Start of the EXTRA SOUND programme for international representation of Ukrainian musicians
EXTRA SOUND is a long-term programme of representation of Ukrainian musicians and bands at international festivals, developed by the Ukrainian Institute. In 2020, the Ukrainian Institute will announce four open competitions for participation in international showcases. The programme will begin accepting applications for The Great Escape (UK) International Festival on January 15, 2020.
The Great Escape 2020 International Festival - a partner of the EXTRA SOUND programme — has, since its founding in 2006, become a flagship international event to support new mainstream music in Europe. This year, the festival kicks off on May 13 and will last for 4 days in Brighton, UK. The Times calls The Great Escape "the best place in Europe to discover new bands," and the hosts of BBC Radio 6 Music compare the festival to "Cannes in the world of music." Each year, nearly half a thousand musicians present their music at more than 30 festival venues to an audience of almost 16,000, consisting mainly of renowned industry agents.
This year, Ukrainian musicians will participate in The Great Escape for the first time. The festival team will select the performers who will represent Ukraine according to the format, context and priority areas of The Great Escape.
"After participating in Waves Vienna 2019, one of the key Austrian showcases, where the Ukrainian Institute organized a trip for Ukrainian performers, we clearly realized that supporting our young musicians in such formats serves primarily as a representation of the contemporary vibrant Ukraine, but also helps to effectively integrate it into the international music space," says the Head of the Programme Department of the Ukrainian Institute Iryna Prokofieva. "The participation in a festival of such scale as The Great Escape is like a lottery ticket for a musician — and the good news is that it's always a winning ticket."
At the time of application, applicants must be over 18 years of age, have Ukrainian citizenship, and permanently reside in Ukraine. More details about the programme and the first open competition here.
The programme for the presentation of Ukrainian musicians and bands at the EXTRA SOUND international festivals is one of the end-to-end mobility formats of the Ukrainian Institute for the music sector. In the field of visual arts, the Ukrainian Institute carries out such activities through the EXTER international residency programme.
This year, Ukrainian musicians will participate in The Great Escape for the first time. The festival team will select the performers who will represent Ukraine according to the format, context and priority areas of The Great Escape.
"After participating in Waves Vienna 2019, one of the key Austrian showcases, where the Ukrainian Institute organized a trip for Ukrainian performers, we clearly realized that supporting our young musicians in such formats serves primarily as a representation of the contemporary vibrant Ukraine, but also helps to effectively integrate it into the international music space," says the Head of the Programme Department of the Ukrainian Institute Iryna Prokofieva. "The participation in a festival of such scale as The Great Escape is like a lottery ticket for a musician — and the good news is that it's always a winning ticket."
At the time of application, applicants must be over 18 years of age, have Ukrainian citizenship, and permanently reside in Ukraine. More details about the programme and the first open competition here.
The programme for the presentation of Ukrainian musicians and bands at the EXTRA SOUND international festivals is one of the end-to-end mobility formats of the Ukrainian Institute for the music sector. In the field of visual arts, the Ukrainian Institute carries out such activities through the EXTER international residency programme.