Call for Youth & Festival’s Best Stories
2022 is the European Year of Youth. Young people deserve the closest attention. They have been giving so much in the last two years, putting their lives on hold in solidarity with older and more vulnerable people. We want to thank them for the way they have behaved. This is why we dedicate this call for stories to them, to highlight their important role and show how much they mean to our festivals. Get them recognised and send your favourite story now.
The past two years have been difficult for all of us: between lockdowns, staying at home, distance measures, and the banning of almost all activities. Especially for young people, those at an age when they are still in the process of emerging. They have been cut off so many essential things - as meeting new people, sharing spaces and spending time with their friends.
In 2022 we are all reconnecting to a more normal life, a life in which festivals will be platforms for young people to celebrate and share some good time together. Festivals are places for international encounters, for self-fulfillment and the development of lifestyle and personality, but also of eagerness and joy.
The European Festivals Association and YOUROPE want to put the spotlight on the unique connection that festivals have with young people. Festivals are often the first stages to launch the careers of emerging artists. Audiences are often introduced to the arts through festivals, and the people working in festivals, such as contractworkers and volunteers, are often young people.
This is why we are dedicating this call for stories to youth and festivals’ successes. Please, send us your stories on how your festival relates to young people. The story you share can be related to visionary projects or ideas for the future, special activities you organise for young audiences, emerging artists that you programme or operators with whom you are working, anecdotes you think of - or anything else that comes to mind. If you feel inspired, ask your young audiences and artists to dedicate a story to you and your festival.
Here are some examples of questions to inspire you:
What is your favourite story when it comes to your relationship with young audiences, emerging artists or staff and volunteers? What are your festival's wishes and hopes for the future when it comes to young artists, young audiences, young people around you?
We encourage all arts and music festivals - from the biggest ones to the most intimate ones - to send us stories (between 2000 and 3000 characters including spaces) and some promotional material (pictures, video, podcasts, links…) before 15 September 2022. If your festival is not registered on FestivalFinder.eu yet, please register here.
The editorial team will review the stories and present your experience on the FestivalFinder.eu and Yourope’s websites in a series of articles, as well as in newsletters and on social media.
So get to your keyboards and send us your stories now! We can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to and share it with audiences worldwide.
