ESNS is the key exchange for emerging European music talent, with a proven track record of helping to break new acts on the international music scene, with now well-known names such as 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.

The conference side of the event attracts more than 4,000 entertainment industry professionals from all sections of the industry, 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 (January 18 – 21, 2023) will be able to submit an online application for a showcase at the festival from May 1 until September 1, 2022, at esns.nl/play-at-esns

Focus on Spain
ESNS highlights the very best emerging acts from a different country every year, showcasing the diversity of musical talent across Europe. Due to the well-known circumstances of last year’s edition, unfortunately, the focus on Spain couldn’t come to fruition. This year, however, we hope to bring the focus on Spain to its full potential. That’s why, in cooperation with The Spanish Wave, ESNS is proud to announce the focus on Spain at ESNS 2023.

César Andión of The Spanish Wave: “[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 programme Robert Meijerink is proud to have Spain on board for its next edition: “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.”

ESNS Exchange
Playing at ESNS not only means playing at the festival in January. Acts that played at the festival also are a part of the ESNS Exchange programme. ESNS Exchange, the European Talent Exchange Programme, was introduced in 2003 to make the ‘exchange’ of European artists across Europe possible on a greater scale than ever before. An initiative of ESNS, ESNS Exchange 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 way, ESNS Exchange aims to give a boost to the international careers of European artists.

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).

Go to ESNS Radar for live updates of the ESNS-Exchange results.

For more information on ESNS Exchange and its latest results, go to https://esns-exchange.eu/.