SWAN is the working title of a preparatory project run in the Northern Periphery Programme, a EU initiative for peripheral regions in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Faroes, Greenland and Iceland.
KulturAkademin and the Songwriters Academy in Örnskjöldsvik have put together a model that, if approved, will be tested in a three year project starting in 2017. The initial preparatory project has been approved and KulturAkademin is currently coordinating the creation of an international partnership. Details of the project are given below. The Lead Partner for the project is Storuman Municipality.
General Aim
To generate a greater market reach for song and music writers based in the NPA area and thus providing a template for other genres in the creative industry sector.
How
The project will develop three strategies based on a greater focus on a specific field.
1) Match-making seminars and workshops bringing together promising music writers with music industry representatives who are equipped with musical assignments. The seminars will establish a personal bond between the writers and representatives which is crucial for success and rarely possible for writers based in peripheral areas.
2) Online platform to showcase work, send out assignments, co-write and co-produce and share feedback. The site will be developed to incorporate apps and other tools that generate commercial activity.
3) Create an transnational critical mass of successful writers producing music for a global market in many sectors – chart hits, film, radio, corporate, gaming etc
Who
The partners will identify suitable adult candidates who will be of sufficient ability to produce the music required by the representatives. Some activities will be aimed at 18-19 year olds as they will become writers of the future and better equipped to adapt to new trends and technology. All participants will be required to start their own businesses.
Partners
Norway – Vefsn Municipality and Vefsn Adult College – based in Mosjøen.
Finland – Sibelius Academy of Music, based in Seinäjokki och Koupio
Sweden – Storuman Municipality (Lead Partner) and Songwriters Academy in Örnskjöldsvik
Ireland – BCFE, AMP
Faroes – Nordic House, Torshavn Music School, TUTL Record Company