Spain confirmed as ESNS 2023 focus country

Organisers of Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) have confirmed Spain as the focus country for the 2023 edition of the festival and conference, in cooperation with export initiative The Spanish Wave.

ESNS, which returns to Groningen, the Netherlands from 18-21 January next year, highlights the best rising acts from a different country every year to showcase the diversity of musical talent across Europe.

While Spain was originally set to be the focus of this year’s event, plans were pushed back a year when the emergence of the Omicron variant forced ESNS 2022 to go ahead digitally.

“The Spanish music scene has a lot to offer for the international market”

“The Spanish music scene has a lot to offer for the international market,” says ESNS head of programme Robert Meijerink. “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.”

César Andión of The Spanish Wave adds: “[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 has also announced that artist applications for the upcoming edition are open now here to all European artists until 1 September 2022.

Each year, ESNS stages more than 350 showcases all over the city of Groningen as well as offering a conference programme of around 150 panels and keynotes, alongside multiple networking opportunities. The conference side of the event attracts more than 4,000 entertainment industry professionals from all sections of the industry, including representatives of more than 400 European festivals.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.