Sweden is behind the rest of Europe when it comes to recognizing the Festival as an important cultural carrier, says Peter Eriksson and Noomi Hedlund at the Association of Swedish Music Festivals. In an opinion article published in the music magazine OPUS, as we enter the festival summer of 2014, they describe the difficult situation for festival organizers in Sweden.
Read the full article here on page: About SMF... (only in Swedish unfortunately)
Are you part of the next generation of artistic festival directors? Do you want to broaden your programming skills and be inspired by colleagues and experienced leaders in the field? The next Atelier for Young Festival Managers will take place from 20-27 October 2014 in Poznan, Poland. To give more passionate festival managers the chance to take part in the Atelier POZNAN 2014, The Festival Academy (initiative by the European Festivals Association) and the Malta Festival Poznan extend the deadline for the Call for Applications until 30 May 2014!
Under what conditions should the independent music life exist? Of the total public funding to music only 10% goes to the independent music community although half of the concert audience visit are played outside the institutions. It is high time to reform music policy and ensure more diverse spending of public funds. This call "A musiclife for all!" want public funding of music to increase in order to double the resources for the independent music community, so that 30 percent of each music institutions resources can be be used to involve the independent music community.
Along with Kulturkraft Stockholm and several other national associations and organizations, Swedish Music Festivals are organizing a seminar focusing on programming and collaboration. The seminar are mainly aimed at managers of the performing arts, working with festivals, concerts, clubs, theatres etc.. Sign up now! And come to the Alvik Folkets Hus on Saturday, May 24th from 10-17 hrs. This is a last minute call for those who have not yet registered.
Swedish Music Festivals grows to 42 members. Five festivals from Sundsvall in the north to Malmö in the south was granted membership during the year. Apart from Sundsvall and Malmö, two festivals are resident in Stockholm and one in Dalarna. The Royal Festivals is an experienced festival from 1970, who in 1988 co-founded our association. Also joining are a chamber music festival in Sundsvall, an opera festival in Dala-Floda, a folk and world music festival at Hesselby castle and a festival of contemporary music in Malmö.
At the annual meeting in Umeå 10-12 April 2014 the Association of Swedish Music Festivals widely discussed the association's work and decided a a set of revised targets . The board was expanded with two women and is for 2014-2015 composed of 9 members and 5 deputies from the festival world. The setting was the best possible: Umeå 2014 , European Capital of Culture , the host Norrlandsoperan with its vibrant cultural life, a conference focusing on the recent European study of festivals and young upcoming jazz with 12points Festival.
MADE (Music, Art, Dance, Experience), the first festival in spring, is a trans-national performing arts festival, which since 2006 has brought together artists and performers with a brave and curious audience creating unforgettable meetings and moments. A festival at the European Cultural Capital Umeå2014 open its gates. At the same time, Swedish Performing Arts are organising their General Assembly in the city, ... and enjoy the festival.
Welcome and celebrate European Day of Early Music 2014!
On 21st March 2014, the second edition of the European Day of Early Music will be celebrated all over Europe. LIVE on web TV! In Stockholm we celebrate the day on Stockholm Central Train Station from 10 to late afternoon. While the first edition of this celebration in 2013 was supported by Androulla Vassiliou, EU Commissioner for Culture, the 2014 event will be under the patronnage of UNESCO.
On April 7 Kulturkraft Stockholm have engaged James Waters from Festivals and Events International (FEI) to launch a 3-Day seminar especially for festival managers. James was Associate Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival from 1992 to 2006 where he worked with Sir Brian McMaster to devise and implement the Festival’s annual programme. As FEI director he assisted with programming and delivery of the London 2012 Festival, the largest cultural festival ever staged in the UK, celebrating the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
