The new music and urban culture festival Tallinn Music Week (TMW) taking place from 27th March to 2nd April will shine the spotlight on big European questions, innovation across industries, the case study on the Moomins brand and an inspirational story of the ballet bringing strength to one of Africa’s biggest slums. How will sharing economy, AI and digital nomadism unlock the potential of Europe, is the question for the panel on future industries. The two-day conference Creative Impact will be held at the Russian Cultural Centre and Nordic Hotel Forum on Friday 31st March and Saturday 1st April.

How and why could the EU Commission support musical creativity in a similar scheme as the very successful support for European cinema? At the opening panel, Estonian Minister of Culture Indrek Saar will be joined by Barbara Kessler from the DG Education and Culture, Juhan Lepassaar, the Head of Cabinet of EU vice president Andrus Ansip and Anna Hildur, Chair of European Music Export Exchange. Moderator Damien McGuinnes, the Berlin correspondent of BBC will also lead the discussion to how post-Brexit, can Europe keep Britain’s pop powerhouse involved.

In the light of Estonia’s upcoming stint at the helm of the EU Council, we need to have a sharp look into all things to do with the future digital economy. Sharing economy, robotics, AI, big data and digital nomadism – can the Digital Single Market unlock the potential of Europe, is the question for the panel on future industries to be introduced by a keynote from Estonia’s new CIO Siim Sikkut. The angel investor and start-up mentor Tak Lo, founder of Funderbeam Kaidi Ruusalepp, and Takashi Katsuragi of Rakuten, the largest e-commerce site in Japan, will join the discussion.

Among the inspiring case studies, we so love at TMW is the story of Moomin from Finland as the 3rd most licensed brand in the world will take yet another leap shortly with the new Moomin museum at Tampere Hall and a big budget new TV series involving Oscar-winning Steve Box. Pauliina Ahokas, Managing Director of Tampere Hall and Virpi Immonen, music supervisor of the film will shed the light.

The story of Kenya’s Slum Ballet, told by actress and founder of SAFE Ghetto theatre Krysteen Savane and founder of Anno’s Africa Bee Gilbert is a moving reminder of how creativity can be a powerful tool of social inclusion and open up new horizons for kids from harsh neighbourhoods.

The major part of the conference will as always give hands-on insights into the music industry like the producers and songwriters in spotlight session with Mandy Parnell, an award-winning mastering engineer for a wide variety of artist including Brian Eno, Sigur Ros and Bjork.

Among the previously announced speakers are Amy Lamé, the City of London’s first ever Night Czar, influential pop culture theorist Simon Reynolds, the founder member of the pioneering industrial group Einstürzende Neubauten Alexander Hacke and musician, and co-founder of Love Parade Danielle de Picciotto, the senior director of programming of the KEXP radio station Kevin Cole, and many others.

In addition to panels and talks TMW includes more new possibilities for direct business contacts and curated networking. For the first time there is a public application for speed-dating and thematic mentoring sessions by music journalists, publishers and producers. Creative hack in cooperation with DIGIX will come up with ideas and concepts for digital tools in music industry and new solutions for music education.

The president of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid will open the TMW conference at the Russian Cultural centre on 31st March at 10 to be followed by the head of Nordea Estonia Gerd Müller and Head of TMW Helen Sildna. The conference will take place on 31st March and 1st April from 10 to 17 at two venues: Russian Cultural Centre and Nordic Hotel Forum.

The full schedule of the TMW conference will be published next week.

TMW 2017 delegate passes that grant access to the conference are available for €250 until 19th March (From 20th March €295) at TMW web store. Sign up as a delegate and buy your pass.

Confirmed speakers of the TMW 2017 conference:

Alexander Hacke – musician, one of the founders of Einstürzende Neubauten
Amy Lamé – the Night Czar of London
Anna Hildur – Chair of European Music Export Exchange
Andres Lokko – journalist, Svenska Dagbladet
Andrew Kahn – an independent music supervisor at Good Ear Music Supervision
Aya Ohi – A&R expert at JVC
Barbara Kessler – Directorate General Education and Culture, European Commission
Bee Gilbert – founder of Anno’s Africa
Brendan Jan Walsh – founding director of Brending
Brian Reich – speechwriter, media junkie and political operative
Brigid Walsh – Executive Director of Communications, Partnerships & Events, Vogue
Chris Cooke – MD and Business Editor of CMU, a service provider to the music industry
Cindy Kramer – Senior Manager Marketing & Creative Services International at BMG
Damien McGuinness – BBC correspondent in Berlin and host of Deutsche Welle’s television programme Focus on Europe
Dan Koplowitz – artist manager and one of the founding members of the marketing/PR company Terrorbird Media
Danielle de Picciotto – artist, musician and filmmaker, co-initiator of Love Parade
Daryl Bamonte – Managing Director and co-owner of Schubert Music Publishing UK and Smile Records UK
Ed Gerrard – co-founder, Impact Artist Management and Woodstock Artist Management
Edgars Abolins – General Manager, Fontaine Palace
Eddie Berg – Chief Executive, Rich Mix London, previously Chief Executive, FACT Centre in Liverpool
Elisabeth Braw – Nonresident Senior Fellow at Atlantic Council
Fabian Lasarzik – artistic director & manager for Piranha Arts Berlin
Francine Gorman – Editor of Nordic new music platform Ja Ja Ja and of the Nordic Playlist
Geoliane Arab – Strategy & Development Manager, Beirut & Beyond
Grimur Atlason – manager of Iceland Airwaves music festival
Hauschka – musician
Henri Roosipõld – Programme Manager, Genialistide Klubi
Indrek Saar – the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Estonia
Jake Beaumont-Nesbitt – Advisor, The International Music Managers Forum
Jane Beese – Head of Music, Roundhouse
Juhan Lepassaar – European Commission, Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip
Kadri Ugand – co-founder and CEO of GameFounders
Kaidi Ruusalepp – founder and CEO of Funderbeam
Kate Connolly – foreign correspondent at The Guardian
Kaushik Dutta – Founder & Artistic Director of Kolkata International Music Festival, Artistic Director of India Music Expo
Kersti Kaljulaid – the President of Estonia
Kevin Cole – DJ and Senior Director of Programming at KEXP
Krysteen Savane – Project Manager for SAFE Ghetto, Nairobi
Lutz Leichsenring – member of the executive board of the Clubcommission Berlin
Magdalena Jensen – CEO and founder of Chimes
Malena Wolfer – International Manager at Believe
Mandy Parnell – sound engineer, Black Saloon Studios
Mariusz Herma – founder of beehype
Miriam Brenner – founder, Kokako Music
Mohamed Aly Ansar – co-founder and Executive Director of the world renowned “Festival in the Desert” of Essakane / Timbuktu
Nicolas Dolenc – the co-founder and president of Slush
Onta Kawaguchi – Project Marketing, International PR, Creativeman Productions
Paulina Ahokas – Managing Director of Tampere Hall
Petri Mannonen – Commercial Director for Finland and Baltic region at Universal Music Group
Piret Reinson – Head of Marketing, Enterprise Estonia
Pärtel-Peeter Pere – CEO of Tendensor International
Pål Moddi Knutsen – Norwegian singer-songwriter and an activist
Robyn Stewart – Executive Director of Western Canadian Music Alliance
Saku Tuominen – education innovator, Founder and CEO, HundrED and Idealist Group
Scott Dodson – Chief Product and Marketing Officer of Lingvist
Sebastian Mair – co-founder of Music Solutions
Seth Hodder – Head of Creative Services and International A&R at Budde Music UK
Shain Shapiro – founder and CEO of Sound Diplomacy
Siim Sikkut – Government CIO of Estonia, Deputy Secretary General for IT and Telecom in Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
Simon Reynolds – influential music critic and the author of eight books about pop culture
Stine Lise Hattestad Bratsberg – professional skier and an adviser on strategic business and communication
Stuba Nikula – cultural director of the City of Helsinki
Takashi Katsuragi – senior manager, education business project promotion section at Rakuten
Takayuki Suzuki – Head of Digital Business Development for Universal Music Japan and founder of ParadeAll
Tom Fleming – Director of Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy
Tomoyuki Ohsawa – promoter, former President of Sony Berlin, founder of Office Ohsawa Ltd.
Tuomo Tähtinen – Executive Director of Music Finland
Vanessa Reed – Chief Executive of the PRS for Music Foundation
Victor Diawara – co-founder and artistic director at Art Factory Loftas in Vilnius

Detailed information about the speakers

This year’s edition of TMW from 27th March to 2nd April will present the music festival line-up and two-day industry conference, a series of free City Stage concerts, TMW Arts programme, curated by the Estonian Contemporary Arts Development Centre, Design Market showcasing the most exciting Baltic and Scandinavian brands and designs, TMW Talks series with topics from music to science and societal issues, City Space activities in cooperation with the interior designers of Estonian Academy of Arts and a special kids and youth programme.

TMW 2017 is presented by Nordea bank, the sponsors are Telia and Spotify, Estonian Ministry of Culture, Enterprise Estonia, Eesti Meedia and Nordic Hotel Forum. Partners and supporters of TMW are Uber, Viru Keskus, Telliskivi Creative City, Solaris, Music Estonia, Tuborg, LaMuu, Fritz Kola, Tallinn City government.

Tallinn Music Week’s international activities introducing Tallinn and Estonia as an attractive tourism destination of music and culture are supported by The European Regional Development Fund.