More than music

Goldenzwaig Creative Solutions and RMA Business school, with the support of The Swedish Institute, are arranging a networking trip to Stockholm Cultural Festival for the managers of top music festivals in North-Western Russia.

The project will promote awareness about the interconnection of democratic values, on one hand, and sustainable cultural development, on the other hand.

During their visit to Stockholm in August, 13-16th (Stockholm Culture Festival) the Russian festival managers will meet Swedish festival organizers, artists, agents and  cultural workers engaged in diversity development, aswell as Stockholm city authorities. Furthermore, in September, we will summarize the results of the trip and exchange feedback at a special panel on diversity development and cooperation in the festival sphere in North-West Russia, at NAMM Musikmesse Music Convention (Moscow). The Russian participants represent top festival events from the respective region:

Usadba.Jazz (S.t Petersburg/Moskva/Yekaterinburg)
Stereoleto  (S.t Petersburg)
SKIF (S.t Petersburg)
Kaliningrad City Jazz (Kaliningrad)
Belomor Boogie festival (Archangelsk)

Within this project, we work to increase awareness about the issues of diversity, democracy and freedom of cultural expression among Russian festival managers. Deeper understanding of the possibilities that the festival format provides for the promotion of these issues is important. The project helps to create a professional networking platform between festival managers on the international, national and, especially, regional levels. It contributes to the visibility of non-Moscow-based festivals on the national scale in Russia. Last but not least, More Than Music deals with strengthening the role of women managers within the existing festivals. As the music industry remains a male dominated sphere, much input is needed to attract, educate and support women professionals.