Experimental music lighthouses: Riga-Tromsø

Project facts

Project promoter:
Association for Adventurous Music and Film Art 'Skaņu Mežs'
Project Number:
LV04-0010
Target groups
Young adults,
Students
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€114,728
Final project cost:
€108,756
From EEA Grants:
€ 79,852
The project is carried out in:
Latvia

Description

The project aims to stimulate the exchange of creative experiences and reinforce international contacts between two distinguished festivals with the same backgrounds: the innovative music festival Skaņu Mežs and the Norwegian festival Insomnia.The project is based on the interest of the Skaņu Mežs to exchange creative experiences and forge organisational ties with an another distinguished festival of the same artistic background - the Norwegian festival Insomnia - to further develop cooperation in the cultural field.The exchange is achieved through four layers of collaboration, the first of which consists of co-producing a new collaborative composition by a Latvian (Voldemārs Johansons) and yet to be confirmed Norwegian composer and consequently presenting it at both festivals,whereas the next two layers of collaboration have to do with the overall 2014 programs of both festivals:in the second layer Skaņu Mežs creates a sub-program of Latvian musicians to be presented at Insomnia, and Insomnia creates a sub-program of Norwegian musicians to be presented at Skaņu Mežs, and in the third layer both festival organisers join forces to create a program that emphasises the wider European dimension that also unites Skaņu Mežs and Insomnia. This results in outstanding European musical acts, that stand out as a symbiosis of both festivals’ interests and are presented at both festivals in the same form.The final layer will consist of exchange of commissioned works:Insomnia has chosen a Norwegian sound artist Singe Liden and will send her to Riga,where she will present her newly-created work,as well as vice versa–Evelīna Deičmane,chosen by Skaņu Mežs,will have a residency in Tromsø,where she will create a new work and present.All three commissioned works of this project will be created specifically for the locations of Riga or Tromsø or created from the unique sonic aspects of both cities’ environments.

Summary of project results

The project aimed to stimulate the exchange of creative experiences and reinforce international contacts between two distinguished music festivals with the same backgrounds: the innovative music festival Skaņu Mežs and the Norwegian festival Insomnia.The project’s partners exchanged creative experiences and forge organisational ties between two festivals of the same artistic background. A new collaborative composition by a Latvian composer Voldemārs Johansons and Norwegian composer Rolf Eric Nystrom was co-produced through the experience exchange visits and presented at both festivals.One collaborative music programme with participation project beneficiary and the project partner from Norway, for the both festivals was created for promotion of the European musicians.Two cultural residencies for the artists E.Deičmane (Latvia) in Norway and artist Jana Winderena (Norway) in Latvia were organized in the project and 2 new art works were created and presented in exhibitions in Riga (Latvia) and Trumso (Norway). 17 concerts were organized in festivals "Skaņu mežs" (Latvia) and "Insomnia" (Norway) in 2015 and 8 concerts were organized with participation and collaboration of the European musicians.The close collaboration and cooperation between project's partners helped to create high quality festival programs which was attended approximately 5060 visitors attended both festivals. The project was a great opportunity to share to broader audience innovative and original electronic music.

Summary of bilateral results

The close collaboration of the project's partners helped to create a new musical and art products and to exchange experiences and knowledge. The project was an opportunity to cooperate in the field of the electronic music and to strengthening created partnership and to get to know other musicians who participated in the festivals. The project helped to strengthening partnership between two festivals.