The last professional visit under the project “Export and Sustainable Positioning of the Bulgarian Music Scene on the International Market” ended in Bucharest with a clear sense of success, not only as a series of meetings and events, but as a real step towards closer cooperation between the Bulgarian and Romanian music scenes.

Within a few intense days, the Bulgarian delegation immersed itself in the dynamics of one of the most active music markets in the region, where club culture, the live industry and the independent sector are developing at an impressive speed. The program began with visits to some of the key concert spaces in the Romanian capital, including Control Club – a venue with over 16 years of history and a reputation as one of the most influential clubs in Central and Eastern Europe. There, the delegates had the opportunity to meet the team and watch a live concert of The Kryptonite Sparks – a band that embodies the contemporary alternative scene in Romania with its energetic sound and strong audience.

That same evening, the program continued at Quantic, the largest live space in Bucharest, where byron, one of the leading bands in the country, with a long-standing presence and loyal audience, took the stage. Meetings with the teams of both spaces gave a concrete idea of ​​how sustainable live formats are built and how artists are worked with at different levels.

The next day, the focus shifted to the independent sector with a visit to Cuib Records – an indie label and studio, where a presentation on the Romanian music market was also held. It was there that the conversation about the local scene gained an additional perspective with the presence of a representative from O-Zone – the group behind one of the biggest international breakthroughs in Romanian music. The meeting drew a clear line between the past and present development of the market, as well as the potential for future regional collaborations.

The program continued with visits to other key spaces such as Expirat – an emblematic place for alternative culture in Bucharest, which has been building a scene for concerts, club events and festivals for more than two decades. The delegates also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the Burning Bridges format – an independent festival that brings together different generations and subgenres within the local scene. In addition, other significant locations such as The Pub and Sala Palatului were visited, which complete the picture of the large-scale concert infrastructure in the city.

A key moment in the program was the Romania–Bulgaria Music Exchange Meet Up event, which brought together professionals from both countries. The evening at Echoes Haus combined a networking format with a live program, which included Bulgarian artists Mono and the Stereos and Clavexperience. The concerts became a natural continuation of the conversations from the previous days, and the representatives of the Romanian scene present showed real interest in future joint projects and participations.

The final part of the visit focused on the music business and production. The meeting with Roton Music, one of the most established labels in Romania with over 30 years of history and a catalog of internationally successful artists, provided a valuable insight into the development of the local industry. The visit to Ines Studio, the only Dolby Atmos certified studio in the country, reinforced the impression of a high-level technological and production environment that supports contemporary music creation.

The common denominator among all meetings, conversations and events was the clearly expressed desire for cooperation. The Romanian scene demonstrates openness to Bulgarian artists and professionals, and the contacts established lay the foundation for concrete future partnerships, from festival participation to joint projects.

This last visit did not simply close the cycle of the project, but outlined its next logical step, namely a more active and sustainable presence of Bulgarian music in the regional and European context.

The project is funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU instrument, Export and sustainable positioning of the Bulgarian music scene on the international market.

This publication was created with the financial support of the European Union – Next GenerationEU. The entire responsibility for the content of the document lies with the “BULGARIAN MUSIC ASSOCIATION Association” and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official position of the European Union.