Achievements (EN): Project KA9031 "Big Music for Small Cities" was implemented, Feb.'2020- Mar.'2022, by Directorate of the festival and cultural events of the Republic of Karelia, Karelian State Philharmonic (KSP) and Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Karelia and, from the Finnish side, the Joensuu City (JC), Cultural Services. The specific objective was to improve collaboration practices in the field of music art presentation and promotion through cross-border capacity building activities and cross-sectorial initiatives. The pandemic situation made some adjustments to the working plan, which only brought value added to the results, because the variety of actions was expanded, and the coverage enlarged.
A whole range of educational events has been implemented in Karelia and the North Karelia region of Finland. They helped to increase professional competencies by cultural and festival operators, musicians, specialists from the creative sector, to build fruitful partnerships and get working tools for development. As a whole 52 cultural operators participated in project networking activities, and 12 cultural organisations used programme support for cross-sectoral coopertion. The Big Music for Small Cities project held special studying and in-field training in videography, light art, SMM, film directing, talk-show making and motion design for 9 specialists. This opportunity increased their skills and brought them additional abilities in related fields, which led to expanded scope of their employment. Due to the five workshops held for the JC orchestra and the KSP symphonic orchestra mastered by the world known experts the musicians on both sides of the border got new practical tools of their art and motivation for future achievements. The effect of the workshops was enhanced by the broadcasting technologies.
The project engaged high-class composers from Russia and Finland. Three new symphonic works were commissioned by the project: Karelia Suite, Nixus and Valse-Polonaise. The Karelia Suite by I.Kuznetsov, P.Karmanov, A.Kurbatov and Nixus by C.Damström were premiered during the Joensuu Winter Music festival (JWMF) in 2021 in a stream. Afterwards these musical pieces were recorded with the help of specially purchased equipment, by the KSP symphony orchestra, along with a few other classical pieces which formed a specially elaborated musical program released as a CD "Big Music for Small Cities". The disc was replicated in 300 copies and distributed among the participants of the partnership network in the border region. P.Karmanov’s Valse-Polonaise premiere took place in JWMF, 2022, online and offline simultaneously.
A large equipped filming venue was created in Karelia as a huge cooperation output of the project with creative sector. Its filming crew, with specialists trained under the project, became the main creator of the Karelia Suite movie shot under the project, which with the help of promotion services, by the project end, gathered 35 000 viewers online. Now the filming venue provides job to relevant specialists and facilitates services for the officials, business and individuals.
Joensuu city updated the concept of one of the largest regional music festivals. The project supported concerts under JWMF were visited by 4563 spectators. And the level of satisfaction, according to the polls, proved to be high.
Strategy for the development of art festivals has been developed, its implementation should contribute to cultural regional development.
Project events in 2021 were included in the TOP-10 at the regional level, by the Karelian branch office of the Russian TV and radio broadcasting company.
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Expected Results (EN): The project will provide necessary basis for making the value of music resources more visible for city development through making a positive change in current collaboration practices in the field of music art presentation and promotion. Those practices will be taken at the following levels: 1) cultural operators and the market, 2) cultural sector and creative industries, 3) cultural sectors on both sides of the border. The project facilitates the strengthening of partnerships across borders and sectors that enhance all partners, create opportunities for growth and capitalization of cultural products. Project stakeholders will improve professional knowledge and skills, receive practical tools (strategies, developed programs) and experience of joint work for further development and promotion of their services and products.
The project contributes to the enhancement of cultural operators’ organizing capacities through development of human, material, information and intellectual resources. Through network and program development assistance that the project provides, up-to-date and demanded music services and products (via marketing strategy, improved festival activities, joint orchestra program and its recording) are introduced on both sides of the border. As the result, the competitiveness of music art products and services offered in the pilot bordering regions will raise.
Read more Expected Outputs (EN): Main outputs the project will produce:
- Networks of cultural operators working in the field of music art presentation and promotion are enhanced through best practices exchange, training and joint marketing strategy.
- Professional expertise and practical tools of related cultural sector creative companies are improved through program development assistance.
- Practical experience of implementing initiatives based on cross-border and cross-sectorial cooperation is obtained.
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