About the project

2020 TROUBADOURS is a cultural project implemented in the roam of the EU funded Creative Europe Programme. The project is created and conducted by cultural operators from Belgium, France, Serbia, Hungary and Ukraine. Our main objective is to improve the transnational mobility of world music artists, by setting up series of showcases, concerts, “Trouba Labs” (which mostly stands for workshops) and “Trouba Train Trips” (or: travelling experiences).

 

Just touring and playing music? Oh, no! 2020 TROUBADOURS also wants to stimulate the discussion between artists and the audience about the identity crisis the EU is faced with. European world music tells us so much about the fascinating ‘human history’ of Europe: our world music is a vivid exponent of regional cultural traditions. Popular world music was the way out for people throughout entire Europe in times of difficult personal or political situations, such as crises, wars, occupations, etc. Unfortunately, it is still like that today.

 

These days, Europe is confronted with a huge identity crisis: part of the Europe tries to give answers to a changing society, to migration, to candidate member states which want to be part of the European dream. Although European world music is a keystone and a story teller of our extraordinary European past, people are no longer aware of this. Our project wants to show the possibilities of European world music in order to bring people together, to stimulate the inter-cultural dialogue and to show that European cultural co-operation is a solid way to counter discrimination, even to heal some of the post-war and post-crisis traumas.

Project partners and associates of the 2020 Troubadours

VIA LACTEA

Tournai, Belgium

Details

Via Lactea vzw is a non-commercial and transborder management and booking agency for artists who are active in the field of alternative world music. Since 2000, Via Lactea represented different interesting world music artists such as Amparanoia, Orkesta Mendoza, La Kinky Beat, Ojos de Brujo, Dusminguet, La Troba Kung-Fu, Les Boukakes,… among many others. For some artists such as Amparo Sánchez, Orchestre International du Vetex or more recently Rumbaristas, Via Lactea also does management. Via Lactea is a partner in many different European cultural and transborder exchange projects, in the roam of Creative Europe or Interreg. As for the 2020 Troubadours project, Via Lactea is our lead beneficiary, and is doing a great job in the management of the project.

FLONFLONS

Lille, France

Details

The Flonflons association is a cultural operator with its headquarters in Lille. They are known for their experience in organizing high-quality cultural and popular events.
Wazemmes l’Accordéon festival is certainly their panache. Dedicated to the accordion in all its forms, the festival is recognized throughout France, where it enjoys major reputation and sympathy of artists and the media, not to mention the 43,000 people who trod its parquet floor during its 20th edition in 2018.

ETNOFEST

Palic, Serbia

Details

Etnofest is a cultural operator based in Palić, north Serbia. The association is active in many cooperation projects. Its main focus is on Etnofest world music festival, organized annually in June – more or less connecting to dates around “Fête de la Musique – the world music day”. This event is one of the rare world music festivals on the crossroad of Central Europe with Balkans, recognized for its sharp programming edge, and bringing finest music to its audience for the past 17 years… Activities of the Etnofest association spread out to exploratory and contemporary jazz as well, through the series of programs organized in November, known as – Jazziré.
Support for the Etnofest activities in the 2020 Troubadours project came from the City of Subotica, Serbian Ministry of Culture and Infrastructure of Serbian Railways.

MEDIAWAVE

Győr, Hungary

Details

Mediawave was the first independent festival organized in Hungary, in 1991. Since then, they gained their reputation as one of the greatest film and music festivals in the region. Their main mission is to introduce the visual arts and various contemporary and folk music trends, making them ‘accessible’ to everyone, with the intention of creating a community, mobilizing youth, stimulating artistic activity, awakening the need and demand for the arts. For the past 30 years, their main event has changed locations from Győr to Szombathely, later to Komárom, to finally land in two nice villages near the Balaton lake, Kiscsössz and Mindszentkála.
The support for Mediawave activities in the 2020 Troubadours project came from the National Cultural Fund of Hungary and the Ballasi Institute in Brussels.

CCM

Lviv, Ukraine

Details

CCM from Lviv Ukraine, is an associated partner of the 2020 Troubadours project.
One of our goals during the project would be to visit Eastern Europe with our touring artists, so they could get a better insight in a cultural and social life of Lviv, to meet local artists and exchange creative ideas. Centre for Cultural Management initiates, engages in and supports activities that catalyze positive cultural change in Ukraine on the individual, organizational and societal levels and in the public, private and civic sectors.

ECC NOVI SAD 2021

Novi Sad, Serbia

Details

“Novi Sad 2021” foundation is an associated partner of the 2020 Troubadours project.
With their wast organizational and logistical capacities, they will take part in the organization of some project activities, adding to the new audiences development and dissemination of the project results.
The project ECC Novi Sad 2021 is envisaged as a platform for development of cultural and creative potentials of the city of Novi Sad and its surrounding, by strengthening cultural institutions, restoring cultural heritage, increasing cultural participation, developing cultural and creative industries, decentralization and inter-sector cooperation.

Our Artists

Project Activities