Founder of Tallinn Music Week Helen Sildna received the Budapest Ritmo Award
Photo: Chripkó Lili
On Saturday, 9th April, Founder of Tallinn Music Week Helen Sildna received Budapest Ritmo Award for her contribution to enhance collaboration within the Central-Eastern European music community and also between the region and the rest of the world. The award was given out for the fourth time.
Budapest Ritmo, the largest world music festival and professional forum in Central-Eastern Europe, rewards the activities of professionals for their significant international work in support of the region’s world music.
The Budapest Ritmo Award is accompanied by a single-release, personalized vinyl record featuring artists personally attached to the winner and a lifetime access to all of the festival’s events and editions.
Programming Director of Budapest Ritmo Balázs Weyer emphasized in his laudation that “not many noticed when Tallinn Music Week started 14 years ago that we would be witnessing a turning point regarding the global connectivity of the Estonian and wider region’s music scene.” He added: “But Helen knew all along, and her commitment to the case resulted in a lasting change – growing Tallinn Music Week into one of the most influential global hubs of the music industry and inspiring all of us with its innovativity, musical offering and mindblowing exchanges at its conference.”
“I am deeply touched and honoured to receive the Budapest Ritmo Award,” said Helen Sildna, adding: “I will take this as a token of optimism and a goal for even wider collaboration for the Centra-Eastern region in Europe. Gatherings and networks like Budapest Ritmo are essential building blocks and connection points for the development of our music communities. The challenges of our time are significant, but so is the power and impact of music to unite and inspire.”
Kicking off in 2022, Budapest Ritmo in collaboration with 14 European music festivals, promoting word music, will launch a brand new music initiative UPBEAT – European Platform of World Music Showcases that aims to support emerging artists from all corners of Europe to hit the international festival stages.
The partners of the initiative include Tallinn Music Week, as well as WOMEX, a prestigious global gathering of world music.
Previous Budapest Ritmo Award winners include Founding Director of WOMEX Ben Mandelson, the Editor in Chief of Songlines Simon Broughton and Founder of Førde Festival Hilde Björkum.
Tallinn Music Week 2022 takes place in the Estonian capital Tallinn and the border city Narva from 4 – 8 May, showcasing about 180 artists from 28 countries from all over Europe as well as from Canada, Africa and the Middle East. The music festival starts on 5 – 6 May in Tallinn and continues on 7 – 8 May in Narva. TMW 2022 conference takes place on Friday, 6 May in Nordic Hotel Forum, Tallinn and on Saturday, 7 May in OBJEKT multimedia hub, Narva.
TMW 2022 passes are on sale at shop.tmw.ee. Single tickets for TMW 2022 showcase nights are on sale at Piletilevi.
TMW 2022 edition unites the teams, partners and funders of Tallinn Music Week and Station Narva festivals.
The joint festival is supported by the cities of Tallinn and Narva, the Government Office, the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Endowment, Integration Foundation, Nordic Hotel Forum and Visit Estonia.
TMW’s diversity partner is Telia Eesti, strategic partner in the field of music is Music Estonia, partners and supporters Telliskivi Creative City, Viru Center, Go Travel, Ida-Viru Tourism Cluster, Tallink, Go Hotel, Meresuu and British Council. Media partners are Postimees, Kanal 2, Põhjarannik, Raadio 2 and Raadio 4.