At the crossroads of three continents, the Mediterranean's geography, history and culture make it a natural place for exchanges. Artistic expression and musical creation cover a wide range of aesthetics, with a rich diversity of scenes, sounds and stars. Yet, despite this abundance of talent, the Mediterranean music industry remains fragmented. The different levels of maturity of regional markets influence the scope of artistic breakthroughs, with some artists in recent years finding themselves propelled onto international stages while others struggle to overcome local structural challenges. This heterogeneity constitutes both the richness and the limits of these musical markets.
Against this backdrop, music pros from the Mediterranean region initiated a series of conversations in 2024 to explore opportunities for talent discovery and business promotion within the region and beyond its shores. Since the first roundtable at Eurosonic in January, various music operators from Africa, Europe and the Middle East have been meeting at music forums to discuss opportunities and challenges. The aim is to pave the way for a joint initiative to facilitate mobility across the Mediterranean and further promote discovery beyond. How can we stimulate this collective dynamic in a region with so many assets and so many different contexts? How can closer collaboration help overcome obstacles and boost growth potential?
This panel brings together industry pros from both sides of the Mediterranean to present an overview of the regional industry, share recent success stories and discuss the next steps in this exciting initiative.
