This list is compiled by CIMA's UK/EU representative, Shain Shapiro. Shain has contacts for all of these festivals. If you have any questions on the festivals listed below please email shain@cimamusic.ca. This list was updated on May 30th, 2010.
European Showcase Festivals:
Legend:
** showcase
% trade fair
$ conference
2010 European Showcase Festivals (2011 dates TBA when noted)
January:
Eurosonic
Groningen, Netherlands
Jan 12-15
%$
Eurosonic is the largest gathering of European festival organizers. It's mainly rock/pop and Canadians are not allowed to showcase. We can attend the trade side of it though.
www.eurosonic.nl
MIDEM
Cannes, France
Jan 23-27
No need to explain, as MIDEM is the largest music conference in all of Europe, held at the Palais in Cannes. There are limited showcasing opportunities.
www.reedmidem.com
Celtic Connections
Glasgow, Scotland
Jan 15-31 (conference Jan 28-30)
**%$
Celtic Connections is a two-week long traditional music festival for consumers, with a conference element titled 'Showcase Scotland' on the back of it in the final week. It features a 'country sponsorship', which Nova Scotia is participating in next year, a one-day trade fair and a series of conferences. It is the largest traditional music gathering in the UK. The delegates are chosen by the organizers, as you have to apply, and there around 190 on average each year.
www.celticconnections.com
www.activeevents.org.uk
February:
By:Larm
Oslo, NO
Feb 18-20
%$
By:Larm is the largest Scandinavian rock and indie conference. Canadians are not allowed to showcase, but we can attend the conference. It's mainly Norwegian, but features businesses across Scandinavia and the UK.
www.bylarm.no
Helsinki Metal Meeting
Helsinki, FI
Feb 18-20
**$%
Helsinki Metal Meeting is the largest metal and hard rock conference across Northern Europe and Eastern Europe, featuring about 600 delegates and 300 bands. It is strictly metal, but Canadians are allowed to showcase / plan showcases, as well as attend. The Finnish Music Office is a partner.
www.fme.fi
March:
International Live Music Conference
London, UK
March 12-14
$
The ILMC is a trade conference for the booking agents in the UK. Anyone is welcome to attend and the main components are securing booking and festival dates for the next year. There is no showcase or trade element, and the registrants are usually around 300.
www.ilmc.com
Tallinn Music Week
March 19-22
$
It's the largest music festival in Northeastern Europe, but mostly featuring bands from Estonia. It is the best music market for Northeastern Europe, especially if one is interested in the relatively strong Baltic festival market. A lot of Finnish companies attend as well.
www.tallinnmusicweek.ee
M4Music
Zurich, Switzerland
March 24-27
**%
M4Music is a small but growing music conference in Switzerland, and as I know it the only active Swiss centric conference. It offers a demo clinic but is expanding its showcase model, from 1 venue to 3 venues. It also has a conference element in Lausanne, which is a 2-3 hour train journey away.
www.m4music.ch
Leeds International Jazz Conference
Leeds, UK
March 25-29
**$
Begun in 1993, the event at the University of Leeds is one of the leading jazz conferences in Europe. It picks a theme each year and is focusing mainly on the conference element, but there is opportunity to showcase as well. It's very small and quite academic, but is a good networking event for strictly jazz organizers.
http://www.lcm.ac.uk/research-conference/leeds-international-jazz-conference.htm
Babel Med
Marseilles, France
March 28-31
**$%
- This is billed as the gateway to the African music community, through the Mediterranean. It is a fairly large showcasing festival with both a conference and a trade show. It focuses a lot on folk and 'world' music, but has opened up to a lot of styles in recent years, including forms of dance. It offers a fair amount of showcasing opportunities as well.
www.babelmed.net
Inferno Metal Meeting
Oslo, Norway
March 31- April 3
**$%
Inferno is the world's largest metal conference, essentially taking up from where Helsinki left off. Canadians are allowed to showcase, and it has a huge trade fair. There is also a consumer driven music festival promoted alongside, and mostly Black and Death metal are the focus.
www.infernofestival.net
April:
New Skool Rules
April 1-3
Rotterdam, L
$**
- This is a relatively new but active hip-hop and urban music conference, that is small but very targeted. It's centered on the Dutch urban community, but offers up international showcasing opportunities and has a good set of panels for the international delegates.
European Forum on Music
April 15-19
Vienna, Austria
$
This is produced by the International Music Council (UNESCO) and Austria's classical music community. It features evening showcases of Austrian classical performers, but during the day is a conference specifically targeted to European jazz and classical, mostly touring and licensing.
http://www.emc-imc.org/index.php?id=496
Printemps de Bourges
April 13-18
Bourges, France
$**&
- a very big indie music festival in Bourges, and possibly the largest independent industry gathering in all of France. Canadians are invited to apply and showcase, and it's one of the better domestic French opportunities. It's operated by the same folks who run MAMA in Paris in October.
www.printemps-bourges.fr
Jazz Ahead
April 22-25
Bremen, Germany
$%**
This conference has been occurring for nearly a decade in Bremen and bills itself as one of the largest jazz industry gatherings in Europe. It offers a good amount of showcasing, plus a conference and trade show. It's popular for jazz club bookers and festival directors, and is one of the better gateways for jazz, especially contemporary jazz, into Germany and surrounding territories. More info can be obtained by our Asian rep. Just email.
www.jazzahead.de
May:
Camden Crawl
London, UK
May 1-2
**
The Camden Crawl is a consumer-focused showcase festival, with no trade or conference element attached. It is two days and around 300 slots for showcasing, both afternoon and evening, with a wristband policy in affect for consumers. Canadian Blast will be staging an afternoon showcase at the festival
www.thecamdencrawl.com
Leipzig Pop-Up
Leipzig, DE
May 7-8
**$
Leipzig Pop-Up is the gathering for the indie (both style and independent) community in central and southern Germany. There is a small trade show and a conference, and bands are allowed to showcase upon application. It's very targeted towards the independent community and is the fourth music conference in Germany.
www.leipzig-popup.de
City Showcase
London, UK
May 7-8
**$
City Showcase grew out of the ashes of London Calling, essentially. It is a small conference with around 50 speakers and two evenings of concerts, which bands are invited to apply to perform. The attendance is good. It is mainly indie/rock.
www.cityshowcase.co.uk
Fair Music Conference
Vienna, Austria
May 6-9
**
This is a conference dedicated to 'fairness' in music, which means intellectual property rights and new band development. It's primarily Austrian, but most of the consumer Austrian festivals attend as well.
www.fairmusic.net
Jazz Sous Le Pommiers
Coutances, France
May 8-15
$**%
The largest jazz conference gathering in France and probably Northern Europe. It's at a very busy time but combined with the new 'Jazz Ahead' conference, it could be a good opportunity for jazz artists to make links with the festival market.
www.jazzsouslepommiers.com
Nuits Sonores
Lyon, France
May 12-16
**
Nuits Sonores is one of the more respected and boutique showcasing opportunities in France. It's targeted mainly as Francophile artists, but features both simultanerously within the indie and rock world. It has featured partnerships with Pop Montreal in the past.
www.nuits-sonores.com
The Great Escape
Brighton, UK
May 13-15
**$&
The Great Escape is the largest music conference and showcasing opportunity in the south of the UK. It has a conference element alongside showcasing. It pays larger acts to participate and is mainly focused on the live market. There is a small trade show in the Brighton Dome, but it's mainly panels and showcasing this.
www.escapegreat.com
Spot on Denmark
Aarhus, Denmark
May 20-22
**$
Spot on Denmark is the largest music conference in Denmark, and is the gathering of the entire nation's music community. 75% of the bands that showcase are Danish, but there is an opportunity for artist showcasing upon application. It's targeted but effective in its mandate.
www.spotondenmark.dk
Liverpool Soundcity
Liverpool, UK
May 20-22
**$
Liverpool Soundcity is the largest and most developing music conference in the north of England for the indie and rock communities. It is similar to the Great Escape in scope, but it two years younger. It has showcasing opportunities and a small trade show.
www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk
International Music Summit
Ibiza, Balearic Islands
May 26 - 31
**$%
The IMS was founded five years ago by Pete Tong, and has grown to be one of the larger dance music conferences in Europe. It is focused on the club scene, combining large parties with a trade fair and conference elements. Artists are allowed to showcase.
www.internationalmusicsummit.com
Europavox
Clermont, France
May 27-31
$
Europavox is a small independent conference for the continental (mainly French festival bookers. It is sponsored in part by AIM and does have a small but active British contingent. It is a business event with no Canadian showcasing.
www.europavox.fr
June:
Go North!
Inverness, Scotland
June 10-12
$**
Go North is a targeted but small festival in the north of Scotland, and the largest in the region. It is co-sponsored by the Rockness Festival, which happens that weekend. Artists that showcase at one get a slot at the other, and they are open to applications. There is a conference element as well.
www.gonorth.info
MusExpo
London, UK
June 10-11
**$
MusExpo is a two-day conference with around 15 showcasing slots, held in a hotel in central London. It is mainly focusing on publishing and digital, and the showcases are often poorly promoted. It is produced by A&R Worldwide.
www.musexpo.net
SONAR
Barcelona, Spain
June 23-27
**$%
Sonar is one of the largest and most respected music festival in Spain. In addition to the consumer element, there is a business conference titled Sonar Pro, which is targeted towards dance and electronic companies from across Europe. It should be seen as a priority within that genre.
www.sonar.es
Cologne POP
Cologne, DE
June 23-28
**$
Cologne Pop was created in response to PopKomm's move to Berlin. It is a consumer festival and conference over six days, focusing on the independent music community within rock and pop in Germany and across Europe. It is the second largest showcase in Germany, aside from PopKomm and is well respected.
www.c-o-pop.de
Music Connected
London, UK
June 30
%
This is a conference (no showcasing) organized by AIM focusing on the digital market. If one is in London it's worth attending.
www.musicindie.com
July:
Canada Day
London (possibly Paris and Berlin)
July 1
**
Canada Day is now a showcasing opportunity in both London and Paris. There will be events in all genres on both June 30th and July 1st. This will be presented by CIMA in both markets.
www.canadadaylondon.com
August:
N/A
September:
POPKOMM
Berlin, DE
Sep 7-11
**$%
Popkomm is back, tis time in the Tempelhof Airport in central Berlin. It is partnered with Berlin Music Week, and will feature a fair as well as concerts at the Kulturbrewerei.
www.popkomm.de
www.messe-berlin.de
Note - there is also a Jazzkomm event and it is now combined with Berlin Music Week --> www.berlinmusicweek.de
See Me Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria
Septemer 15-18
$**
See Me Sofia is the largest music conference in southeastern Europe. It covers all genres, but is focused on mainstream pop, dance and rock and roll. It is open for showcasing and has a business conference attached, mainly for Bulgarian, Romanian and regional booking agents and promoters. A possibly good first step for that market.
www.seeme-sofia.com
Mercat de Musica
Sep 16-19
Vic (near Barcelona), Spain
**$%
This is a small but well attended folk festival showcase for the Balearic regions. There is a conference and trade show element, as well as a few showcases which Canadians can apply to. It's situated in a gorgeous town as well.
www.mmvv.net
Reeperbahn
Hamburg, DE
Sep 23-25
**$%
Reeperbahn is the newest but fastest growing music conference in Germany. It is split in two: Reeperbahn Festival and Reeperbahn Campus. Campus is the largest promoter conference in Germany, featuring a trade fair, about 1300 delegates and conferences. Festival is a consumer-centred event staged over a week in Hamburg. Bands are invited to perform and companies to attend.
www.reeperbahnfestival.de
European Jazz Network Conference
Sep 23-29
Instanbul, Turkey
**$%
This is the largest event in Europe for jazz. It features trade shows, networking and a conference, and moves every year. Last year it was in Glasgow. It's primarily or members of the network, but companies are allowed to attend and Canadians can perform in showcases.
www.europejazz.net
October:
You Are In Control
Reykjavik, Iceland
Oct 1 and 2
$
You Are In Control is produced by Icelandic Music Export, to coincide with the Reykjavik Film Festival. It's a conference with no showcasing, focusing primarily on synch, licensing and DIY. About 80 delegates attended last year.
www.imx.is
Iceland Airwaves
Reykjavik, Iceland
Oct 13-17
**
Iceland Airwaves is an exciting showcasing opportunity for Canadian bands. There is no longer a conference elements to the festival, as that has moved to the week of the Reykjavik Film Festival. Instead, this is a purely consumer festival with both paid performance and showcase opportunities.
www.icelandairwaves.com
In The City
Manchester, UK
Oct 13-15
**$
In The City is a small conference and showcasing conference in Manchester, meant to compete with Great Escape and Soundcity. It offers showcasing opportunities for artists across indie and rock.
www.inthecity.co.uk
MAMA Music Event
Paris, France
Oct 16-18
**$
- This is a festival run by the same people who do Printemps de Bourges, which is hugely respected and widely attended. It's been on for a few years and is a good resource for the French market, especially because it's based in the Pigalle. It allows for Canadian showcases.
www.mama-event.com
Amsterdam Dance Event
Amsterdam, NL
Oct 20-23
**$%
Amsterdam Dance Event is the largest electronic music showcase and conference festival in Europe. It is focused on Djs, clubs, promotion and licensing and has over 200 concerts around the city alongside. It is produced by the same people who do Eurosonic and should be on the calendar for our members in the electronic music community.
www.amsterdamdanceevent.nl
WOMEX
Copenhagen, DK
Oct 29-31
**$%
WOMEX is the largest traditional and 'world' music conference in the world, with over 800 delegates. It moves every three years, but was historically in Seville. It features 30 odd official showcases with the opportunity to host an off-venue event. It has a huge trade fair that both provinces and the Canada Council have participated in. www.womex.com
November:
Folk Arts England Conference
Nottingham, UK
Nov 20-21
**$
FO UK is the largest gathering of folk festival promoters in England. It has a small showcasing element alongside, but the main goal is to place oneself at folk festival in England, of which there are hundreds.
www.folkarts-england.org
Music Southwest
Bristol, UK
Nov 24-25
$
Music Southwest is a small conference produced by the Bristol Music Foundation. It is comprised mainly of talks, although artists can apply to showcase. It's focused on the southwest of England, festivals and local booking.
www.bristolmusicfoundation.com
Buma Beats
Nov 26-27
Rotterdam, Netherlands
$**
This is a new hip-hop and urban music conference produced by the same people behind Eurosonic and ADE. It promises to be the best urban music conference in Europe, and is situation 6 months past New Skool, which is in the same city. It's unproven but very interesting.
www.buma-rotterdam-beats.nl
Sonic Visions
Nov 26-27
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
$
- small festival at the Rockhal in Luxeumbourg. There are showcasing opportunities.
www.sonicvisions.lu
MEI (Meeting of Independent Labels)
outside Bologna, Italy
Nov 27-29
**$
MEI is the 'Meeting of Independent Labels' in Italy, and is the largest conference of its kind in the country. It is run well and features small but targeted showcasing opportunities, on offer to anyone. It's good for Italian showcasing and promotion.
www.meigroup.com
December:
Transmusicales
Rennes, France
Dec 7-11
$**
One of the biggest showcasing festivals in France. A lot of UK bookers go, as it's sort out like France's Great Escape. There is a trade show and Canadians are allowed to showcase at it.
www.lestrans.com
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