"Storm of Change" (SoC) International Conference for Independent Music
The Idea – "Storm of Change"
The presentation and support of music from Central and Eastern Europe was and remains the main goal of our association. During its years of continuous work all over Europe the Kultur Aktiv e.V. meet and cooperated with numerous different people working in the fields of music, culture and arts. Over the years, the wish arose, to learn more from each other, to let others profit from our contacts, meet even more potential partners and support each other in the process of building up a vivid, diverse and cultural relevant independent music scene in Europe. The most efficient way was, to bring all partners together, to meet personally, to strengthen the sense for a community and establish bilateral contacts. The idea for an international Conference for independent Music –"Storm of Change"- was born.
The past - SoC I (2005) and SoC II (2006)
The first two "Storm of Change" conferences took place in September 2005 and 2006 at Schloss Nickern in Dresden. In 2005 44 persons from 13 countries followed the invitation. For the “SoC II” we could already welcome 61 partners from 13 countries.
Over the course of 3 days workshops, panel discussions and lectures gave the chance to learn from each other. Problems, which each of the participants had to solve in their country by themselves up to that point, were discussed. We experienced that a high demand of exchanging experiences was present. The two conferences generated many high-productive contacts, cooperation’s and new projects.
Examples of themes which were subject to the 2007 conference are:
Workshops for the strategic planning of future projects in Belarus (we could welcome fifteen partners from four countries)
Projects in Caucasus (we discussed with partners from five countries)
Different workshops to publish, promote and distribute music and bands from Central and Eastern Europe in Germany and vice versa
On the side - Talk about music – and HEAR IT! – Festival "Radio Moscow"
The festival "Radio Moscow" is the public presentation of the conference. Besides talking about making and presenting music from Central and Eastern Europe we also want to do it. Right after workshops and meetings different partners presented bands and artists from their countries. In 2006, participants and guests watched ten bands, cabaret and performance artists and DJ’s from Central and Eastern Europe on two evenings. The diversified mix of style proved its own value in the already multicoloured music scene of Dresden. Besides celebrating together, the festival "Radio Moscow" gives bands from different countries the opportunity to present themselves in Germany to the public and the experts.
www.radio-moskau.de.vu
The Present - STorm of Change 2007
2007 will be the year of foundation for our new association. After working together for so long, we want to bring up our work to a new level of professionalism. Therefore, meetings will be held on Friday, the 14th and Saturday, the 15th to clear up all necessary remaining details. The official foundation of the association shall be the result on Saturday. (Potential partners are very welcome to contact us in advance and talk and inform about what will be the specifics of the association.)
Alongside also workshops to themes like promoting and selling music in Germany or Central and Eastern Europe, or touring through any of these countries will be held, as we did it in the past.
Plans for the festival "Radio Moscow" are not 100% settled yet, but we are currently in contact with bands from Russia, Italia, Belarus, Georgia and of course Germany.
For this years conference some things have also changed. We learned from experiences of the past two years and integrated some new ideas in our concept.
We will for example change locations. The workshops and the festival will both take place in two different locations in the centre of the "hip" district of Dresden, the "Dresdener Neustadt". This will place the conference in the German example, to where we want to be active. Participants will profit from working in a creative atmosphere and breathe in the surrounding youth, energy and the motivation of making the impossible possible. Besides, the new location offers a variety of comforts: wide and open rooms, small meeting rooms, catering in place, central to hotels, clubs, shops and everything else, that could be of interest for a stay in Dresden. The club where this years festival will take place is far more central, then Schloss Nickern. This will result in a much higher number of guests for the concerts and an improved awareness of what is going on in the independent music scene across German borders.
The program is changed as far as workshops are concerned, they will no longer overlap. Only one workshop at the time will give the participants the opportunity to either listen and participate in the workshop or sit down together and deepen the informal contacts establish or to hold a spontaneous meeting about issues not covered by the official program.
All in all, we are very excited about this year’s conference. Our expectations are high and we look forward to three days full of information, discussion, new ideas and good music.
We hope to see you around – as participant or guest at the festival "Radio Moscow"!
The Future – Where do we want to go?
"Storm of Change 2012" is the invigoration of cooperation’s in our network in Germany and Central and Eastern Europe above the yet existing contacts. The process already initiated by the "Storm of Change" conferences shall be pushed forward explicitly to make meetings of participants and systematic collaboration possible more than once a year and in a durable and sustainable way.
We want to:
establish a self-sufficient network for the vivid and boarder-crossing exchange of culture in the independent music scene of central and Eastern Europe.
let diversity in the unity of Europe become reality through music, across boarders and help to obviate conflicts, strengthen the music business and parlay foreign culture politic with this valuable contribution.
found a Europe-wide association
Each year the "Storm of Change" conferences shall be the annual meeting of the association, to discuss current exigencies, win new partners and push forward projects.
If you work in fields of music, arts and culture, above boarders, with the special focus on Central and Eastern Europe, then we would like to get to know you. Tell us about your work, your organisation and "join the band"!
Registrations for the "Strom of Change III" conference 2007 run until:
31.07.07 - 25 € participation fee
Since: 14.08.07 - 50 € participation fee
15.08.-13.09.07 - 100 € participation fee
