Leading European Music Collaboration Brings Fresh Talent to Summer Festivals

09 May 2024 - Press release

Today on Europe Day we proudly celebrate European artists and festivals. This summer, you simply can’t miss all the upcoming artists who will be performing on the stages of the best summer festivals across Europe. With 100 acts securing over 200 spots on European festival line-ups, it's clear that the ESNS Exchange programme is providing an unparalleled opportunity for emerging artists to showcase their talent.

Attending a music festival is a summer highlight for many Europeans. It’s a place where peace, unity and diversity are celebrated with fellow Europeans. In fact, the world’s first festivals were organised as a protest for peace and unity, a remembrance to the famous Schuman declaration.

ESNS Exchange, co-funded by the European Commission's Creative Europe programme, facilitates the bookings of European acts at festivals outside their home countries. Together with the EBU, Yourope,  export offices and local media we generate significant media exposure for these artists. In this way, ESNS Exchange aims to boost their international careers.

In its 21 years of existence, the ESNS Exchange programme collaborates with a multitude of festivals all over the globe. In 2025, ESNS Exchange is proud to add Arsenal Fest (rs), Live at Leeds (uk), Mladí ladí jazz (cz), Træna festival (no), Electric Castle (ro), Poplar Festival (it), SEI Festival (it), Galway International Arts (ie), and Velvet Festival (hr) to its list of partner festivals. In addition, Music Export Office Poland, Music Export Latvia and Iceland Music have recently joined ESNS Exchange, bringing the total number of platform members to 158. We all look forward to creating an unforgettable summer for even more music fans. 

With already 213 confirmed shows by 100 artists from 28 countries, playing at 73 festivals in 29 European countries, it’s almost impossible not to catch one of the ESNS Exchange artists at a festival near you this summer.

Together with our partners, we’re eagerly looking forward to celebrating a European summer full of emerging artists such as Chalk (ie), Zaho De Sagazan (fr), freekind. (si), Nusantara Beat (nl), Bulgarian Cartrader (bg),ClockClock (de), Ash Olsen (no), and YĪN YĪN (nl) at European music festivals like Best Kept Secret (nl), Eurockéennes de Belfort (fr), Haldern Pop Festival (de), Mad Cool Festival (es), Pohoda (sk), Pukkelpop (be), Rock Werchter (be), Roskilde Festival (dk), Sziget (hu), and Ypsigrock Festival (it).

Get to know more about ESNS Exchange at esns-exchange.eu

Apply or book tickets for ESNS 2025

New European acts showcase their talents in January 2025 to around 40,000 enthusiastic music fans and professionals at ESNS, automatically enrolling them in the ESNS Exchange programme. Each year, the event focuses on a different European country. 

Italy will be the focus country for ESNS25, showcasing the latest music acts on the ESNS stages and putting them in front of an audience of industry professionals, media and music lovers. Focus on Italy at ESNS25 will be supported by Italia Music Export, Puglia Sounds, ER Music Commission, ICE - Italian Trade Agency, Puglia Sounds, ER Music Commission, local European Broadcasting Union partner Rai Radio 2, and the European Talent Exchange partner festivals Apolide Festival, Sei Festival, Arezzo Wave, Linecheck Music Meeting & Festival, Poplar Festival, Ypsigrock Festival, and ESNS. 

ESNS25 takes place from 15 to 18 January 2025 in Groningen, the Netherlands.

 

Apply to play at ESNS

 

Want to join ESNS25 as a delegate? A limited amount of Delegate Passes for ESNS25 are now available at a medium rate at ESNS.nl

Purchase a Delegate Pass