East Cyprus Music Meetings, a series of free workshops and talks for musicians, songwriters, producers, concert promoters and other music professionals, continues in Larnaca on Sunday after opening in occupied Famagusta on 18 October.
The programme runs until 28 November and focuses on the practical side of the music industry. Topics include releasing a record, finding funding, export and showcases, reaching audiences in Cyprus and abroad, and empowering women in the industry. Sessions are followed by open stages, jam sessions and an artist merchandise market.
The initiative was selected through an open call by the Technical Committee on Culture supporting artistic collaboration and exchange between the island’s two communities. The call is facilitated by the UN Good Offices Mission in Cyprus, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and funded by the European Union.
The series is presented by Windcraft Loud with SCALA Music & Sound Hub and Cyprus Mixtape. It is led by Cemre Arca, an artist, educator, event curator and founder of Cyprus Mixtape, and Maria Kaimaklioti, a cultural producer and founder of SCALA Music & Sound Hub.
Admission is free. Registration is required for each workshop, and car sharing is available on a first-come, first-served basis through the registration form. No registration is needed for the closing event, jam sessions or open stages. The workshops and talks are in English. More information and registration: https://linktr.ee/EastCyprusMusicMeetings. Contact: [email protected] and [email protected].
Sunday 25 October, EVOHK artist-run space, Larnaca
- 11:30–13:00: Music Copyright Explained. How music copyright works around the world, how music rights make money and what artists and songwriters need to do to protect the rights in their songs and recordings. With Chris Cooke (CMU, UK).
- 15:00–16:30: Jazz & Folk-Fusion Music Routes. Entering the jazz and “world music” scene, showcases and festivals, and navigating PR. With Cemre Arca (Cyprus Mixtape, Cyprus), Maria Kaimaklioti (SCALA Music & Sound Hub, Cyprus), Nela Peshovska (Password Production, North Macedonia) and Ziad Fayed (AL.Berlin; Beirut & Beyond Festival, Germany/Lebanon).
- 17:30–20:00: Lefkosia Modular Sessions: Modular Synthesis & Performance. A hands-on session on sound design and hardware synthesis, including subtractive synthesis, Eurorack architecture, digital DSP engines and using modular set-ups in live performance, with a live patch-from-scratch demonstration. With Atesh Kozal (Guru Gara Synth) and Hadj (Play All Day).
- 20:00–23:30: Jam session and merchandise market.
Sunday 8 November, Magusa Kale Pasaji, occupied Famagusta
- 15:45–18:00: Funding for Artists. Where to find funding for artistic projects, how applications work and how to target the right opportunities. With Maria Kaimaklioti (SCALA Music & Sound Hub, Cyprus) and Ziad Fayed (AL.Berlin; Beirut & Beyond Festival, Germany/Lebanon).
- 18:30–21:00: Five Ways to Release Music. A workshop by artist and artist manager Henry Walton on release approaches, from weekly singles to six-month album campaigns, followed by Cypriot artists and cultural practitioners sharing their experience of taking music around Cyprus and abroad. With Henry Walton, Cahit Kutrafali, Kyriacos Frangoulis (Stonus), Maria Kaimaklioti (SCALA Music & Sound Hub) and Sevgi Basar.
- 21:00–23:30: Jam session and merchandise market.
Sunday 22 November, EVOHK artist-run space, Larnaca
- 18:30–21:00: Women in the Music Industry. A hands-on workshop on PR and press releases by Christina Hazboun, followed by a panel discussion on empowering women in Cyprus’s music industry, navigating studio and live spaces, and building creative confidence in a small scene. With Cemre Arca (Cyprus Mixtape, Cyprus), Christina Hazboun (The Sonic Agent, UK/Palestine) and Mikaela Tsangari (The Elbow Room, Records & Productions, Cyprus).
- 21:00–23:30: Jam session and merchandise market.
Saturday 28 November, UNFICYP Intercommunal Space, Pyla
- 18:30–23:00: Closing event: Growing Up in Cyprus’ Recent Music Scenes. An exhibition on living with music in Cyprus, with archive research and curatorial selection by Christiana Michaelidou (Nana), and a panel discussion on the island’s music scenes moderated by Mike Hajimichael (Haji Mike) with artists Inal Bilsel, Hayat Sebep and Tasos Lamnisos (x.ypno).
