CONTEMPORARY MUSIC EXCHANGE IN EUROPE
An Online Workshop Series
13 May 2026 — TBA 2027
Kyiv Contemporary Music Days proudly joins the Contemporary Music Exchange in Europe, an international online workshop series.
Transnational collaborations open up new artistic perspectives, enrich practice and are becoming increasingly indispensable in the face of a European cultural landscape under growing political and financial pressure. Yet it is rarely straightforward: even between neighbouring countries, working methods, structures, and funding systems can differ considerably. And beyond the major festivals and venues, the landscape remains largely unmapped.
The workshop series Contemporary Music Exchange in Europe provides an in-depth look at the diverse landscape of contemporary music across the continent, drawing attention not only to the well-known festivals and venues, but to the wider ecosystem of artists, curators, and initiatives that shape each national scene.
Each bimonthly online workshop focuses on two European countries, combining presentations on their distinct musical landscapes with discussion rounds featuring local musicians, curators, and producers. Participants gain practical knowledge of working methods, funding structures, and key platforms, along with the opportunity to make direct contact with potential collaboration partners.
The series builds on the transnational networking initiatives of the Time to Listen Conference 2025 by the Academy of Arts Berlin and inm / field notes and is jointly organised by Art Music Denmark, inm / field notes berlin and Podium Gegenwart des Deutschen Musikrats, Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg, Kunstenpunt/Flanders Arts Institute, Kyiv Contemporary Music Days, mica – music Austria/Austrian Music Export, Music Finland, Music Norway, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, Tŷ Cerdd – Music Centre Wales.
In 2027, the series will expand with further workshops in cooperation with Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Centre National de la Musique, Estonian Music Information Centre, Iceland Music, Performing Arts Fund NL, and Scottish Music Centre.
For this year's edition, Kyiv Contemporary Music Days contributes the workshop Hybrid Institutions — Growing Resilience Amid Institutional Scarcity (learn more below).
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.
WORKSHOPS
13 May 2026, 15:00 CET
DENMARK & GERMANY
The Independent Scene – Self-Organised Structures and International Exchange
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
10 June 2026, 15:00 CET
FINLAND & NORWAY
Nordic Perspectives on Contemporary Music
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
5 August 2026, 15:00 CET
UKRAINE
Hybrid Institutions — Growing Resilience Amid Institutional Scarcity
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
7 October 2026, 15:00 CET
AUSTRIA & SWITZERLAND
Contemporary Music and Sound in Unexpected Places
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
2 December 2026, 15:00 CET
BELGIUM, LUXEMBURG & WALES
Cross Contamination: Sound, Contemporary Music, and Other Disciplines
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