2022 var et år, der åbnede kulturens døre igen på vid gab for at kunne mødes, samles og fælles skabe kulturoplevelser: Corona-restriktioner bortfaldt og Swinging Europe fortsatte med at sætte internationale, nationale, regionale og lokale projekter i søen. Vi rundede det store Creative Europe-samarbejdsprojekt LIBERTY af med en tour i august, samt i en tre-dags festival i Leicester, UK. Under Journeys International Festival blev samtlige eksempler af samarbejdspartnernes aktiviteter promoveret for byens levende publikum, herunder LIBERTY ORCHESTRA 2022, der spillede koncert på gaderne. En lille stemningsvideo fra festivalen kan ses her: https://bit.ly/415YdwP. Ligeledes blev den anden installation af LIBERTY Tour 2022 afviklet, som bragte 8 nye unge talentfulde musikere i ledtog med kunstnerisk leder Kenneth Dahl Knudsen på landevejen rundt Danmark til uvante lokationer, for at bringe livemusikken ud til et bredt og vidtrækkende publikum.
Lokalt og regionalt slog Swinging Europe som institution tonen an i det herningensiske musikliv; det lokalbaserede projekt Connect rundede af og skabte en platform for at unge elektroniske musikere kunne netværke og producerer nyt kunstnerisk materiale, mens vi bidrog til Kulturfest Herning med bombastisk trio i form af Kematica Trio hos Højhuset 1961 til stor begejstring. Det regionale projekt Wavelength – Tour of Solidarity bragte den cyklende kunstner Claudia Jancke rundt i Herning og Ringkøbing-Skjen Kommune, samt de små landsbysamfund, for at sprede budskabet om fællesskab igennem den enkelte, simple handling – at vinke.
The Drama War Project bragte Ukraine-krigen bemærkelsesværdigt tæt på de danske borgere, da to skuespillere performede nykomponeret dramatekster, skrevet fra krigens epicenter, mens MOORJAZZ Festival 2022 vendte tilbage til sit kendte format af en 1-dags fejring af koncerter med kendte navne og up-and-coming musikere, der fik jazzen helt under huden på Herning. PLAY!GROUND LIVE 2022 fik unge talenter på banen igen i sit vanlige tour-format og der var enddda mulighed for lidt ekstra musik for skillingen, da vi skabte et helt unikt PLAY!GROUND LIVE Grand Prix-band i årets anledning af Herning, som vært for Melodi Grand Prix Edition. Til Kultur i Mørket samlede vi os i det lune fællesskab og rettede spotlight mod det unge lokale talent MATHW, som spillede elektronisk musik.
Internationalt deltog vi i de afsluttende LIBERTY-partnermøder fordelt i Ungarn, Serbien og sørme også i Herning – samt viste Swinging Europes faner til store europæiske konferencer sammen med European Jazz Network og Culture Action Europe. I forlængelse af vores udførte projekter, har vi også kigget ind i 2023 i forhold til deltagelse eller ledelse af nye, spændende kulturprojekter, som strækker sig på tværs af landegrænser!
Activity Report 2022: Download English version
2022 was a year that reopened the doors of culture wide open, allowing people to meet, gather, and create cultural experiences together. With the corona restrictions lifted, Swinging Europe continued to launch international, national, regional, and local projects. We concluded the large Creative Europe collaboration project LIBERTY with a tour in August, as well as a three-day festival in Leicester, UK. During the Journeys International Festival, all examples of the partners’ activities were promoted to the city’s vibrant audience, including LIBERTY ORCHESTRA 2022, which performed concerts on the streets. A short highlight video from the festival can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/415YdwP. In addition, the second installment of LIBERTY Tour 2022 took place, which brought 8 new, young, talented musicians led by artistic director Kenneth Dahl Knudsen on a road tour around Denmark to unconventional locations, bringing live music to a broad and diverse audience.
Locally and regionally, Swinging Europe set the tone in the music scene of Herning; the locally based project Connect concluded and created a platform for young electronic musicians to network and produce new artistic material, while we contributed to Kulturfest Herning with the bombastic trio Kematica Trio at Højhuset 1961 to great acclaim. The regional project Wavelength – Tour of Solidarity brought the cycling artist Claudia Jancke around Herning and Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, as well as small village communities, to spread the message of community through the simple act of waving.
The Drama War Project brought the Ukraine war remarkably close to Danish citizens, as two actors performed newly composed dramatic texts written from the war’s epicenter, while MOORJAZZ Festival 2022 returned to its well-known format of a one-day celebration featuring concerts with established names and up-and-coming musicians who brought jazz to life in Herning. PLAY!GROUND LIVE 2022 got young talents back on stage in its traditional tour format, and there was even an extra dose of music for the competition as we created a unique PLAY!GROUND LIVE Grand Prix band in honor of Herning’s Melodi Grand Prix Edition. At Kultur i Mørket, we gathered in a warm community setting and put the spotlight on young local talent MATHW, who performed electronic music.
Internationally, we participated in the final LIBERTY partner meetings held in Hungary, Serbia, and even in Herning – and showcased Swinging Europe’s banners at major European conferences alongside the European Jazz Network and Culture Action Europe. In continuation of our completed projects, we have also looked ahead to 2023 regarding participation in or leadership of new, exciting cultural projects that span across borders!
