The Stage Europe Network foresees the collaboration of seven cultural organizations from seven different European countries: France, Germany, Iceland, Norway, The Netherlands, Ukraine and Poland. The principal aim of the network is to connect different organizations that work in the music or culture field, exchanging competences between expertise, developing long-term projects in which upcoming European bands/ acts can be involved in. The main common goal is to promote the active participation of young people in music in an European context and give them an intercultural learning experience. Reflecting on the meaning and the worth of this experience can contribute to stimulate the knowledge in the music field and also help young musicians to develop an awareness of sharing values. Music is a powerful medium of intercultural communication that can offer to young musicians from different countries the chance to express their selves sharing their common passion.
Main goals
The network has been set by a preparatory meeting in 2008 and updated during a evaluation meeting in 2019, between all the network members. As a result of this meetings these main goals and conditions of future collaborations and exchanges has been fixed: All the partners of the network offers a residence for a band/act selected by the others.
Each SEN partner will host every year a band/ act in a cooperative residence with a local band/act for a week;
The hosting partner will arrange and finance a program on basis of own possibilities/ knowledge, with the questions/ wishes of the participating bands/ acts as a starting point;
Each SEN partner will send, and finance the travel, every year a band/act to a cooperative residence, preferable the band/ act that was/is also part of the hosting residence program;
The selection of the participating bands/ acts is on basis of a proposal with 3 options and is been discussed and agreed between the involved SEN partners;
The timeframe for each residence is agreed between the involved partners, but should be realised in the project year;
The foreign band/ act should be assisted by a tutor or a mentor of the sending organisation;
Every two year we organise a showcase with all SEN partners at Westerpop Festival in Delft (NL);
Each year we have at least one obligatory network meeting with all SEN partners involved;
SEN is still open for other cultural organizations that want to join, but they must agree with the mentioned points above.
Network of Partners
The network consist partners from France, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Ukraine and The Netherlands. The network is still open for organizations from other European countries.
Aix’Qui? (France)
Aix’Qui? is a NGO established in 1989 in Aix-en-Provence. The mission of the organization is to stimulate the access to the arts promoting artistic expressions of young people. Aix’Qui? Provides technical and human support to young amateur bands also on a learning approach. The activities of Aix’Qui? are organizing workshops for young musicians, promoting bands, recording music and more. The organization also improves mobility of young bands in Europe by organizing meetings and exchanges, according to its educational goal to build connections between different generations and cultures.
HHCC is a cultural and information centre for young people, aged 16-25. It is run by the Sports and Youth Council of Reykjavik. One of the basic rules is not to organize leisure programs for young people. Hitt Husid Cultural Centre prefers instead to stimulate an active role in young people. The aim of the centre is to help young people to carry out their ideas and to offer them assistance in financing their projects.
Music Export Ukraine is an independent initiative, which helps Ukrainian emerging artists to establish connections, promote their music, develop career and talent on the international level.
Since August 1993, we have been treading a new path in youth and music promotion as a non-profit limited company. The MusikZentrum is a unique project in Germany. Among other things, events, seminars, workshops, theater performances and studio recordings take place here.
Ostafjellske Kompetansesenter for rytmisk musikk (Norway)
Ostafjellske Kompetansesenter is one of several regional centers focusing on development of players within the rhythmical field with a focus on young artists and bands. The organization works close to festivals and genre-specific centre of competence ex. folk music. Key players in the organization are: Kongsberg Jazzfestival, Nottoden Bluefestival, Slottfjellfestivalen, Union Scene, Working Class Hero. One of the main goals of Ostafjellske Kompetansesenter is developing programs and support for young bands throughout the collaboration with Buskerud Musikkard, including workshops, seminars at Buskerud Univercity in the region where the center is based.
The Popfabryk develops talent in the area of popular culture. Popfabryk offers a platform for creative talent to excel, by challenging talents to explore their boundaries and encourage them to innovate. To widen and deepen popular culture is an important starting point, looking for interaction between different art disciplines. Producing new, popular culture related, art-expressions is the main goal of the Popfabryk.
The Baltic Sea Culture Centre intends to stimulate international cooperation, especially with the Baltic States, but also in an European and worldwide context. Promoting culture in the Pomenarian region of Poland, shaping the national and international cultural policy is another goal of the organization. The Baltic Sea Cultural Centre takes part to several cultural and educational projects that involve international partners and it also organizes music, film, theatre events in Poland and abroad.
