Viva Popkomm! Spain Becomes Partner Country in 2005

Berlin – With numerous bands and solo performers and a stand covering more than 150 square meters, Spain will be acting as partner country at Popkomm 2005 from 14 to 16 September. Initial details about the program, which is being drawn up under the slogan “Spain, where music lives”, were provided at a press conference at the Instituto Cervantes in Berlin by Popkomm GmbH and the authors’ and publishers’ organization (SGAE),
represented by Fundación Autor.

As Dr. Ralf Kleinhenz, General Manager of Popkomm GmbH explained: “Spain is
among the top ten countries on the world music market, making it the ideal
choice for anyone with aspirations to be an international player. “In both an
economic and a cultural sense Spain is an extremely interesting market, and one
that we shall be presenting with its many facets to a large international
audience at Popkomm.”“For Spanish performers who are active internationally, such as Héroes del Silencio, Hevia and Estopa, Popkomm has always been a major event”, according to Francisco Galindo, Secretary General of Fundación Autor. “Since it was transferred to Berlin its appeal has been significantly enhanced. Spain’s presence at Popkomm 2005 will be at various different levels. Our performers are delighted to be coming to the German capital and will be taking this opportunity
to present their music to the public in Germany and around the world.”

Fundación Autor is coordinating the activities of a wide range of Spanish
institutions, companies and performers. Its partners in this enterprise comprise
the autonomous regions, the Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX), the National Institute for the Performing Arts (INAEM), the state-run company Promadrid and various organizations from the fields of tourism, trade, industry and the arts. The activities of the representatives of various sectors in Spain are being supported by the combined Spanish stand.

Due to the cultural diversity of the country’s regions the music scene incorporates many different styles and is strongly rooted in the everyday cultural life of Spain. The results of a survey published by the Ministry of Culture and SGAE reveal that listening to music is the preferred cultural activity of 82 per cent of the population. The average Spaniard listens to 143 minutes of music daily.

The 17th Popkomm will be taking place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 14 to 16 September. Numerous trade visitors from all over the world are expected to attend this business platform for the music and entertainment sectors. With its Exhibition, Festival and Congress sections this event, one of the world’s leading meeting places for the industry, provides three forums for its participants, who represent not only the core area of the music business but also come from a number of other associated fields such as advertising, film, fashion, consumer electronics, mobile entertainment and the live sector. This is the second Popkomm in Berlin.