On 26 June, organisers, festivals and cultural players from across Västra Götaland gathered at Scandic Swania in Trollhättan. The full-day conference was hosted by Subkultfestivalen together with the Culture Administration of Västra Götalandsregionen — and we at Music Hub West were there to listen, talk and connect.
The theme of the day was something everyone who puts on cultural events has in common: how do we build a scene that lasts?
Reaching new audiences
A thread running through the day was audience development. How do you reach people who haven’t already found their way to the scene? The keynote set the tone, and the panel talks filled in with concrete experiences from festival organisers who’d tried, failed and succeeded — often in that order.
It was rarely about big budgets. More often about understanding your audience, daring to try something new, and collaborating with others rather than competing.
Sustainability for real
Several workshops focused on sustainable organising and funding. For many smaller players, the biggest challenge isn’t filling one night with good music — it’s finding the energy to do it year after year. The conversations around funding models and partnerships felt especially relevant.
The value of meeting
What often gives the most on a day like this are the breaks between sessions. The networking slots and the shared lunch made room for conversations that rarely fit into everyday life — between organisers who might otherwise only know each other by name.
That’s exactly the kind of meeting we want to see more of. A stronger music industry in Västra Götaland isn’t built by individual players on their own, but by a network that shares and lifts one another.
Don’t want to miss the next chance to meet? Keep an eye on our upcoming events.