Events

2020 artists eligible for 2021 European Talent Exchange Programme
The first digital edition of showcase festival ESNS took place less than a month ago and the first selection of the European Talent Exchange Programme (ETEP) 2021 is already here. The exchange programme, which focuses on offering European acts international opportunities, announces the first selection of 2021 and decided to give the acts of 2020 another year of support.

Results 2020
The year 2020 was different than any other year, since we all had to deal with a pandemic that brought the world to a standstill. Because of this, many ETEP festivals were cancelled or postponed. To still succeed in the mission of ETEP, to give emerging acts as much exposure as possible, we adjusted our strategy. Next to booking the ETEP artists, the festivals were allowed to promote them on their platforms if their festival could not take place. This resulted in 124 promotions for 74 acts from 21 countries by 74 festivals from 26 countries and a total of 45 shows by 40 acts from 26 countries playing at 12 festivals in 12 countries. In total there were 102 different emerging artists from 31 countries supported by bookings or promotions by ETEP festivals.

2020 acts are eligible for ETEP 2021
Despite the results from the ETEP 2020 programme, we chose to give the ETEP20 acts another chance at being booked by ETEP festivals. For this year’s ETEP-programme all festivals can select artists from both ESNS 2020 and 2021 line-ups.

First selection 2021
With ESNS just behind us, the first selection results are in. With 25 festivals voting for 136 artists, we present the artists to watch, according to the participating ETEP festivals.

Altin Gün (nl)
Daði Freyr (is)
Holly Humberstone (gb)
Alyona Alyona (ua)
Faux Real (fr)

These five acts are followed closely by Afrodelic (it), Donna Blue (nl), Finn Ronsdorf (de), Katy J Pearson (gb), Lous & The Yakuza (be), My Ugly Clementine (at), Nava (it), Personal Trainer (nl), Playback Maracas (es), The Goa Express (gb) and Yīn Yīn (nl).

Re-watch ESNS 2021
All ESNS21 shows have been broadcast during the festival last month. The shows can be re-watched on the festival platform via: 3fm.nl/esns. All videos are available until the end of this year.

ETEP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBd_WpqDkwE

About ETEP
The European Talent Exchange Programme (ETEP) was introduced in 2003 to stimulate the exchange of European artists across Europe, and would not be possible without the funding of the support programmes for culture by the European Union. ETEP has been one of the very first programmes to support popular music on a European level. Currently ETEP receives funding by the sub-programme “Culture” as part of Creative Europe.

An initiative of ESNS, ETEP facilitates the bookings of European acts on European & international festivals outside their home countries and generates extensive media exposure for these artists in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) public radio stations, as well as national and international media. Additionally, ETEP actively cooperates with 18 music export offices. This way, ETEP aims to give a boost to the international careers of European artists and highlights the participating ETEP festivals.

Since the start of the programme ETEP has facilitated 4.437 shows by 1.649 acts in 38 countries, and we are very proud to have contributed to the careers of so many talented European acts. Many acts that received support from ETEP at the start of their careers have grown out to be very successful. Over the past 18 years, acts such as Agnes Obel, Ásgeir, Ben Howard, Benjamin Clementine, Calvin Harris, Christine and the Queens, Dua Lipa, Franz Ferdinand, James Blake, MØ, Noisia, Selah Sue, The Editors, The Kooks, The XX, Within Temptation and Years & Years have greatly benefited from the support of the ETEP programme. More recently, acts such as Alma, Altin Gün, Arlo Parks, Aurora, Black Country, New Road, Celeste, Fontaines D.C., girl in red, Idles, Mavi Phoenix, Meduza, Oscar and the Wolf, Pip Blom, Pongo, Shame, Sigrid and 5KHD played some of their first international shows with the support of the European Talent Exchange Programme.

More info

Website | etep.nl – https://esns.nl/etep-2/
Infographic | video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBd_WpqDkwE

Digital showcase festival and conference platform focusing on European Music attracted an audience worldwide 

The first online edition of ESNS has exceeded all expectations; both the festival and conference platform have been visited en masse by music lovers and professionals worldwide with almost 4000 from 124 different countries.  In line with the current safety measures in The Netherlands, the thirty-fifth edition of ESNS took place digitally. Despite the acts, audience and industry professionals being unable to meet each other in Groningen, they still managed to make the most of the virtual experience with daily live streamed panels and performances and online networking opportunities for professionals to meet each other in a virtual environment.

The online edition also brought new possibilities for networking, while artists gained a much greater reach for their showcases via ESNS channels and media partners. With this, the mission of ESNS was more than secured; promoting and circulating new Dutch and European music. 

Robert Meijerink, head of programme of ESNS looks back on a successful edition:
“We are truly overwhelmed by the positive feedback, with many saying a new standard has been set, which is amazing and the digital edition has exceeded our wildest expectations. The ESNS platform is focused on new emerging acts from Europe and to bring together music professionals from all corners of the world to discuss the current and future of the music sector and its industry.  Thanks to NPO 3FM and members of EBU, ESNS was able to reach an even bigger audience in Europe and beyond. We really hope we can organise a physical edition in 2022 and be together once again, but we will also expand our online ventures next year.”

ESNS 2021 – A recap of a digital festival and conference

Showcase festival
The digital platform of the ESNS showcase festival, built in collaboration with NPO 3FM, hosted exclusive live sets from 189 acts from 36 European countries. The shows, broadcast daily on four channels, were highly praised by media, music lovers and professionals. The showcase festival has been covered extensively by media partner NPO 3FM and European radio stations, united in the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). Dutch broadcaster NTR guided the viewer on Saturday evening in a two-hour program on NPO 3 with the Noorderslag festival with all Dutch showcases. All ESNS showcases are now available to watch at 3fm.nl/esns.

The sets were recorded by the acts in a short period of time throughout Europe, in collaboration with the EBU, export agencies, venues and festivals.  A unique achievement; as 34 European countries were in a lockdown at the time. Many of the Dutch acts were able to record their performances at some of the much loved venues in Groningen, whilst following Covid Secure protocols, making it the first cultural event in the Netherlands with all crew, artists and suppliers tested for COVID-19.

Conference
The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been an unprecedented blow to the music sector and as a result, the need to get together seemed greater than ever. Almost 4,000 delegates took part in the conference, themed ‘The Road to Recovery’ aiming to regain confidence, facing the current crisis and making a constructive contribution to a new future for Dutch and European music industry. 

In 66 panels, featuring 274 speakers, industry professionals looked ahead and discussed the reopening of the live music sector, with conference attendees also scheduling more than 10.000 one on one meetings using the digital platform. The most viewed panels included ‘Successful Covid Festival Formats’, ‘Streaming is here to stay!’ and ‘Platform Workshops with Bandcamp & Spotify’ and also keynote interviews with Wendy Ong (manager Dua Lipa), Scott Cohen (Warner Music) and Neil Warnock (UTA).

Music Moves Europe Talent Awards
On Friday, January 15, the winners of the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards 2021 were announced on the ESNS digital platform and the NITE Hotel, presented by Melanie C. The 8 winners are Inhaler (ie), Julia Bardo (it ), Lous and the Yakuza (be), Melenas (es), Rimon (nl), Sassy 009 (no), Vildá (fi) and Alyona Alyona (ua), with the latter also winning the Public Choice Award 2021. This was publicly announced by the European Commissioner for Culture, Mariya Gabriel. This annual European prize for popular and contemporary music, co-financed by the Creative Europe program, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and the province and municipality of Groningen, highlights emerging artists who represent the European sound of today and tomorrow.

ESNS Kickstart
ESNS presented a new incentive prize for new Dutch talent at Noorderslag, in collaboration with Buma Cultuur and Dutch Music Export. With ESNS Kickstart, the initiators want to give emerging talents an impulse to the development of their careers. The prizes were presented in the NTR TV broadcast by the media partners of ESNS to talents Froukje (NPO 3FM), Joya Mooi (NPO Radio 2 Soul & Jazz) and Yssi SB (FunX). A cheque for € 5,000 has been handed to each act.

ESNS 2022
ESNS will return next year; ESNS 2022 will take place from 19 – 22 January 2022, preferably as a physical edition in Groningen, the Netherlands.