The Creators Conference 2015, composing the future #2025
23rd and 24th of February 2015 BOZAR, Brussels
Executive Summary:
Various representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament as well as the most
prominent creators of our generation gathered at the 2015 annual Creators Conference, organized by
the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA), in order to follow up on recent legislative and
music business related activity. The aim of the conference was to reinforce the persuasive dialogue
between creators and EU policy makers in order to relay a clear and concise message of the rights that
are expected.
The Creators Conference 2015 was officially launched on Monday 23rd February with an opening speech
by Adina-Ioana Vălean, Vice President of the European Parliament and a warm welcome from ECSA
President, Alfons Karabuda. The night was dedicated to music and guests enjoyed various acts including
ECSA member and songwriter Simon Darlow (UK), new jazz sensation Pixel (Norway), soulful Loney, Dear
(Sweden), and the amazing Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble (Croatia). DJ COQO finished the
evening with a set dedicated to the celebration of film music and its composers.
The conference commenced the following day, opening with a creative dance by Mario Perez Amigo
followed by welcome speeches of ECSA President, Alfons Karabuda, and CEO and Artistic director of
BOZAR, Paul Dujardin. Participants and attendees were then honored by the opening address of Tibor
Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
The conference was divided into seven different sessions, each one covering a different topic addressed
by speakers well versed in that field. The first session dealt with the right to freedom of artistic
expression and creativity and featured UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Ms Farida
Shaheed, who joined the conference via Skype.
During session 2, on the review of the EU copyright framework, MEP Dietmar Köster expressed his view
on fair re uneration: We cannot appl the American system to Europe. EMMY award-winning
composer and pianist, Michael Price participated in the debate moderated by EU Affairs Expert and ECSA
Secretary General, Patrick Ager.
Debates were held throughout the sessions with creators such as Jean Marc Ledermann (Kollector),
Frederick Rousseau (Electronic music composer), and Maria Marcus (songwriter), as well as with music
representatives such as Christophe Depreter (GESAC President), Jeremy Cox (IMC Executive Vice
President) and Jean Devoust (publisher) and EU officials and policy makers such as Maria Martin Prat
(Head of the Copyright Unit in the European Commission), MEP Mary Honeyball, and MEP Julie Ward.
Participants and attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing cultural break with the
presentation of an exciting pan-European project entitled Exquisite Scorpse for which seven
internationally renowned composers and songwriters from the ECSA network collaborated: Jean Marie
Moreau (France), Jesper Hansen (Denmark), Johan Van der Voet (Netherlands), Indra Rise (Latvia), Simon
Coleman (UK), Antonio Najeros (Spain) and Antun Tomislav Saban (Croatia). The newly created piece
entitled «Notre Diversité» was conducted by Franck Vagagnée.
The conference concluded with a wrap-up session from ECSA president, Alfons Karabuda, who concluded
with an in itation to next ear’s Creators conference!
The closing concert of the conference was performed by the European Contemporary Composers
Orchestra (ECCO) in the sparkling Rotonde Bertouille hall in Bozar. The core of ECCO was made of the
Sturm und Klang Ensemble under the leadership of conductor Thomas Van Haeperen.
The audience had the pleasure to discover five different pieces composed by five composers from the
ECSA network:
• Dipt ch
Skaerved
Mihailo Trandafilovski from Macedonia, featuring the violinist Peter Sheppard
• Luca Marenzio in “alz urg
• The “targazer
• Pinta
L nne Plo
Pertti Jala a fro
• Ainsi une cour e
Mate Balogh fro
an fro
Hungar
the UK, featuring the tenor Michael Bennet
Finland
Jean Luc Fafcha ps fro
Belgiu , featuring the iolinist Claire Bordet
Dynamic and versatile, the programme was very well received by the audience who warmly applauded
the ensemble, its conductor, the soloists and the composers from the ECSA network who all joined at the
end of the performance.
Statistics
The Creators Conference was attended by more than 400 people (see Table 1). Among the participants,
30 per cent were ECSA members (professional composers and songwriters) representing 41 national
composer unions from 20 European countries. Representatives of collecting societies from Austria,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and Spain also
attended the event and made up 13 per cent of the total number of the participants.
Category
ECSA members
Collecting Societies
EU & Government
Cultural Sector
Educational
Institutions
Others
Total
Number
126
54
87
107
6
Percentage
30,14%
13%
21%
26%
1,44%
38
418
9%
100%
Media Coverage
Creators Conference 2015
Composing the future #2025
Title: Creators Conference Composing the Future #2025
Outlet: SKAP NYTT
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://www.skap.se/fil/4021/skap-nytt-2014-4
Title: Creators Conference - EVENT
Outlet: International Music Council
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://www.imc-cim.org/events/icalrepeat.detail/2015/02/23/151/-1/creators-conference2015.html
Title: Creators Conference – composing the future #2025
Outlet: EU Agenda
Date: 18/12/14
Link: https://www.euagenda.eu/2015/2/23/Creators-Conference
Title: Creators Conference – announcement
Outlet: Michael Price
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://www.michaelpricemusic.com/dates/
Title: Creators Conference – announcement
Outlet: Agenda.be
Date: 20/12/14
Link: http://www.agenda.be/fr/event/348246/creators-conference-composing-the-future-2025.html
Title: Creators Conference – ECCO announcement
Outlet: Sturm und Klang
Date: 19/12/14
Link: http://www.sturmundklang.be/agenda/concert-bozar-ecsa.html
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: 10 Times
Date: 19/12/14
Link: http://10times.com/creators
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: Uit in Vlaanderen
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://www.uitinvlaanderen.be/agenda/e/creators-conference-composing-the-future2025/edd1b687-cb53-4764-ba39-c8a296217120
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: Eventfull
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://brussels.eventful.com/events/creators-conference-composing-future-2025-/E0-001078773166-8
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet:
Date: 18/12/14
Link: http://www.datvoeltbeter.be/agenda/e/creators-conference-composing-the-future2025/edd1b687-cb53-4764-ba39-c8a296217120
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: Tamara Obrovac
Date: 22/12/14
Link: http://www.tamaraobrovac.com/hr/slijedeci-koncerti
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: UCMF
Date: 19/12/14
Link: http://www.ucmf.fr/creators-conference-2015-registration-now-open/
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: Calmus
Date: 19/12/14
Link: http://calmus.is/coming-up/
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: UIA – Open calendar
Date: 19/12/14
Link: http://www.uia.org/opencalendar?page=5
Title: Creators Conference announcement
Outlet: Lab for culture
Date: 02/01/15
Link: http://www.labforculture.org/en/groups/public/labforculture/events-and-news/130030
Title: Creators Conference
Outlet: Twitter
Date: 23 / 24 Février
Link:
Title: Join the Creators Conference 2015!
Outlet: Facebook
Date: January 9th
Link: https://www.facebook.com/SoundTrackCologne/posts/928474580497648
Title: Creators Conference/23-24 February 2015 at BOZAR, Brussels
Outlet: Authorsocieties.eu
Date:23 February 2015
Link: http://www.authorsocieties.eu/mediaroom/184/33/Creators-Conference-23-24-February-2015-atBOZAR-Brussels
Title: Announcement
Outlet: Copyrightlink
Date: 23 February 2015
Link: http://www.copyrightlink.org/events-list/event/35-creators-conference-2015-composing-thefuture-2025.html
Title: Announcement
Outlet: UNRIC
Date:
Link: http://www.unric.org/en/week-ahead-the-un/event/2231-eu-creators-conference-2015
Title: Assistez aux concerts de la Creators Conference
5
Outlet: MUSIQ3
Date: 2015
Link: http://www.rtbf.be/musiq3/concours/detail_assistez-aux-concerts-de-la-creatorsconference-2015?id=41148