A record number of nearly 2,200 artists applied to play at the next edition of Tallinn Music Week
The artist application call for the international new music festival Tallinn Music Week (TMW) has resulted in 2,198 submissions from 134 countries. The highest numbers of applications were submitted from the United Kingdom, Estonia and Finland.
The 18th edition of TMW is scheduled to take place in the Estonian capital Tallinn from 9 to 12 April 2026.
Whilst this year’s spring festival received 1,791 applications from musicians in 106 countries, the forthcoming event has attracted 2,198 artists from as many as 134 countries, spanning from Europe to North and South America, and from Asia to Africa and Oceania – from all continents except Antarctica.
The greatest number of applications – 362 – has arrived from the UK, followed by Estonia with 198 and Finland with 173. Interest in TMW remains stable across Europe, totalling 46 countries, with the largest increases after the UK coming from Italy and Ireland, which has reached the top 20 TMW applicants list for the first time. There is growing interest from artists across North and South America as well as from destinations such as Barbados and Madagascar.
“We’re absolutely delighted with yet another record number of artist applications, which continues to grow year on year,” says Eva Johanna Lepikov, Executive Producer of TMW. “This is a clear sign that both at home and abroad, the platform TMW offers is valued, and that our export activities are fruitful. We’re proud of the growth in applications from Sweden, Poland, Ireland and of course the great music country, the United Kingdom. The level of candidates this time is really impressive and there is lots of joy of discovery. So the ball is now in our court and the responsibility on our shoulders to put together a fresh, versatile and relevant programme. The work has started and we are very excited!”
TOP 20 TMW 2026 applications by country
1. UK: 362
2. Estonia: 198
3. Finland: 173
4. France: 154
5. Italy: 136
6. Canada: 126
7. Germany: 123
8. Sweden: 108
9. Poland: 97
10. Spain: 89
11. USA: 82
12. Portugal: 53
13. Ukraine: 51
14. Latvia: 45
15. Belgium: 42
16. Ireland: 42
17. Netherlands: 41
18. Lithuania: 40
19. Denmark: 39
20. Austria: 35
For the TMW music festival taking place on 9–12 April 2026, approximately 175 artists will be confirmed from the applications received and announced in January ahead of the festival. The showcase programme, taking place in various clubs and concert halls across Tallinn, is being curated by a team that includes representatives and experts from both Estonian and international music organisations.
As the leading showcase of “tomorrow’s music, arts and ideas” in the Baltic-Nordic region, TMW has been presenting distinctive talent from both its home country and across Europe since 2009. TMW is valued internationally for its diverse programme, vast variety of genres and high artistic level, as well as the strong representation of the international music industry and media. The festival is attended by an audience of around 18,000 people and over 1,300 industry players each year.
TMW 2026 takes place from 9 to 12 April in the Estonian capital Tallinn. The music festival takes place across various venues from 9 to 11 April.
TMW 2026 tickets are on sale via the TMW webshop. A Festival Pass that grants access to all the music festival nights is currently available for 69 euros (end price 95 euros). A PRO Pass for 200 euros (end price 250 euros) provides access to the TMW conference and DigiPRO platform as well as priority access to the music festival.TMW is organised by Muusikanädal NGO in collaboration with Shiftworks, diverse partners and co-curators. TMW’s strategic partner in the field of music is the national music export office Music Estonia.
TMW is a co-founder of The Federation of International Music Conferences (FoMC), and a member of the European talent exchange programme ESNS Exchange, the international gender equality network Keychange and the European showcase platform for global music UPBEAT.