University of Groningen Students Explore Societal Impact and Diversity at Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival

The ESNS conference is where the music industry meets for annual talks. Photo: Stella Dekker

(IN BRIEF) The University of Groningen (UG) will participate in the upcoming Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) music festival, with two student groups from the UG Science Shops exploring societal issues. Seven philosophy students will serve as ‘philosophers in residence,’ studying the festival’s social impact through philosophical theories. Additionally, Master’s students from the Faculty of Arts will focus on diversity in the festival’s backstage environment. Both projects, in collaboration with ESNS, aim to provide valuable insights into social themes and contribute to the festival’s development. The students’ findings will be published, and the philosophical group will present their initial results at a public event during the festival.

(PRESS RELEASE) GRONINGEN, The Netherlands, 07-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Next week, as the Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) music festival returns, the University of Groningen, one of the most traditional and prestigious universities in the Netherlands, will once again play an active role. Two student groups from the UG Science Shops will participate in this renowned event, each exploring important societal topics through their unique perspectives.

The ESNS festival, the largest European showcase for emerging music acts, draws over 40,000 attendees, including 4,000 industry professionals, to Groningen each January. Alongside the performances, the festival hosts a conference featuring more than 150 discussions, keynotes, and interviews aimed at shaping the future of the music industry. This year, UG students will be taking part in the festival’s academic dimension.

One group of students from the Faculty of Philosophy will engage with the festival in a distinctive way, acting as ‘philosophers in residence.’ These seven students will examine the societal impact of ESNS through the lens of various philosophical theories. This is part of a broader initiative at the Faculty of Arts, which is running a long-term project focused on diversity and inclusion, both on and offstage. Master’s students from the Arts, Culture, and Media program will investigate the backstage diversity at the festival, exploring the involvement of individuals behind the scenes in the production and programming process.

The collaboration between the Faculty of Arts and ESNS has been a growing success over the past three years, expanding to the point of creating a dedicated website. Past research has delved into the diversity of the festival line-up, the ESNS Exchange programme, and partner festivals. Dr. Chris Tonelli, an assistant professor of History and Theory of Popular Music, and his team provide guidance throughout the project, ensuring academic rigor and overseeing the students’ final reports.

This year’s focus is on the dynamics of diversity in the festival’s backstage operations. Through interviews and data analysis, students will examine how individuals working behind the scenes contribute to the festival’s overall inclusivity. Their findings will be compiled into a report that will be shared with the public via the Science Shops.

Meanwhile, the second student group, also from the Faculty of Philosophy, will be exploring the societal value of the ESNS festival to Groningen. Prompted by the success of a previous diversity panel, the festival tasked the Philosophy Knowledge Centre with investigating how ESNS impacts the city. The students will engage critically with the event, speaking with visitors and professionals to gain insights that could help foster the festival’s growth. Each student will apply a different philosophical framework, ranging from social philosophy to metaphysics, to the festival’s context. The findings will be compiled into a booklet, to be published by ESNS. On January 16, the students will present their preliminary findings in a public session at the House of Connections, located at the Grote Markt.

This collaboration between UG and ESNS stems from the Science Shops, an initiative that connects societal challenges with the university’s academic expertise. Through these partnerships, students work alongside civil society organizations to research and address pressing issues. More details about the various Science Shops within UG faculties can be found on their website.

Media contact:
communicatie@rug.nl

SOURCE: University of Groningen