The FOCUS project, initiated by the Association Mink Tolmin, is a pioneering effort addressing the
challenges faced by small live music venues in the Alps-Adriatic region, spanning Slovenia, Austria, Italy,
and Croatia. The project is driven by the rich experience of the association, which has played a pivotal role in cultural, educational, and creative spheres in a rural setting marked by poor infrastructure and conservative social beliefs.
FOCUS aims to prevent the decline of small live music venues through intensive mentoring support,
networking for mutual fundraising and collaboration, and increased community collaborations and advocacy awareness. The project strives to empower venue staff with tailored skills training, foster regional and international collaboration, and tackle challenges such as funding constraints, precariousness, and audience engagement. The project introduces innovative elements by harnessing new technologies for hybrid capacity-building events, overcoming financial constraints typical for small organizations. Emphasizing prevention, community building, and solidarity within the live music ecosystem, FOCUS stands out as a unique initiative that showcases the potential of regional collaboration. The project aspires to be a role model for other organizations, emphasizing micro-networking practices for the collective strengthening of the music world through rural-based collaboration.
FOCUS stands as a model for cross-border collaboration, involving organizations from Slovenia, Austria,
Italy, and Croatia, highlighting the added value of EU cooperation. The project contributes to sustainable
outputs: workshops with mentoring, FOCUS on tour, staff exchange, case studies by forging new synergies and networks, fostering collaborations between venues, promoters, and artists.
The success of the project will be measured through quantitative benchmarks, including the number of
mentors, venue staff participation, and audience engagement. Qualitative indicators include participant skill enhancement, venue development, and the emergence of offshoot projects inspired by FOCUS. FOCUS emerges as a collaborative, innovative, and impactful initiative that addresses the pressing challenges faced by small live music venues in the Alps-Adriatic region. Through its strategic objectives, measurement strategies, and a well-structured timeline, FOCUS seeks to empower, unite, and ensure the sustained growth of small venues, thereby contributing to the vibrancy and diversity of the live music ecosystem in the region.
Focus on tour collaboration summer events:
15. June 2024 Hrelji, Istria/Croatia: Green Sounds, hosted by Klanghaus organization
3.-7. July 2024 Tolmin, Slovenia: Sajeta Music Festival, hosted by Association Mink
12. July 2024 Park Pečno, Kanal, Slovenia: Concert, hosted by Društvo Ozon
19. 7. – 27. 7. 2024, Škofja Loka, Cerkno, Kranj, Železniki Slovenia: Festival In Memoriam prof. Peter Hafner #15 hosted by
Sajeta 2024