Aktuelle News & Schlagzeilen

ESNS turns 40

In a world marked by geopolitical tensions, cultural fragmentation and rapid industry shifts, Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) will celebrate its 40th anniversary in January 2026 and responds with a unifying theme: “Europe Calling”.

For four decades, ESNS has been Europe’s leading showcase festival and conference for emerging talent, helping to launch the careers of artists such as Dua Lipa, Stromae and Robyn. As the European music sector stands at an important crossroads, the 40th anniversary will not just celebrate the past, but also bring the music sector together to build a shared European future.

In recent years, ESNS has put the spotlight on different European countries - Poland in 2024, Italy in 2025 - celebrating their unique cultural stories through music. But with rising global geopolitical pressures, the call for European unity has never been more urgent. “Europe Calling” is ESNS’s new manifesto: a shift from national spotlights to a shared cultural movement.

“For years, shining a light on individual countries has helped us celebrate Europe’s rich diversity, but the challenges we face today demand more”, says Anna van Nunen, Managing Director of ESNS. “Now is the time to bring those voices together and build an even stronger, connected European music community. ‘Europe Calling’ is about more than identity, it’s about taking responsibility for our shared future. Music can bring us together. It’s time to make that connection louder than ever.”

In addition to showcasing hundreds of Europe’s most urgent emerging artists, ESNS26 will celebrate its 40-year anniversary with curated archival deep-dives, exclusive collaborations with media partners, pop-up activations and anniversary events that will highlight success stories of artists who started on ESNS stages and went on to shape European music. These stories will unfold both in the city of Groningen, Netherlands, and across digital platforms.

Europe is the second-largest music market in the world, with artists breaking international barriers in their own languages. But this position is not guaranteed. “Europe Calling” is more than a theme, it is a call to action. A rallying cry to invest in artists, in infrastructure and in the future of a unified European music sector. ESNS26 will be held from January 14 to January 17, 2026.

www.esns.nl

© 1999 - 2025 Entertainment Technology Press Limited News Stories