We are happy to announce that today, Monday, 23rd August, Keychange announces a new partner in Poland – Different Sounds Art’n’Music Festival, the latest signatory of the Keychange Pledge, the pioneering international campaign to achieve at least 50% representation of women and gender minorities in the music sector.
Agnieszka Wojciechowska – Programme Director and Rafał Chwała – Artistic Director of Different Sounds say:
Different Sounds Festival joined the Keychange network in 2019, and now, in 2021, we have become its official Polish partner. This is a momentous development for us. The values and goals of the Keychange community are congruent with our festival and essential to us, both as members of the community of cultural operators and recipients of cultural events.
We believe that equality and transparent policies should always be the foundations of all activities involving the public. From the very first days as the directors of Different Sounds, we have avoided focusing on particular music styles or specific genres. Instead, we have been committed to offering our audiences a broad perspective and a chance to experience the richness and diversity of music from all parts of the world. Music is an international language that goes beyond gender, age, race, and borders, and our approach naturally reflects it.
Now is the perfect moment for the Keychange movement to expand in Poland. Each year, as curators and bookers, we observe a steady increase in the number of women involved in the music sector in Poland. They are artists, managers, speakers, journalists, and experts in many music fields, including sound engineers and stage technicians. It’s high time to give them a platform for speaking and a voice, and we are thrilled and proud to be a part of this process.
Keychange Project Lead Merle Bremer says:
We are thrilled that Different Sounds from Poland has joined the Keychange network as a partner. Different Sounds will undoubtedly enrich the Keychange movement. The festival offers a diverse programme that inspires and combines music with art and culture. We are sure that Different Sounds, with its expertise as one of the most inspiring music events in Poland, will contribute exciting impulses for partners, artists and innovators. We are very much looking forward to the collaboration.”
Different Sounds was founded in 2008 and in 2014 took the final form of an arts and music festival that celebrates eclectic genres, traditions and cultural influences. Taking place annually in the heart of Lublin, the largest city in eastern Poland, it is known for its forward thinking line-ups of high profile and emerging talent in contemporary and alternative music. Over the years, the festival has featured such artists as Mouse on Mars, Ministry, Goldfrapp, Einstürzende Neubauten, Tony Allen, or George Clinton. The festival is also recognised for embracing ambitious cinema, literature and contemporary art. An important part of the festival’s philosophy is the annual presentation of artists from Eastern Partnership countries, expressed in the idea of “East of Culture”. Different Sounds is supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the National Centre for Culture and other partners.
Keychange is a pioneering international initiative which transforms the future of music by encouraging festivals and music organisations to achieve at least 50% women and under-represented genders in their programming, staffing and beyond. 74 emerging artists and innovators each year from across Europe and Canada will take part in international festivals, showcase events, collaborations and a programme of creative labs. Keychange aims to accelerate change and create a better, more inclusive music industry for present and future generations.
Different Sounds joins a rich and diverse network of global Keychange signatories including Barbican Centre (UK), BBC Proms (UK) Bella Union (WW), c/o pop festival and convention (DE), Canadian Music Week (CA), CNM (Centre National de la Musique) (FR), EBU Music (XX) Eurosonic Noorderslag (NL), EFG London Jazz Festival (UK), European Music Council (EU),The Icelandic Opera (IS), MaMA Festival (FR) Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (AU), Melt! Festival (DE), Royal Opera House (UK), Southbank Centre (UK), SPOT Festival (DK), Musicians’ Union (UK). See the full list of organisations here:
This latest partnership news follows an eventful summer for Keychange which recently celebrated its 500 international signatory to the Keychange Pledge, representing a significant milestone and impact on gender equality in the music industry and beyond. Keychange has also been partnering with Music Innovation Hub (Italy) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Action Campaign on their first major music and activist event called ‘Play:Fair’.
Different Sounds joins a rich and diverse network of global Keychange signatories including Barbican Centre (UK), BBC Proms (UK) Bella Union (WW), c/o pop festival and convention (DE), Canadian Music Week (CA), CNM (Centre National de la Musique) (FR), EBU Music (XX) Eurosonic Noorderslag (NL), EFG London Jazz Festival (UK), European Music Council (EU),The Icelandic Opera (IS), MaMA Festival (FR) Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (AU), Melt! Festival (DE), Royal Opera House (UK), Southbank Centre (UK), SPOT Festival (DK), Musicians’ Union (UK). See the full list of organisations here: www.keychange.eu/directory/music-organisations.
Keychange encourages all music organisations, festivals, venues, broadcasters, agencies and beyond to take the Keychange Pledge and to work towards a representative music industry. Join the Keychange Pledge at keychange.eu.
Keychange is led by Reeperbahn Festival, PRS Foundation and Musikcentrum Öst, supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, in partnership with Different Sounds, Tallinn Music Week, Iceland Airwaves, BIME, Oslo World, Linecheck/Music Innovation Hub, Ireland Music Week, SACEM, Sound City, Way Out West, MaMA Festival, MUTEK and Breakout West.
Keychange is sponsored by FACTOR, Fundación SGAE, GEMA, Gorwelion Horizons, IMRO, the Musicians’ Union, Norsk Tipping, Roskilde Festival, SOCAN Foundation, Songtrust, SoundCloud, STEF, STIM, and Talent Norge.
Keychange Ambassadors are Shirley Manson, Imogen Heap, Tony Visconti, Alexa Feser, Dermot O’Leary, Hinds, Emily Eavis, Nadine Shah, Paulette Long OBE, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, iskwē, Corinne Bailey Rae, Joy Denalane, Kate Nash, Sara Potente, Ave Tölpt, planningtorock, Jess Partridge, Carla Marie Williams, Claire Edwardes, Avtomat, Karolina Czarnecka, Darcy Proper, Tones and I, Tegan and Sara, Margherita Vicario, Claudia Pereira, Brisa Fenoy, Linnea Henriksson, Mari Boine, Samsaya, AURORA, First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid, Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, Peaches, James Foley and LYDMOR.
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