EXIT is one of, if not the biggest festival in the Balkan peninsula. Started by revolutionaries and activists, EXIT is more than just a big party, it’s also a place for community, music, liberation and counterculture. We are immensely proud to count Fondacija EXIT among the partners governing the MOST Music project. Not only are they experienced in throwing large-scale events, they also know how to start new movements from scratch.

This is what happened at the brand new Pachamama stage specially dedicated for world, global and conscious music, partially supported by MOST. The Pachamama stage was a welcome addition to the genre-rich festival, since world music is becoming more and more important for young audiences. And, perhaps even more importantly, Pachamama stage was home of the WOMBA showcase programme for Balkan musicians. WOMBA featured MOST Music artists, from the Almir Meskovic & Daniel Lazar duo to Oratnitza, Shkodra Elektronike, E.U.E.R.P.I., and more. It was beyond words to see MOST supported artists perform for such a wide, varied and enthusiastic audience.

Other than the WOMBA showcase programme, a conference of the same name welcomed EXIT visitors working in the music industry. Delegates could partake in lively and interactive conference sessions. One of the highlights was the Music Export Office panel, featuring speakers Martin Cuff (Advisor for Creative Industries & Tourism to Prime Minister of Serbia); Ave Tölpt (Music Estonia Director); Benjamin Demelemester (Centre National de la Musique International Project Manager) and Ivan Petrović (EXIT Foundation President of the Managing Board). The talk was moderated by Balázs Weyer (Hangvető).

During the festival, the operative team of MOST Music was busy with the in-person training organised for Balkan Music Export participants. Training sessions featured topics ranging from branding strategy to hands-on best practices shared by world renowned artists. Interactive elements such as speed dating and Q&As helped shape the training to participants’ needs. Our trainers were some of the best in today’s world music business: Dejan Vujinovic, Bojan Dordjevic, Balázs Weyer and Rok Kosir all held sessions. Our gratitude goes out to Ben Mandelson who held an impromptu presentation about how to make the most of showcase festivals – an invaluable  skill for the participating musicians.

We were very happy to witness the MOST-effect once again – beyond the exchange of practical info and useful skills, a tight-knit community of comrades have formed over the few days of training. It was great to see our alumni share their experiences as well, paying it forward to a next generation of Balkan musicians, ready for international stages.

Thank you to all participants, delegates, conference speakers, showcase performers, and above all, to the EXIT team for an amazing week! It’s these events that will matter the MOST.