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Previous participant: Jakob Fraisse
From: jazzahead! (Germany)
To: Knutpunkt (GAC) / Semente Cultural Productions (Sweden)
Dates: 18 - 26 October 2024
From October 18th until October 26th thanks to EJN I had the opportunity to spend eight days with the EJN member organisations Knutpunkt / GAC and Semente Cultural Productions in Sweden. Knutpunkt is a dynamic network comprised of 32 organizers and venues, passionately engaged in the vibrant cultural scene of southern Sweden, run by Maria Rylander. Semente is a Swedish cultural association lead by Loredana Franza that is dedicated to the production of multicultural live experiences.
The EJN staff exchange was done in a very special constellation, as it was connected to an EJN Green Pilot Tour, conceptualized and produced by the three exchange organisations. Together with Maria and Loredana I had the chance to develop the idea of a German band that played at jazzahead! German Jazz Expo last year touring through Sweden and playing eight concerts organized by Knutpunkt and Semente Cultural Productions. This first green jazzahead! tour ever featured the great band „Mother“ of bandleader Athina Kontou and gave them the chance to play an international tour for the first time. As the idea of the Green Pilot Tour is to foster international exchange and stand up against global climate change, my Staff Exchange was also deeply influenced by these two topics.
On the one hand I was able to experience the whole process of planning and implementing an international tour including booking, routing, financing and promoting already around one year before the staff exchange. During the exchange I had the chance to accompany the band through a series of seven concerts, one reception, one business meeting and one workshop. I was able to experience the job of a tour manager for the first time and learn a lot about how international touring – especially in Sweden – works.
At the same time my welcoming organisations made it possible for me to get to know lots of important institutions and persons from the Swedish jazz scene. With the Stockholm Jazz Festival, Fasching, Stallet or Victoriateatern Malmö I got to know big, internationally established and professional run institutions. With Musik i Lerum, Vänersborgs Musikförening or Jazz i Halmstad I also got to know voluntarily lead associations in smaller cities that promote concerts with lots of enthusiasm and desire. Within several get-together I also got to know delegates from big national institutions like the Swedish Arts Council or Svensk Jazz.
For me this exchange was eye-opening and instructive on different levels. From Maria and Loredana I learned the different steps of organising an international tour like this. They also introduced me to lots of Swedish delegates and strengthened the bonds between Sweden and Germany for future cooperation. But I also learned a lot about the idea of Green Touring and what it means for promotors, musicians and the audience. As jazzahead! wants to really emphasize this topic as part of its conference and festival program, I can bring home a lot of impressions and learnings.
And last but not least, I experienced a great time with Athina Kontou and her fellow musicians Luise Volkmann, Dominik Mahnig and Lucas Leidinger and was able to listen to their unique music every day for seven days in a row. The band as well as my hosts Maria and Loredana were incredibly friendly and made this EJN Staff Exchange to a once in a lifetime experience.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRc2fnNiYn/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBoheGTNpjS/
To: Knutpunkt (GAC) / Semente Cultural Productions (Sweden)
Dates: 18 - 26 October 2024
From October 18th until October 26th thanks to EJN I had the opportunity to spend eight days with the EJN member organisations Knutpunkt / GAC and Semente Cultural Productions in Sweden. Knutpunkt is a dynamic network comprised of 32 organizers and venues, passionately engaged in the vibrant cultural scene of southern Sweden, run by Maria Rylander. Semente is a Swedish cultural association lead by Loredana Franza that is dedicated to the production of multicultural live experiences.
The EJN staff exchange was done in a very special constellation, as it was connected to an EJN Green Pilot Tour, conceptualized and produced by the three exchange organisations. Together with Maria and Loredana I had the chance to develop the idea of a German band that played at jazzahead! German Jazz Expo last year touring through Sweden and playing eight concerts organized by Knutpunkt and Semente Cultural Productions. This first green jazzahead! tour ever featured the great band „Mother“ of bandleader Athina Kontou and gave them the chance to play an international tour for the first time. As the idea of the Green Pilot Tour is to foster international exchange and stand up against global climate change, my Staff Exchange was also deeply influenced by these two topics.
On the one hand I was able to experience the whole process of planning and implementing an international tour including booking, routing, financing and promoting already around one year before the staff exchange. During the exchange I had the chance to accompany the band through a series of seven concerts, one reception, one business meeting and one workshop. I was able to experience the job of a tour manager for the first time and learn a lot about how international touring – especially in Sweden – works.
At the same time my welcoming organisations made it possible for me to get to know lots of important institutions and persons from the Swedish jazz scene. With the Stockholm Jazz Festival, Fasching, Stallet or Victoriateatern Malmö I got to know big, internationally established and professional run institutions. With Musik i Lerum, Vänersborgs Musikförening or Jazz i Halmstad I also got to know voluntarily lead associations in smaller cities that promote concerts with lots of enthusiasm and desire. Within several get-together I also got to know delegates from big national institutions like the Swedish Arts Council or Svensk Jazz.
For me this exchange was eye-opening and instructive on different levels. From Maria and Loredana I learned the different steps of organising an international tour like this. They also introduced me to lots of Swedish delegates and strengthened the bonds between Sweden and Germany for future cooperation. But I also learned a lot about the idea of Green Touring and what it means for promotors, musicians and the audience. As jazzahead! wants to really emphasize this topic as part of its conference and festival program, I can bring home a lot of impressions and learnings.
And last but not least, I experienced a great time with Athina Kontou and her fellow musicians Luise Volkmann, Dominik Mahnig and Lucas Leidinger and was able to listen to their unique music every day for seven days in a row. The band as well as my hosts Maria and Loredana were incredibly friendly and made this EJN Staff Exchange to a once in a lifetime experience.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRc2fnNiYn/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBoheGTNpjS/
