Project of the MOST Urban Creatives

Projects of the MOST Urban Creatives

PROJECTS OF THE MOST URBAN CREATIVES Published by MOST Music & Hangvető, Budapest, 2024 Editors: Anna Dupák, Alíz Csák, Vera Szabadkai, Dana McKelvey whose reports are the base of this publication Graphic design: Nur Mohammed & Zoltán Bukovics, Panka Unger This booklet is free of charge, for-profit distribution is forbidden. MOST Music is supported by Creative Europe, the European Commission’s framework programme for support to the culture and audiovisual sectors. © 2024 MOSTMUSIC.EU @MOSTMUSICEU 1

CONTENTS 2

4 ABOUT MOST URBAN POLICY 5 URBAN PROJECTS: 7 • STREET DELIVERY • CONTEMPORARY JAZZ AND BEYOND • THE AUDIOVISUAL HARMONY PROJECT • TAKT FESTIVAL • NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA ARTISTIC ALLIANCE AND SOUND ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS • ESTAM WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL • MAL FEST II • SOULX3000 – TRADITION REIMAGINED • EMPOWERING THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE IN BITOLA • DUK INTRO • FUNKYLVANIA • FOLK ROCKS TESTIMONIALS 32 CONCLUSION 33 MAP OF PROJECTS 34 3

ABOUT MOST Welcome to the issue of the MOST Urban Project Hub! In this publication, we would like to present you 12 magical, high-impact projects by the MOST project participants. The mission of MOST Music, supported by Creative Europe, is to boost the music market of the Balkans by connecting and supporting actors of the world music scene; artists, managers, festivals and institutions. MOST builds a bridge linking the Balkans and the global music market, a bridge made up of personal connections, experience and exchange. MOST is focused on creating buzz around the contemporary Balkan music brand, actively looking beyond the stereotypes. The project is led by Budapest-based Hangvető, a hub of world music in Central Eastern Europe. Hangvető organises world music festivals such as Budapest Ritmo; cultural events like Pont Festival, training programs e.g. CEU Summer University courses; and develops cultural strategy, with special expertise in UNESCO Music Cities and European Capitals of Culture. The firm also produces films and documentaries, as well as publishes and distributes records. We greatly appreciate our associated partner, the Pro Progressione team, who coordinated this pillar in the past four years. We owe thanks to Dana McKelvey for her reports, on which this publication is based on. © 2024 MOSTMUSIC.EU @MOSTMUSICEU 4

URBAN POLICY MOST Music is all about building a stronger, more personal network between the Balkan music market and Western Europe. As our Team realized, to boost the region’s music scene, more local opportunities are also needed – this is what Urban Project Hub is all about. As one of the four pillars of MOST, Urban Project Hub served as an incubator for innovative projects from around the Balkans that connect the music industry to their respective urban environment. The programme supported music-related projects that boost the music scene of a city or region. Selected participants, so-called Urban Creatives, set out to realize their plans with the financial and expert support provided by MOST, creating much-needed and unique urban projects. MOST offered training, mentoring and networking opportunities to assist them in their diverse ventures: creative camps, raising awareness about the independent music scene in Bitola, or a festival showcasing young local artists. Discover the 12 Urban Creatives selected from the total of 21 participants in the pillar, who completed a mini-project during their time in the programme. For more information about the Urban Project Hub participants, visit our website: 5

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URBAN PROJECTS 7

STREET DELIVERY Location: Dacia Park, Baia Mare, Romania Date: October 1-2, 2022 Urban Creative: Izabella KisKasza 8

Street Delivery was an event series reducing car traffic and offering up space for pedestrians via collaborative events. The aim of Izabella and her colleague Diana Sabo was to create special spaces where young artists and community organizations could perform in public. Music played and enjoyed on the streets involved the community in the creative act, creating stronger personal bonds. Izabella's efforts in maintaining an annual Street Delivery are born from her passion for improving the lives of the people of Baia Mare. The whole concept of the event series was that people don't just sit there and watch a concert—the team wanted to involve people as participants in the whole musical act. A defining part of the festival was its impact on the young volunteers: Street Delivery gave them invaluable lessons in flexibility, responsibility and professionalism. It proved the learning potential and impact such events can have on young people’s lives. Izabella was committed to bringing back Street Delivery next year, and to Baia Mare’s cultural life by offering socially relevant programs, showcasing emerging musicians, and collaborating with partner organizations. 9

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ AND BEYOND Location: Sofia Central Station, Sofia, Bulgaria and Fruska Gora, Novi Sad, Serbia Date: July 29-31, 2022 Urban Creative: Vasil Hajigrudev 10

Vasil’s mini-project was an ingenious dual festival between Sofia and Novi Sad, thanks to the collaboration of musicians from the two cities: Dragon’s Fuel, and Beleva & Hajigrudev. The concerts took place in iconic venues that were not originally intended for live music performances. The unusual locations added an extra layer to the experience and helped direct attention to these urban spaces. Why build a bridge between Novi Sad and Sofia in particular? Vasil has his sustained relationships with musicians in both places, and he noticed that while he knows both cities and their spaces intimately, many Serbians and Bulgarians do not. This connection emerged not only between the two urban spaces, but also between their respective music genres. The project created new connections between the artists of the two nations who were inspired to broaden their musical horizons. Vasil has already been planning how they can ensure the sustainability of the project, and hopefully we will witness his keen eye for cross-border cooperation, iconic performance venues and support for emerging local artists. 11

THE AUDIOVISUAL HARMONY PROJECT Location: Suli An, Faculty of Arts, Skopje, North Macedonia Date: September 10, 2022 Urban Creative: Stefan Momić 12

This project explored a secretive spot in Skopje, located in the city centre within the scope of the Old Bazaar. Stefan and his partner, David Nikolovski created a one-evening festival drawing bridges between the established and the new. The visuals were accompanied by live music composed and conducted by Antonie Veskovski, who created a piece especially for the occasion, inspired by the meeting of old and new at Suli An. The visual branding was influenced by Macedonian traditional patterns that can be found on clothes, kafanas, a sense of living heritage. Along with strings and percussion the conductor, Antonie Veskovski introduced the sounds of the traditional woodwind Macedonian kaval while accompanying the visuals with live music. The themes and improvisations, a dialogue of instruments, genres and time periods produced what he called a “duality” of concepts constantly playing with one another. He emphasized the need for organizations like MOST to keep prioritizing such rare cultural events in Macedonia. 13

TAKT FESTIVAL Location: OPENS Youth Center, Novi Sad, Serbia Date: September 23-26, 2021 Urban Creative: Jelena Božić 14 14

As a head organizer with Kulturanova, Jelena Božić succeeded with the help of MOST to continue the decade-long TAKT project of promoting young singer-songwriters from the region and beyond who create outside of the usual commercial/pop standards. The festival featured an impressive 150+ artists, from filmmakers to musicians and visual artists, as well as talks on relevant topics such as women in the cultural industry and urban access to people with disabilities. TAKT was set in the newly opened OPENS Youth Centre, one of the network of cultural stations belonging to the Novi Sad European Capital of Culture project. Jelena sought to connect organizers, artists, and volunteers by accommodating them in the same space, giving them the opportunity to foster lasting personal connections. As for experienced musicians, there was the chance to advise one another, discuss future collaborations, and hear about venues across the region. For audience members, there was the chance to gather after the pandemic hiatus. Jelena and her team plan for next year’s festival, showing that the bridges being built not only span a vast geographic region, but also last far beyond the dates of the festival itself. 15 15

NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA ARTISTIC ALLIANCE AND SOUND ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS Location: Underground Club, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina Date: June 25-26 and July 31, 2022 Urban Creative: Anes Husanović 16

Anes Husanović is well underway to complete his vision of an artistically united northeastern Bosnia. He organised workshops, spanning various genres, where participants could attain practical skills, such as: promotion, event planning and sound engineering. His workshops fostered community among young creatives as well as endowed them with ready-to-apply knowledge. Anes sought to build a bridge between Tuzla, Brčko, Gradačac, Doboj, Lukavac and Bijeljina on the basis of a shared commitment to creativity. Covered genres were as diverse as the towns themselves, spanning theater, electronic music production, painting and dance. At the first official workshop in Tuzla, sound engineer Darko Saračević gave young musicians hands-on experience in live- and studio sound engineering. This is especially important in the region, where oftentimes bands set themselves up without the assistance of an audio expert. Students learned the following day from the acclaimed bass guitar player Sandi Bratonja more about studio production and disseminating the recording post-event. Anes hopes that the Tuzla canton and its surrounding region can continue the effort of fostering synergy among people! 17

ESTAM WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL Venue: Knežev Arsenal, Kragujevac, Serbia Date: September 3-4, 2021 Urban Creative: Aleksandra Pavlović 18

During the pandemic, the 2021 ESTAM festival not only kept up its mission of bringing world music to a Kragujevac stage, but also helped begin what a permanent revival of Arsenal, a long-forgotten cultural landmark. Apart from entertaining the public, the festival also succeeded in its goal to connect international musicians and industry folks, setting the scene for an exchange of experiences and best practices. Alexandra aimed, through the festival, to support the transformation of the historic Knežev Arsenal, founded in the mid 1800s, a place of industrial heritage, into a creative and cultural hub. It was exhilarating to see an audience of diverse ages, backgrounds, and social circles come together at the Arsenal to form and to witness musicians from around the region and the world. Alexandra forged connections between MOST and her organization, Studenski Kulturni Centar (SKC) which is funded by the Serbian government, and inspired interest in the building after decades of dilapidation. 19

MAL FEST II Location: Malisheva, Kosovo Date: August 3-4, 2023 Urban Creative: Veton Kastrati *KOSOVO - THIS DESIGNATION IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO POSITIONS ON STATUS, AND IS IN LINE WITH UNSCR 1244/1999 AND THE ICJ OPINION ON THE KOSOVO 20 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

Vetron Kastrati, a well-known community organizer and youth activist in Malisheva, Kosovo, used support from MOST to significantly expand his annual “Mal Fest”—an outdoor music festival showcasing young local artists, and providing a thrilling atmosphere for audience members. Veton and his partner Samed Bytyqi hoped to put Malisheva on the map, and create an event that impacted locals positively. The goal of the project was to support young artists from Malisheva and its surrounding area by offering an opportunity to perform live. Veton also aimed to promote local photography centered around the theme of cultural heritage, as well as paintings by a local artist, Arijon Krasniqi. Each photo of the exhibition depicted a scene in Malisheva or surrounding rural areas with historically rich meaning. The energy created by both nights of the musical festival as well as the events at the gallery had a positive effect on the spirit of young people in Malisheva, and heightened their sense of community and belonging. 21

SOULX3000 – TRADITION REIMAGINED Location: Podgorica, Montenegro Date: April - June 2023 Urban Creative: Nikola Rajovic 22

For his project Nikola envisioned two things: the creation of an electro-pop single combining Montenegrin and international urban sounds; and a series of workshops on music production. Both through the eclectic genre of the reconfigured “Još ne sviće rujna zora” and through the practical song production workshops, Nikola hoped to bring young listeners and artists into the foreground of the Montenegrin music scene. Nicola gathered a dynamic team of musicians, singers and audio producers, who produce two versions of the mentioned “Balkan evergreen” song. He then promoted the song across Montenegro and the wider Balkans to reach an estimated 500,000 listeners on streaming platforms. The song was chosen precisely because its origin is debated, and its modern iterations span from Bosnian to Croatian to Serbian to versions by Spanish Gypsy orchestras. Nikola has already been approached by representatives from the Ministry of Culture who are interested in revamping other traditional songs, possibly expanding his original concept to include collaborations with artists from other Balkan countries. 23

EMPOWERING THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE IN BITOLA Location: Bitola, North Macedonia Date: May-November 2023 Urban Creative: Todor Ivanovski 24

Empowering the independent music scene in Bitola, "Different but equal" was a unique project initiative in the region, with the overall goal of improving the challenging position of artists in the independent music scene. With his project Todor Ivanovski seeks to form a collective of previously disparate artists, and help them gain recognition from the broader community and state. The goal of the project was to position the independent music scene as a partner of the local government and improve local cultural policies such that independent musicians could gain equal participation and representation. Todor developed a series of workshops and panels that would educate and unite individuals in the independent music scene about challenges of artists of building their professional capacities, production and digital publishing, or the municipality's cultural policies. During panel discussions representatives from the older and younger generations came together to create a common basis for the collective, rendering the event one-of-a-kind in the past thirty years in Bitola. 25

DUK INTRO Location: Čačak, Serbia Date: June 10, 2023 Urban Creative: Strahinja Babić 26

DUK Intro was a new branch of the DUK (Days of Urban Culture) festival, a separate music event dedicated to the local alternative music scene. With his project Strahinja Babić and his partner and art director, Vuk Djurić created new connections between visual and musical artists as Strahinja decided to merge DUK Intro with the “silo project”—the biggest street art project in DUK’s history. The goal was to create a platform for local and regional music stakeholders to connect and present their music to a wider audience and to establish a new public space dedicated to alternative culture. Čačak was acknowledged years prior by the hardcore and punk community as a home base. The DUK team wanted to make an homage to this, both to please millennial and older audiences, and to welcome the younger generation into the tradition. In addition to boosting the local music scene, the festival boasted a row of several stands featuring local artists and craftsmen. Strahinja’s project has exceeded the expectations of the MOST Urban Pillar regarding the “bridges” it fostered between and among municipal representatives, artists, musicians, and the public. 27

FUNKYLVANIA Location: Târgu Mureș, Romania Date: March 27 - April 1, 2023 Urban Creative: Krisztina Koszorus 28

Krisztina Koszorus, better known as Koszika, implemented the “Funkylvania” songwriting camp as part of her longstanding efforts to build cultural bridges in Târgu Mureș, Romania. In this creative camp musicians from different ethnic minorities of Romania created music and recorded audio and video on the spot. An important addition to this was the launch of a musical multilingual podcast under the name Funkylvania Talks. The camp took place at the home of Koszika and her partner Csaba Szász, a space boasting recording equipment, dozens of instruments, and a strong sense of musical legacy from Koszika’s father and brother. Koszika conducted a video-based podcast interview with all the musicians and the vice mayor of Târgu Mureș Vilmos Portik, giving the musicians the opportunity to reflect on the songwriting workshop and its impact on them as artists. Koszika’s plan is to expand the podcast into a biweekly project featuring local and international musicians who can continue important conversations on songwriting, Balkan music genres, and their role in the music industry. 29

FOLK ROCKS Location: Tirana, Albania Date: February to July 2023, live show on July 6, 2023 Urban Creative: Altin Gjoni 19 30

Folk Rocks was an EU-funded project, with the goal of bringing back Albanian traditional music to the mainstream through Live Studio Sessions of reimagined Albanian folk songs by emerging local & international artists from the UK and Europe. It created an industry-standard online presence and digital campaign, which involved artists and music professionals; and created a blueprint of one of the first online folk music promotional campaigns in Albania. It all culminated in a live show named "Echoes," blending the modern and traditional nature of the project. The goal was to create the opportunity for younger artists to work with experienced and international artists on Albanian folk and the many ways it can be reimagined. The collaboration involved three musical forces: Beti, David Cummins, and Erina and the Elementals. The team had six live sessions, including full song productions and the recording of music videos that highlighted the theme of rearranging traditional Albanian songs. Although Altin and his team faced some challenges in the initial phases of the project, they succeeded in bringing new life to Albanian polyphonic music by merging it with rock, heavy metal, prog rock, UK folk, and British rock genres. 31

TESTIMONIALS TODOR IVANOVSKI “Without the support of MOST, without the partners and contacts we met through MOST, without the workshops and panel discussions, our mini project would not have happened.” IZABELLA KISKASZA “Implementing Street Delivery in Baia Mare with the support of MOST was an enriching and fulfilling experience on a personal level. It allowed me to harness my passion for community engagement and urban development while collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations. The support enabled me to navigate logistical challenges, access necessary resources, and leverage networks effectively, amplifying the impact of our project. Overall, the experience deepened my commitment to civic involvement and inspired me to continue advocating for inclusive and vibrant public spaces.” KOSZORUS KRISZTINA "KOSZIKA" “MOST project's Urban Project Hub pillar was a very cool experience, for sure in the top 3 of 2023. Thanks to the project the Funkylvania Creation Session and Podcast series turned out to be an important platform of communication between musicians coming from different social, economical and cultural backgrounds - and to an audience interested in new, multicultural music.” 32

CONCLUSION While each project had to face hindrances presented by authorities they also established success stories that impressed key stakeholders and paved the way for future iterations of similar initiatives. Due to historical frictions as well as governments’ lack of interest in collaboration, the music industry is no exception to the isolationism plaguing the Balkans. However, the MOST community offered networking opportunities across the Balkan countries and the beyond, and proved that music is central to reconciliation, rehabilitation, and resistance. 33

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ AND BEYOND NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA ARTISTIC ALLIANCE NOVI SAD AND SOUND ENGINEERING WORKSHOPS TUZLA TAKT FESTIVAL ČAČAK KRAGUJEVAC ESTAM WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL DUK INTRO SOULX3000 – TRADITION REIMAGINED PODGORICA MALISHEVA SKOPJE MAL FEST II FOLK ROCKS TIRANA BITOLA EMPOWERING THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE IN BITOLA 34

STREET DELIVERY BAIA MARE TÂRGU MUREȘ FUNKYLVANIA CONTEMPORARY JAZZ AND BEYOND ESTAM WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL CONTEMPORARY JAZZ AND BEYOND DECLARAAND IS IN LINE WITH UNSCR 1244/1999 AND THE ICJ OPINION ON THE KOSOV*KOSOV SOFIA O - THIS DESIGNA TION OF INDEPENDENCE. SKOPJETHE AUDIOVISUAL HARMONY PROJECT TION IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO POSITIONS ON ST EMPOWERING THE INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE IN BITOLA A TUS, O 35