Selected venues are developing new concert formats

What would you do with your music if you had the space to experiment? With just under 2 million kroner a year from the Danish Arts Foundation, three selected venues are to develop new concert experiences together with artists. But what does the venue look for, and how do you clarify the framework for the work? Read here about how your idea can be put into play at VEGA, and what you need to agree on before the artistic ambitions can become a shared work.

By Julie Westh Nielsen.

The Danish Arts Foundation has designated Godset in Kolding, the Culture Yard in Helsingør, and the Culture House in Helsingør, as well as VEGA in Copenhagen, to receive funding from the Danish Arts Foundation. develop new concert formats together with artists in the period 2025–2028.

At VEGA, artists can bring an idea to life through the booking team and explore the possibilities of collaboration in terms of production, artistic sparring, and testing with the audience. The projects are selected primarily based on their potential to contribute to the artist’s long-term artistic development, explains Lene Vive Christiansen, program and development manager at VEGA.

Lene Vive Christiansen participated in the panel discussion »New Concert Formats«, which Sonic College presented at GRASP Festival at Musicon in Roskilde in October. Here, artists, technicians and representatives from venues and festival production shared experiences on how to make the concert hall, the technology and the interaction with the audience part of the artistic work.

Support to develop the music together

The selected venues receive a total of 1,789,000 kroner annually to develop, test and disseminate new concert formats and collaboration forms.

The money goes to the venues, which must also contribute with their own facilities, technical equipment and professional resources. The artist’s involvement in the effort therefore consists of a collaboration with a venue.

At VEGA, the work is all done under one roof. VEGA Beyond. The goal here is to give artists space to explore new expressions and create concert experiences where the audience can, for example, move around the sound or experience the music in interaction with other arts. The venues must also share experiences and formats so that the development can benefit more people.

“You can certainly play the big concerts, but you can also play with us and then work more on what the expression should be and get a little closer to the audience,” says Lene Vive Christiansen.

For Lene Vive Christiansen, the work is linked to the opportunity to develop artistically throughout a long career.

VEGA is looking into your idea

Artists are welcome to share an idea with VEGA’s booking team. Lene Vive Christiansen emphasizes, however, that the projects are primarily developed through VEGA’s own curation and dialogue with artists, where the venue sees potential.

“We are curious about the artistic idea, the ambition, and what you would like to explore. We are particularly interested in projects that could be part of a larger artistic project and a long-term artistic development,” says Lene Vive Christiansen.

A request can therefore be based on what you want to explore with the music, how you envision your encounter with the audience, and what the project can mean for your further work.

VEGA can contribute with frameworks, production, idea development and sparring, as well as the opportunity to test ideas together with an audience. Therefore, please also describe where you need a partner to help you move forward.

Also agree on what the work requires

A development process can provide access to facilities and professional advice, but it also requires the artist to put in time. Therefore, the opportunities must be accompanied by concrete agreements regarding the effort involved.

“Economy, remuneration and work distribution are agreed upon individually, based on the project’s ambitions and a shared commitment,” says Lene Vive Christiansen.

Hun forklarer, at VEGA ved særlige produktioner blandt andet kan sikre et fast honorar eller finde særskilt finansiering til udviklingen, så artisten ikke kommer til at bære en urimeligt stor del af investeringen.

Before work begins, you should therefore clarify what the fee covers and how development and trial periods are included in the agreement. Who provides the technology and staff? And what tasks or expenses do you need to take on yourself as an artist?

The development should also benefit the artist.

For the Danish Artists' Association, it is crucial that new artistic opportunities are accompanied by decent working conditions.

“The artist’s time and expertise are an essential part of the investment when a new concert format is created. Therefore, it must be clear what the artist contributes, what is being paid for, and how the production can be used further. Good agreements must provide the confidence to experiment,” siger Jens Skov Thomsen, sekretariats- og jurachef i Dansk Artist Forbund.