Call for applications: ‘Electronic Soundscapes’ music workshop

Dubbed 'Electronic Soundscapes', the workshop is aimed at expanding the scope of Nigerian music’s already booming electronic scene. It has previously featured participants ranging from DJs to music producers.

Nigeria of course boasts an extremely rich musical tradition. Alongside the traditional music forms and percussion-based style found in its diverse cultural regions, the local scene has over time been shaped by Western influences from the 50s and 60s (to form genres such as highlife and Afrobeat) through to the 80s and 90s (such as hip-hop and R&B). At the turn of the millennium, increasingly electronic elements came to be incorporated into Nigeria's various music styles, which nonetheless retained their traditional rhythmic structures.

Taking this all into consideration, the two partner organizations, with additional support from the Franco-German Cultural Fund, will once again select a small number of Nigerian DJs and electronic music producers to take part in the nine-day Electronic Soundscapes workshop.

Facilitated by three internationally-renowned producers, the workshops will take place daily from 9  to 17 October 2016 in Lagos and Abuja.

Training objectives

Electronic Soundscapes is inspired by the TEN Cities Project, which presented an intersection of club and electronic music between different European and African cities. The workshop is set up within this context and aims to foster artistic interaction among German, French and Nigerian musicians in the area of electronic music.

It is a mutually-beneficial exchange for participants and the facilitators and will hopefully improve the skills that participants bring to the session as well as offer a rare opportunity to work with world-class producers from varying backgrounds.

The workshop aims to:

• improve the technical level
• develop the artistic approach linked to producing electronic music
• produce electronic music tracks
• perform high quality electronic music show after the workshops

After the conclusion of the project, the plan is to have further workshops and regular events involving Nigerian DJs in order to generate continuous creative and active input towards this new platform for electronic music. The ultimate objective is to establish a network of active DJs and electronic music producers, to identify potential partners for future alternative music projects and to establish a sustainable co-operation between Nigerian and European partners.

Incomplete application documents will not be reviewed.

How to apply

DJs and producers with a strong artistic interest in electronic music are encouraged to apply. To do so, download and complete the application form.

Applications will be accepted via e-mail only. Completed applications must be submitted in one mail to the following organizers: aurelien.sennacherib@diplomatie.gouv.fr and cultural@institutfr-nigeria.org programme@lagos.goethe.org

Please indicate “DJ/Electronic Soundscapes” and state your preferred location (Lagos or Abuja) in the subject line of the email.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 18 September 2016.

For more information about Electronic Soundscapes, visit here.