At the “State of Regional Cooperation and International Promotion” panel discussion at the KONTAKT conference, there was a focus on the current ecosystem in the music industry of the region, with a special emphasis on diagnosing the existing state and relationships, and exploring ways to strengthen ties and create new opportunities for artists. Key obstacles to cross-border cooperation and strategies to overcome them were central topics, aiming to bolster the regional music scene and develop sustainable strategies for global promotion.
Ante Zvonimir Stamać highlighted the importance of initiatives like the “new faces” program, which he considers exceptionally good for enhancing cooperation, and expressed hope for more similar initiatives in the future. He identified professionalism in the music industry, both in traditional and Central-Eastern European countries, as a problem, emphasizing the need for greater involvement of young professionals in the industry.
The panelists agreed that bands from the region, in their attempt to break through on the international level, do not necessarily have to aim for performances at large showcase festivals like Eurosonic. Instead, they should focus on building their name through smaller festivals and events, while showcasing successful examples of regional cooperation, such as the Password agency from Skopje and LA agency from Zagreb. This discussion underscores the importance of building a solid regional music infrastructure and the need for ongoing improvement of professionalism and international promotion of artists from the region.
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