GO Group at EuroSonic

Dear friends of GO Groupsters & GreenEvents Europe,we want to wish all of you a happy new year and what better start could there be than a (not so) little GO Group action.Yes, we will once again be responsible for some top-level input as partner of Europe’s most important music business conference and showcase festival: Eurosonic Noorderslag in Groningen/NL from jan 15 to 18. After three packed panels in 2013 we will return next week for more interesting panels and events related to event sustainability and green issues. Meet us here:Wed Jan 15Presentation of the Green Operations Award@ European Festival Awards ceremony19.00h dinner, Kleine Zaal, De Oosterport21.30h show, Grote Zaal, De OosterportThur Jan 16RESPONSIBILITYIs Bono killing polar bears?De Oosterport, Marathon Zaal – thur jan 16 – 12.00h (60 min) – session infoDo fans want a modest artist? Should a promoter promote political messages? Can agents prefer ecological solutions over economical ones? We want to discuss the influence of the players in the game. Responsibility, conscience, sustainability. Who’s job is it? Promoters, agents, artists, media and managers – it’s a heterogeneous business, but it has the same obligations towards future generations as any other business out there. We’d like to find out who can spearhead the discussion, where are the potentials and what makes people hesitate to raise their voice.Holger Jan Schmidt (GreenEvents Europe, Yourope, GER, host)Carlijn Lindemulder (ID&T, Mysteryland, NL)Fruzsina Szép (Sziget Festival, HUN)Jacob Bilabel (Green Music Initative, GER)Wilbert Mutsaers (3FM, NL)THE YEAR IN YOUROPEThe European Festival Association Yourope presents their current workDe Oosterport, Marathon Zaal – thur jan 16 – 12.00h (60 min) – session infoFounded in 1998, Yourope is the European Festival Association that represents over 90 festivals and associated members from more than 25 countries. The Association is dedicated to improving the European festival scene by adressing the working conditions, health and safety issues, environmental awareness, the exchange of knowledge and information and is instrumental in promoting the cross-border exchange of live music talent. The overall aim of the association is to collaborate, share experiences and to pinpoint areas that would benefit from a joint approach. Some of the exponents will explain their current projects such as the Yourope standard terms for artist contracts, the Yourope Event Safety Group and GO Group (Green Operations Europe).Manfred Tari (Pop100, DE, host)Christof Huber (Yourope, CH)Holger Jan Schmidt (Yourope & GreenEvents Europe, DE) on GO GroupBen Challis (Yourope, GB) on standard termsChris Kemp (Mom Consultancy, GB) on YES GroupCLEAN & SAFELess mess less trouble?De Oosterport, Kelder – thur jan 16 – 16.30h (60 min) – session infoHow do people behave when visiting events? Do they behave better in a clean environment? Does a clean environment reduce stress, reduce confrontations and improve audience awareness of their behavior? We try to find out whether the environment makes a difference for the safety. For the first time the two Yourope offshoots GO Group (Green Operations Europe) and YES Group (Yourope Event Safety Group) present a joint session at Eurosonic Noorderslag to discuss intersections between health/safety and green issues.Sabine Funk (IBIT GmbH & GreenEvents Europe, GER, host)Teresa Moore (Bucks New University, UK)Marten Pauls (Campo Event Engineering / Rock am Ring, GER)Morten Therkildsen (Roskilde Festival, DK)Fri Jan 17IT’S ONLY TEENAGE WASTELANDFestival campsites – do we need international action?De Oosterport, Ronde Zaal – fri jan 17 – 15.00h (60 min) – session info The problem of abandoned tents is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. It’s getting international press attention and despite the fact it’s the fans who leave the tents behind, it is the festivals’ reputation that suffers. That’s why Yourope, A Greener Festival and GO Group have decided to join forces to create something that is internationally relevant and big enough to make a real statement. This session is supposed to be an hour of exchange to find out what kind of support festivals need. Would a major international initiative make a difference? Come in and tell us what you think.Holger Jan Schmidt (Yourope & GreenEvents Europe, DE, host)Katrien Goossens (Pukkelpop, BE)Teresa Moore (Bucks New University, UK)Prof. Ben Challis (A Greener Festival, UK)Sat Jan 18Energy Lounge @ Eurosonic NoorderslagEbbingekwartier, 12.30-15.00h“Energy Efficient Music Culture” | EE Music Energy Lounge presents speakers from the Green Music Initiative and Julie‘s Bicycle@Eurosonic, Groningen. Music event production is a booming industry with an increasing energy demand and like every other industry it has an impact on the environment. Despite the constantly rising energy costs and the huge potential of savings, energy consumption is still a blind spot for most promoters and venue owners in Europe. The EE Music Energy Lounge presents world-class experts from the Green Music Initiative and Julie‘s Bicycle who will share their expertise and strategies for sustainable energy use at music events. Energy supply and efficiency, a range of communication strategies and energy efficiency measures will be discussed during the seminar. The speakers will also share energy stories of pioneering European music venues and festivals that are already setting examples for sustainable energy use at music events. 12:30-13:00Jacob Bilabel | Green Music Initiative Title: ‘EEMusic – Empowering the European Live- and Entertainment Industry to go energy efficient: Perspectives on a pan-European network’13:00-13:30Luke Ramsay | Julie’s BicycleTitle: ‘The power of data – understanding and informing action on energy and carbon reduction in the music event sector’13:30-14:00 Fingerfood and Drinks14:00-14:30Thomas Kläser | PA-Team MedientechnikTitle: ‘Best practice cases from outdoor festival productions for efficient production resources’14:30-15:00Michael Müller | Energieagentur.NRW (tbc)Title: ‘Green Cub Index/ Greener Arena Index: Lessons learned from Europe’s pilot projects on energy efficiency for clubs and venues’The Energy Lounge @ Eurosonic Noorderslag, Groningen, is part of the EU-funded project EE Music. EE Music is a network of energy experts, communication professionals and music industry leaders. It provides resources for energy management in the music event sector with the aim of helping music events, clubs and venues all over Europe learn about energy consumption, achieve energy savings and reduce their carbon emissions. Music events have the potential to promote change in society. EE Music wants to use the power of music to communicate the importance of energy awareness. It is time for the music event industry to set an example of how to move towards a sustainable energy future.Find everything about Eurosonic Noorderslag here.