European industry urged to support Balkan artists
"It’s time the global industry recognises and invests in this region," says SoAlive Music Conference's Ruth Koleva in response to a new report
News By James Hanley | 1 October 2025
A new report highlighting the underrepresentation of Balkan artists within the EU music ecosystem should serve as a “wake-up call” for the live industry, it has been claimed.
According to the study by Bulgaria’s SoAlive Music Conference (SAMC) and record label Flat Line Collective, South East European (SEE) acts accounted for only 3.4% of performers (36 out of 1,046) at six major EU showcase festivals in 2025, compared to 150 German, 167 English, and 82 Baltic artists.
That is despite Balkan region being among the fastest…
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