ESNS Science

Enter the realm of chaos

This year’s edition of ESNS Science will focus on chaos and uncertainty, and how it hits the European music sector. The world is changing in an increasingly rapid speed, and it seems impossible to keep up with new political, technological, social or cultural developments. Whether it concerns geopolitical tensions and their effect on touring, the role of AI in music creation or the increasingly precarious conditions in which people in the music sector need to work, nothing seems written in stone anymore.

ESNS Science explores this uncertainty through three angles: a technological one, with Marleen Stikker and Public spaces we will explore the importance of strategic digital autonomy for the European music sector. Subsequently, Arthur Kok will present an economic counter narrative against data-driven work and teach us about the importance of intuition and an open mind in dealing with uncertainty. And finally, Emilia Barna will present a sociological perspective on the different realities of working and being an entrepreneur in the east and in the west of Europe.

Time to challenge our Western-centric world view a bit and learn a thing or two!

The ESNS Science programme

We use digital tools all day long—both for work and personal use—but how do they actually work, and what impact do they have on you and/or your organization, your audience, and society?

How do unequal power relations between “East” and “West” shape the working conditions, precarity, and possibilities for resilience within Europe’s music industries, and what can we learn by taking Eastern European musicians’ experiences as a starting point?

In creative industries, crucial decisions often must be made when data is ambiguous and precedents don't apply. How do experienced professionals and entrepreneurs navigate this uncertainty?