maker Fair as well as collaborating with artists such as Nona Hendryx. I began working with Virtual Reality and new technologies and began researching the use of Music with Virtual Reality. I co-founded the company Curiosibot, which creates interactive projects and launched a physical space, Curiosibot Lab, which is a space for makers and musicians in Valencia. I continue to work on research and am hoping to expand to be a platform for musicians to release and perform music using new methods and platforms.

Head of partnerships at Nusnus - Distortion, Karrusel and Hangaren

I work on building frameworks that bring people together and create communities.

Distortion is one of Northern Europe's biggest street parties and a well renowned festival for electronic music. My role is to develop the commercial part of the event as well as navigate in local interests represented in the city council. My most important task is to show stakeholders that street parties that bring all kinds of people together is beneficial for the city.

CEO at brighter agency

Anita Richelli is a cultural worker based in Berlin. Her areas of activity are cultural projects, band manager, booking agent and concert promoter. She also has a master degree in Political Sciences. She works under her own company: brighter agency. Originally from Verona, she started organizing gigs during high school, in her own DIY place called Casetta Lou Fai. Later, she joined Interzona, a cultural association in her hometown, where she was responsible for the music program and communication. In 2012, she spent some time at Rex Cultural Centre in Belgrade, Serbia. In Berlin since 2010, she has worked for different booking agencies, promoters and festivals, beside working as independent promoter. In 2018 she started Collage, a DIY Collective who organizes shows with focus on inclusivity and accessibility. In 2022 she was in charge of booking for the showcase part of Most Wanted: Music, Berlin's most important music business event.

Project manager, curator, cellist at LaKT Ensemble

Anna Grenzner (Barcelona, 1993) is a cellist and performer deeply engaged with the social responsibility of her performance practice. In parallel with her activity as ensemble and chamber musician, she dives into the sides of improviser, mover, curator and project manager and focuses her current work on interdisciplinary interactions around contemporary music and corporeality. Anna is member of the Arxis ensemble for contemporary music in A Coruña (Spain) as well as cellist, co-curator and project manager of the graz-based LaKT Ensemble, a group for choreo-musical research and performance that works for reshaping roles and hierarchies in the artistic practice, for merging disciplines and target groups from the roots of the artistic creation and for creating spaces of new encounters by inviting artists from different fields to compose and perform in the festival Coalescence. She worked on diversity in music curating within the curator course from Sounds Now in 2021.

Director at Sonus Foundation for the Support of New Music and Contemporary Performing Arts

My passion for classical music, interesting people, and good causes drives me to the field of the classical music business. As the director of an independent music NGO, Sonus Foundation, and as a freelancing cultural and artistic manager, trainer, and coach, I develop and manage projects in contemporary and classical music in Europe and North America. My mission is to bring music to the audience to enhance their life, and to help young musicians, who are burning with the desire to show their music to the world, gain skills and knowledge that helps them find their way in the classical music business (and in life). In this work, I also use my experiences from being a university lecturer, mentor, project manager, and legal adviser.

Artist manager / Project and Communication manager at EEnalrge Europe / Corner Art Management / Music Hungary Association

After two years in London and almost a year in Indonesia I moved back to Budapest. With Pál Zsiga we founded NOWmagazin in 2012, focusing on the Hungarian grassroot scene, espcecially emerging musicians. NOW Books & Music was originally a side-project launched in 2015 – a book publisher, music management and label – that later became my main occupation. Under this label as an artist manager and communication manager I am working with amazing artists such as iamyank and Woodstock Barbie. As a freelancer I am a communication and project manager of the HAIL – Hungarian Association of Indie Labels as well as the Music Hungary Association. In 2019 I established the idea of EEnlarge Europe, a coop and knowledge sharing project tailored for the region's grassroot music venues, launched in 2020 and co-funded by the European Union. Currently we are operating in 5 countries with member venues.

Festival and Events Specialist South Italy / Curator at Red Bull Italy / MUNDI / Linecheck

Over the past years, I worked consistently to strengthen the music ecosystem of my town, region, and at large of Southern Italy. Since 2018 I have worked as Artistic Director of MUNDI, a music and arts festival which has helped revitalize the suburbs of Bari, driving tourism while presenting an innovative artistic programming, based on the promotion of new underground artists both Italian and International, representing southern Italy and the Mediterran basin. Similarly, the festival has produced artistic residencies. In 2021 we set up a studio in the semi-abandoned castle of Sannicandro di Bari and released Internationally a vinyl compilation composed there; in 2022 we hosted 60 project managers invited from all around Italy to work on local folklore. I have been invited to many national and international conferences to present our work and represent southern Italy. Since 2022, I have taken on the role of Festival and Events Specialist for Red Bull Italy. In my role I am responsible of developing partnerships with festivals and events in all souther Italy. This role has helped me gain a stronger awareness of the music ecosystems of this area and has put me in a pivotal position to aid its growth. Over this year I have developed partnerships with over 30 Festivals, supporting them through logistics, fees and with the co-production of innovative projects.

CEO at Strøm

Self-taught rave, festival and event organiser since the early 1990s.
CEO of official Danish electronic music institution Strøm (since 2011).
Professional audio engineer educated in the UK and Denmark.
MA from Roskilde University in urban geography researching on pirate radio communities.
Collector of vintage music instruments and equipment as well as studio and soundsystem gear which I lend out for free to people in need.
I have started several companies, been co-owner of two music clubs/bars (incl Jolene Bar in Copenhagen).
Also the co-founder of an international summer school with University of Copenhagen.
Censor at various Danish music conservatories.
Doing a lot of volunteering work for the local music communities - especially on cultural, music and nighttime politics.
Love to dance, love to listen to A LOT of music.
A lovely wife (whom I met at a jungle rave) and two kids (Erik and Liv).
Live in Copenhagen, Denmark. :)

Percussionist/ Music manager/ Booking agent

I am a tahini addicted emerging music professional who would like to broaden his knowledge in the music industry and contribute to the cultural development of my hometown. I am organized and responsible, most people say I'm easy going. I am fluent in english and french, I can sort myself out with spanish, serbian and russian. My day job for a long time was a professional chef, so multitasking and goal driven attitude is deeply integrated in the way I function. I like literature, graphical art and old movies. Stretching and calisthenics is the way I keep myself healthy.

Artistic Programmer & Project Developer at Musicbox/MIL Lisbon

I'm one of the bookers and project developers at CTL - Cultural Trend Lisbon, a cultural company that runs Musicbox, a grassroots music venue, MIL, a festival a convention, and Casa do Capitão, a soon-to-be cultural and arts centre. Currently, besides doing the bookings for Musicbox, I'm the head of MIL's convention programme and the coordinator of MIL Magazine. I have a graduation in Sciences of Communication and a masters in Musicology.

Head of Live Music Estonia at Music Estonia / Thrust Productions

Ingrid Stroom is the Head of Live Music Estonia, a branch of Music Estonia that represents the Estonian live music sector. Before joining Music Estonia in 2021, Ingrid worked in the field of live music events production, something she's been doing since she was a teenager. Over the course of her career, she has worked with concerts and festivals of various shapes and sizes across Europe and was based in Finland for almost 13 years before returning to her home country Estonia. She has a Bachelor's degree in Music and Media Management and a Master's degree in Sports Business Management. Ingrid has worked with the local production of a wide range of artists from different genres such as Alicia Keys, Armin van Buuren, Backstreet Boys, Queen + Adam Lambert, Fatoumata Diawara, Rise Against and many others.

Content Creator & designer at Espacio Joven Norte

I work in a public institution exclusively for the youth. Our goal is to stimulate emerging local talent by offering them opportunities for local development and new ways of learning and focusing on their careers.

Founder at M3 Music / Independent

Music industry professional with 15 years of experience in the fields of artist management, booking, marketing, production, label services, business development, music curation and supervision. Cultural entrepreneur, company owner, co-founder of M3 Music, partner of Acosmo Sound and two times Club Summit Curator at WOMEX - The World Music Expo. Creative Director and Head of Production of the music conferences Resonancia Colombia and Amplifica Chile. Multiple awards and nominations including Grammys and Latin Grammys, certified Gold and Platinum Records. Guest speaker and delegate in music conferences in the US, Latin America and Europe, including Midem, Primavera Pro, BIME Pro, SXSW, Fluvial Chile, Bogotá Music Market, WOMEX and Eurosonic, among others. Born and raised in Bogotá, educated in multi-cultural environments, binational: Colombian/Spanish (EU citizen) and permanent resident in Malmö, Sweden.

Fellow / Scout & Curator/ Music policy advisor at European Music Council / Roskilde Festival/Freelance

I am a music industry professional working with the intersection of cultural policy, live music booking and the nightlife economy. The Music Cities agenda combines these three listed themes and thus has become the focal point my work revolves around. I consider myself a sharp and driven cultural entrepreneur with a strategic and analytical mindset. I have been working with these themes since the age of 16 in the Danish music industry in general and in the cities of Roskilde and Copenhagen specifically.

Project leader music & arts education at City of Antwerp/Council of the Arts

A contemporary historian by training, but with a passion for the arts, Leen Thielemans has been active behind the scenes of the art world for 30 years: both as a producer and assistant director in the theatre, as an art educator, as a museum guide and public worker in museums, and most recently as a policy maker for music in the city of Antwerp. Driven by a desire to share beauty and wonder, with a strong commitment to artists, and constant engagement with audiences, Leen sees the development of new collaborations and formats as a constant challenge in her work. When it comes to music preferences, repetitive soundscapes and genuine silence are her favourites. She is also a passionate beekeeper & herbalist in her spare time.

Freelance Music and Culture Consultant

Maria Kaimaklioti is a music industry professional and cultural producer based in Larnaca, Cyprus. She supports artists and cultural organisers in realising their creative projects and is a European Music Council fellow. With a background in musicology, she received her Master's from Oxford University, studying audience and media reception of blues and rock music. She was Louvana Records' production coordinator and communications manager from 2019-2022, overviewing development, coordination and promotional strategies for label releases and events such as Fengaros Festival and creating proposals for EU-funded projects, including designing the MusicAIRE-awarded programme Eurotoire: Equaliser to boost the professionalisation of artists of underrepresented genders from underrepresented regions in Europe. She was a panel speaker at the Cyprus Jazz & World Music Showcase and the Women as New Cultural Promoters to Enhance Territorial Heritage programme. Maria deeply enjoys championing the Cypriot music ecosystem and mediating synergies between artists, organisers and audiences.

Booking agent at Colours of Ostrava

This year she will complete studies of Production in Cultural and Creative Industries. Since 2015, she has been organizing concerts and participating in the organization of festivals. Now she works full time in booking the festival Colours of Ostrava.

Project Coordinator at Association Metamedia

I have 25 years of experience in different roles inside music field. I am drummer, studio musician, electronic music DJ, radio station DJ, project manager and project coordinator of different educational project and community studio in Cultural center Rojc in Croatia

Managing Director at SIA lazytime

I am a Latvia-based German-Italian, that has been working internationally since 1998, of which 10+ years spent on the African continent. Involved in numerous projects between hospitality and events i worked with both underground and top-tier artists and locations. Due to the decade spent in Africa, i have a particular interest in world music and co-produce the stage Africa NOW! at Tallinn Music Week.

Partner of Berlin-based LONA Musik and in cooperation with JV-promotion i book artists and produce events.

With a strong belief in the power of cooperation, another current project is Cindy & Kate, a collaborative and trust-based informal network that brings together independent Baltic promoters, grassroots cultural spaces, and artists.

In cooperation with various partners, I have managed artistic residencies in Zanzibar and Portugal with new projects getting developed in Sicily and Latvia.

Since moving to Liepaja in 2019 I have organized a multitude of events there.

Change maker at Goyki 3 Art Inkubator

She has been connected to culture, and above all to music, since the moment she was conceived - her parents are both musicians, and she herself graduated from a secondary music school. She continued her passion for music by singing in the Academic Choir of the University of Gdańsk and the Supra Vocalis Ensemble. On a daily basis, she is involved in the promotion of cultural events and connects people by implementing numerous projects at the interface of culture/science/business/new technologies. Master of media relations and building relationships with traditional media. A disciplined and inspiring project manager with extensive experience in event marketing. Long-time producer of Blog Forum Gdańsk - the most important meeting of Internet creators in Poland. Academic lecturer, creator of postgraduate courses in cultural management. In 2020, she published a daily repertoire of #CultureWhilePandemic activities on the eskaem.pl blog.

Music journalist at Glasna music magazine - Jeunesses musicales international - Slovene Branch

I am journalist of Glasna music magazine, the only specialized music magazine from Slovenia, published by Jeunesses Musicales International - Slovenian branch. In the past I worked as PR coordinator for Slovenian musicians (Nika Records) and Warner Music International artists at Nika Records company for 3 years. I am also urban innovator and architect of peace, engaged with global communities in projects of building safer spaces of encounter and tackling sustainable development issues, noise pollution in urban environment and acoustics of spaces in the city. I am urban games designer, author of several games, among them Sprites of Meadowlands contributory augmented audio platform and urban game in botanical gardens and parks around Europe.

Director of Global Partnerships at Comunicazione Europe

I am a dual national (USA/IE) trilingual (EN-ES-FR) global citizen who grew up in Silicon Valley and learned everything I know about technology by osmosis (read: on-the-job!) I’ve lived and studied in Spain & Switzerland; I’ve also worked in Brazil and I am currently located in Belgium. In my ‘other’ life, I am an Art Collector, former co-manager of private galleries in Bruxelles and Brooklyn (maybe Barcelona next!) and a fierce supporter and promoter of artists and musicians. I have a keen interest in mixing music, art (painting/photography), film & video to produce eclectic polyvalent performances and installations. I am thrilled to finally be merging my two lives into one as I embark on this next phase of my career and my life promoting the arts, music and culture around the world.

Night mayor at Nachtraad Groningen

Merlijn Poolman started his career with organising metal shows and tours, but after founding a nightclub (Subsonic, Groningen) in 2011 he gradually got more involved into dance music. Since 2018 he became the Night Mayor of the Dutch city of Groningen and in that role forms a link between the government, the club venue owners and (most important) the party people themselves. As leader of the Groningen Nachtraad Groningen, member of the Dutch Popcoalitie (advisory board to the government) and former European Music Council fellow-member Merlijn loves to balance between the formal policy making and the raw underground music culture that formed his career.