Costs: The workshops are free of charge.

Where: All workshops are held online via Zoom. The access link will be provided upon registration.

Language: English.

Target Audience: The workshop series is aimed at professionals from the contemporary music scene across Europe, including ensembles, musicians, composers, curators, and music managers. It is particularly designed for independent artists and organisations looking to expand their international presence.

Modular Format: The workshops are independent of one another and can be attended individually based on your interests and needs.

The workshop opens with presentations on the contemporary music landscapes of Germany and Denmark, followed by a discussion on "The Independent Scene – Self-Organised Structures and International Exchange."

Germany and Denmark are both characterised by a vibrant independent contemporary scene. The "Freie Szene" encompasses a wide range of artist-run and non-institutional initiatives, from independent ensembles, festivals and project spaces to nationwide networks and production alliances that operate outside major institutional frameworks. These self-determined structures foster creative experimentation and egalitarian working methods, but also face systemic challenges such as precarious funding, rising costs, and limited long-term security. The workshop aims to unpack how these self-organised models function, what structural and funding issues they navigate, and how practitioners can effectively engage in international exchange.

Hosted by: Art Music Denmark, inm/field notes and Podium Gegenwart des Deutschen Musikrats

Experts/Special Guests: Lena Krause (FREO e.V.)

Moderator: Les Vynogradov 

Registration: https://app.hi.events/event/6362/contemporary-music-exchange-in-europe-denmark-germany

The workshop opens with presentations on the contemporary music landscapes of Finland and Norway, followed by a discussion on "Nordic Perspectives on Contemporary Music."

The panel brings together key actors from the contemporary music scene from both Norway and Finland to explore current artistic tendencies in contemporary music. The conversation will examine shared characteristics and distinctive differences between the two countries' music scenes. The session will also include a brief introduction to Northern Connection and STATUS, two key networks operating within the Nordic region.

Hosted by: Music Finland and Music Norway

Experts/Special Guests: tba

Moderator: Les Vynogradov

Registration: https://app.hi.events/event/6471/contemporary-music-exchange-in-europe-finland-norway

The workshop opens with presentations on the contemporary music landscapes of Ukraine, followed by a discussion on "Hybrid Institutions — Growing Resilience Amid Institutional Scarcity."

Since the 2013–2014 Revolution of Dignity, the Ukrainian new music scene has been on the constant rise, hampered (but not arrested) only by the Russian full-scale invasion. Resisting both the external threat and internal hardships, from chronic underfunding to the old system’s inertia, independent artists and cultural actors have learned to navigate this ever-shifting landscape, attract new audiences, and build new institutions where the old ones had failed. 

The workshop will focus on these hybrid institutions — built around communities and shared values, yet lacking some of the traditional aspects of institutionality — as a way to survive and thrive in an increasingly hostile environment. It will also attempt to map the present constellation of key Ukrainian new music actors, both inside and outside of Ukraine, to encourage international collaborations.

Hosted by: Kyiv Contemporary Music Days 

Experts/Special Guests: tba

Moderator: Les Vynogradov

Registration: https://app.hi.events/event/6472/contemporary-music-exchange-in-europe-ukraine

The workshop opens with presentations on the contemporary music landscapes of Austria and Switzerland, followed by a discussion on " Contemporary Music and Sound in Unexpected Places."

Not only the Alps connect Austria and Switzerland, there is also a shared appetite for contemporary music in unexpected places. Sometimes the backdrop is a postcard‑perfect landscape, sometimes a venue with raw industrial charm. Switzerland boasts a surprising number of festivals with a strong sound‑art profile and outdoor projects of all kinds like installations, sound walks, performances, and more. In Austria, where classical music is still very present, contemporary music festivals and concert series also tend to leave the traditional concert halls behind, bringing performances to old churches, public spaces, and other unusual places, and combining them with the sounds of our time.

Hosted by: mica – music Austria/Austrian Music Export and Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia

Experts/Special Guests: tba

Moderator: Les Vynogradov

Registration: https://app.hi.events/event/6473/contemporary-music-exchange-in-europe-austria-switzerland

The workshop opens with presentations on the contemporary music landscapes of Belgium, Luxembourg and Wales, followed by a discussion on " Cross contamination: sound, contemporary music and other disciplines."

Contemporary music increasingly exists in dialogue with other artistic fields, blurring boundaries between genres, disciplines and sectors. From collaborations with visual arts, dance and theatre to intersections with technology, science and social practice, these cross-disciplinary encounters generate new creative possibilities and expand the reach of sound-based work.

Drawing on perspectives from Belgium, Luxembourg and Wales, the session will examine the ways in which their sound and contemporary music scenes collaborate with other genres, disciplines and sectors. How do these partnerships reshape creative processes and artistic outcomes? What institutional frameworks and funding models support interdisciplinary practice? And how do such collaborations open up new audiences and contexts for contemporary music?

Hosted by: Flanders Arts Institute, Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg and Tŷ Cerdd | Music Wales

Experts/Special Guests: tba

Moderator: Les Vynogradov

Registration: https://app.hi.events/event/6474/contemporary-music-exchange-in-europe-belgium-wales