Features
ESNS 2023 Opens Artist Applications, Focuses On Spain
In cooperation with The Spanish Wave, ESNS announced that Spain will be the 2023 focus country. Artist applications for the upcoming ESNS edition, one of Europe’s most important events for new talent are now open.
ESNS has a proven track record of helping to break new acts on the international stage, with now well-known names including Altin Gün, Arlo Parks, Alyona Alyona, Celeste, Daði Freyr, Dua Lipa, Fontaines D.C., Friedberg, Go_A, K.ZIA, girl in red, Hinds, Meduza, Meskerem Mees, MYD, Priya Ragu, Pip Blom, Pongo, Sigrid and Wet Leg.
See: Priya Ragu, Holly Humberstone, Altin Gün Lead ESNS Exchange 2022 Ranking
The conference side of ESNS attracts more than 4,000 entertainment industry professionals from all sections of the biz, including representatives of over 400 European festivals. Each year, ESNS stages more than 350 showcases all over the city of Groningen as well as offering a comprehensive and focused conference programme of around 150 panels and keynotes, alongside multiple networking opportunities.
European acts wishing to play ESNS 2023, Jan. 18–21, 2023, will be able to submit an online application for a showcase at the festival from May 1 until Sept. 1, 2022, at esns.nl/play-at-esns.
The focus on Spain makes good on plans already implemented for this year’s edition, plans that got thwarted by coronavirus. “This year, however, we hope to bring the focus on Spain to its full potential,” organizers write in a statement.
César Andión of The Spanish Wave commented, “[The focus on Spain] will bring a wide palette of young, emerging and talented acts from all over Spain to show how fresh, alive and exportable artists we have in our country.”
ESNS head of program Robert Meijerink added, “The Spanish music scene has a lot to offer for the international market. While there is a growing interest in music in the Spanish language than ever before in Europe and beyond, we’d like to focus on all its different regions and lively scenes; from emerging electronic acts to the new wave of indie bands hailing from the big cities, the islands and everything in between. Together with The Spanish Wave and their partners, we look forward to getting started on bringing an eclectic selection of new music to Groningen.”
Playing at ESNS not only means playing at the festival in January. Acts that played at the festival are also part of the ESNS Exchange program, which facilitates the bookings of European acts on festivals outside their home countries and generates extensive media exposure for these artists in cooperation with Euroradio, export offices and local media.
This year, ESNS Exchange resulted in 200 gigs of ESNS acts on participating festivals already. Some of the most booked acts are Holly Humberstone (8 shows), Priya Ragu (8 shows), Yard Act (8 shows), Wet Leg (7 shows), CMAT (6 shows), Altin Gün (5 shows), Alyona Alyona (5 shows), and Myd (5 shows).