This month👇 

🔸Editorial
▫️From Diaspora to Territory

🔸Interview with Eduardo Quezada about Jericó FEST and much more
▫️& reflections after the interviews with César Olivares from Capibara Music and Eduardo

🔸Brief news from the media, charts and sister projects

🔸A little bit of mine: Stella Papalamprou’s debut album, to be released on September 24th

🔸Open calls and professional events:
▫️EFN Talking Points Online #1: “Too Much Supply, Too Little Demand?” 15th September, accessible for free
▫️Coming soon: EFFEA Call #5, especially interesting for festivals.
▫️European Folk Day, by EFN
▫️ESNS 2027
▫️Latin American musicians living in the wider Antwerp or Brussels region for Klanken van de Steden
▫️Afro Pepites

🔸Meet me at ✈️

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And you? Do you have something you would like to share with the international community working in this field? Get in touch.
Araceli Tzigane | Mapamundi Música | +34 676 30 28 82 

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Revisiting the 2021 interview

Araceli Tzigane: When we spoke in 2021, your work revolved around three main initiatives: Emprende Música LATAM, Encuentro LATMUS and Red Iberfest. What has happened with each of these projects since then?

Eduardo Quezada: I think all those projects served a very important purpose at a particular moment in my professional life. Rather than independent initiatives, they were different ways of responding to the same concern: how to strengthen the Latin American music ecosystem and create more opportunities for artists and cultural managers. 

Emprende Música LATAM was created with the idea of sharing knowledge. At the time, I saw that there was a great deal of information about how to release a song on digital platforms or about copyright, but very little about how to build an international career, how to negotiate with a festival, how to produce a tour, how to approach a programmer or how to truly understand the music industry from a strategic perspective. I wanted to contribute from my own experience working with artists and festivals in different countries.

Encuentro LATMUS was a natural consequence of that idea. I felt that a lot of valuable information was concentrated in just a few spaces and that many people, especially outside the major capitals, had no access to those making decisions within the industry. The aim was to democratise that knowledge, bring international figures closer and create conversations that could help professionalise the sector.

Red Iberfest, for its part, was perhaps the most ambitious project. It arose from a need I constantly observed while producing international tours: there were excellent festivals, theatres and cultural managers working in isolation. I thought that if we could connect those initiatives, we could facilitate artistic circulation and help projects travel in a more sustainable and efficient way.

Over time, I realised that although the three projects had different formats, they were all moving towards the same horizon: building bridges. Today, those initiatives no longer exist exactly as they were originally conceived, but they remain very present in my work. In a way, they evolved and eventually converged in Jericó FEST. The festival brings together training, international cooperation, artistic circulation, territorial development and network-building, which I previously addressed separately. I feel that all those paths eventually came together in a single project.“

“True internationalisation happens when there is a genuine exchange of knowledge, cultures, experiences and human relationships.”

AT: Which of the ideas and objectives you described in 2021 remain central to your work today and which have evolved or changed completely?EQ: I think there is one thing that has never changed: I remain convinced that music is a tool for transforming territories and connecting people.

A few years ago, I spoke a great deal about internationalisation because that was the area in which I was working most intensely. But over time, I realised that internationalising does not simply mean an artist travelling or performing concerts in other countries. That is only a consequence. True internationalisation happens when there is a genuine exchange of knowledge, cultures, experiences and human relationships.

My understanding of success has also changed. Before, I probably associated it more with the number of concerts, countries or international partnerships. I still value all of that today, but I am much more interested in the impact those processes have on people and territories.

Jericó FEST allowed me to discover that a small municipality can become a space for international dialogue without losing its identity. You do not need to build major infrastructure to create a project with global reach; you need a clear vision, respect for the territory and work with the community. I think that has been one of the greatest transformations in the way I think.

AT: Emprende Música LATAM was created with the aim of providing music professionals with knowledge that went beyond subjects such as digital marketing and copyright. What needs do artists and cultural managers in Latin America have today that were less visible five years ago?

EQ: Today I see one very clear need: learning how to build sustainable projects. For a long time, we talked about producing records, playing concerts or getting more streams on digital platforms. But it is increasingly clear that an artist needs to develop many other skills if they want to sustain a career over time.

They need to understand how to manage partnerships, how to present a project for a funding call, how to work with public and private institutions, how to work with sponsors, how to design an international strategy and how to build a community around their work.
I also believe that international cooperation has become enormously important. In the past, many organisations simply wanted to “take artists abroad”. Today there are opportunities to develop residencies, co-productions, exchange projects, training programmes and much deeper collaborative networks.

Another aspect that has become increasingly relevant is social and environmental impact. More and more institutions and funders want to support projects that not only produce excellent concerts, but also generate benefits for communities, strengthen cultural heritage, boost the local economy and promote sustainable practices. I think that change is very positive because it forces us to think about culture from a much broader perspective.

“Understanding cultural management does not take sensitivity away from a creator; on the contrary, it gives them greater freedom.”

AT: At the time, you mentioned that some musicians still showed resistance to becoming involved in the organisational, administrative and commercial aspects of their careers. Do you think that attitude has changed?

EQ: Yes, although there is still a long way to go. I think the pandemic accelerated many processes. Suddenly, artists realised that depending exclusively on concerts could be very fragile and that it was necessary to develop new tools to manage their projects.

Today I meet musicians who are much more interested in understanding how the industry works, how to prepare a budget, how to negotiate a contract or how to access international funding calls.

However, the idea still exists that dealing with these matters means ceasing to be an artist. I think exactly the opposite. Understanding cultural management does not take sensitivity away from a creator; on the contrary, it gives them greater freedom. The more tools an artist has to manage their own project, the more possibilities they have to make decisions that are consistent with their vision.

I always say that learning about production, administration or funding does not mean turning art into a business. It means giving it better conditions in which to exist and grow.

AT: Encuentro LATMUS aimed to democratise access to first-hand knowledge and reduce information gaps in Latin America. What impact did the project ultimately have and what were the main lessons you took from it?

EQ: I think its greatest achievement was demonstrating that there was an enormous need for conversation. Professionals from many countries took part and we were able to bring together very diverse experiences that were normally available only to those attending major international music markets.

But perhaps the most important lesson was understanding that sharing knowledge also creates community. Many of the people who took part in Encuentro LATMUS later ended up collaborating with one another, developing joint projects or meeting again in other international spaces. That confirmed something I still believe deeply: knowledge does not have much value if it does not generate human connections.

I also learned that cooperation requires continuity. A gathering can inspire, but relationships are truly consolidated when there are projects that allow people to continue working together.

In a way, Jericó FEST represents that continuity. It is no longer simply about talking about international cooperation, but putting it into practice through a festival where artists, institutions, cultural managers and communities actually spend time together, build relationships and develop new opportunities.

AT: Red Iberfest was conceived as a network to facilitate artistic circulation between festivals, venues and cultural agents. How has that network evolved and is there any connection today between it and Jericó FEST?

EQ: Absolutely. Although Red Iberfest no longer operates as an independent structure, its spirit is still very much alive. For years, I had the opportunity to get to know festivals, theatres, programmers, agencies and cultural managers in different countries across Ibero-America and Europe. Those relationships did not disappear; on the contrary, they matured over time.

Jericó FEST is, to a large extent, the result of that journey. Many of the artists who took part in the first edition came through relationships built over years of work in music markets, international tours and cultural cooperation projects.

But the most important thing is not bringing foreign artists in. What is truly valuable is creating long-term relationships that also allow Colombian artists to circulate in other territories. I have always understood cooperation as a two-way street. It is not simply about receiving international proposals, but also about opening opportunities for our artists to engage with the world. That remains one of Jericó FEST’s major aims.

AT: In 2021, you pointed out that one of the main obstacles to exchange between Latin America and Europe was the limited knowledge of each other’s territories and cultural markets. Do you think we understand each other better today?

EQ: I think we have made progress, but there is still a great deal to be done. Today there are more meeting spaces, more music markets, more cooperation programmes and more interest in building international relationships. That has undoubtedly helped bring us closer. But I still perceive a certain lack of mutual understanding.

“I wanted to demonstrate that the most interesting stories are often found in the territories, where heritage, nature and everyday culture still retain an enormous authenticity.”

We often continue to look at countries as though they were homogeneous markets, when in reality each territory has completely different cultural dynamics. Colombia is not only Bogotá, Chile is not only Santiago and Europe cannot be understood as a single cultural landscape either. One of the things I am most passionate about is precisely discovering those local identities. That is why Jericó FEST was not created in a large city. I wanted to demonstrate that the most interesting stories are often found in the territories, where heritage, nature and everyday culture still retain an enormous authenticity.

I deeply believe that the future of international cooperation lies in connecting those territories with one another. Not only capitals with capitals, but communities with communities, artists with communities and people with people. Ultimately, festivals are much more than artistic programmes. They are spaces where trust is built, friendships begin, new ideas emerge and we discover that, although we come from different places, we share far more than we imagine. I believe that is the true essence of cultural cooperation and also the reason why I continue to dedicate my life to this work.

Pachito Muñoz, one of the artists included in the first edition of Jericó Fest, is a Colombian flautist, composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work brings together traditional Colombian and Latin American music with jazz, classical influences and improvisation.

The birth of Jericó FEST 

AT: When did the idea of creating Jericó FEST first arise and why did you choose Jericó as the place to develop it?

EQ: The idea of Jericó FEST did not emerge overnight. In reality, it was the result of many years travelling to festivals, music markets and venues in different countries around the world. On every trip, I asked myself why some territories managed to build such a strong cultural identity around a festival and how music could become a driver for local development.

For more than fifteen years, I have worked in the international circulation of artists and in creating cultural cooperation networks. That allowed me to discover some very inspiring projects, but also to understand that in Latin America we still have enormous potential to develop festivals that go beyond artistic programming and become platforms for territorial transformation.

“Jericó did not need a festival to reinvent it. It needed a project that would listen to it, respect its history and help project it to the world through its own essence.”

When I discovered Jericó, I felt I had found the right place. It is a municipality with extraordinary heritage, architecture, landscapes and people. It is not only one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns, but also a territory that has preserved a very strong identity, where history, coffee-growing tradition, art, nature and everyday life coexist in a very special way. But precisely for that reason, from the outset I was very clear that I did not want to arrive with a festival imposed from outside. My interest was never to use Jericó as a beautiful backdrop for concerts. What motivated me was asking how music could engage with the identity of the territory and help strengthen what was already there.

Jericó did not need a festival to reinvent it. It needed a project that would listen to it, respect its history and help project it to the world through its own essence. That is where Jericó FEST was truly born.

AT: Was Jericó FEST a natural continuation of your previous work in training, network-building and international artistic circulation, or did it represent a completely new stage in your professional career?

EQ: I think it was both.

On the one hand, Jericó FEST brings together everything I learned during years of working in the music industry. The experience of organising international tours, taking part in music markets, building partnerships with festivals and developing cooperation projects was fundamental in imagining a festival with an international outlook.

But at the same time, it represented a profound change in the way I understand cultural management. For many years, I worked helping artists travel around the world. I still believe in the importance of that circulation today, but I realised that it was also necessary to build a place that the world would want to come to.

Jericó FEST represents precisely that reversal of logic. Instead of thinking only about how to export artists, we began asking ourselves how to attract artists, cultural managers, travellers and international audiences to a Colombian territory with an enormous amount to offer. That changes the conversation completely. We are no longer talking only about artistic circulation, but also about cultural tourism, international cooperation, local economic development, environmental sustainability, strengthening heritage and community participation.

I think Jericó FEST broadened my understanding of the role a cultural project can play.

AT: What did you feel was missing from the Colombian or Latin American festival landscape that Jericó FEST could contribute?

EQ: There are wonderful festivals in Latin America with impressive histories. I never thought what was needed was “another festival”. What I did feel was that there was room to propose a different perspective. 

“Territories have unique stories, unrepeatable landscapes and communities that can offer profoundly authentic cultural experiences.”

Many festivals quite legitimately focus on artistic programming. We wanted to broaden that conversation. From the beginning, we imagined a festival where music would be the starting point, but not the only objective. We wanted audiences to be able to discover a territory, walk through its streets, talk to its inhabitants, discover its heritage, visit its cafés, museums and local enterprises, explore its landscapes and understand that the cultural experience does not end when the curtain comes down on the stage.

We also wanted to demonstrate that a small municipality can host an international event without losing its identity. Sometimes we think that creating a relevant festival requires large cities, huge budgets or spectacular infrastructure. I believe exactly the opposite. Territories have unique stories, unrepeatable landscapes and communities that can offer profoundly authentic cultural experiences. Jericó FEST seeks precisely to highlight that richness.

AT:  The festival offers an experience in which music engages with the mountains, architecture and local community, beyond conventional stages. How did the territory influence your artistic and curatorial decisions?

EQ: It influenced absolutely everything. From the very beginning, we understood that the programme could not be designed before getting to know the territory. Many curatorial decisions came simply from walking through Jericó, talking to its inhabitants and observing how people use public space. That is why we decided that some concerts would take place in heritage sites, that others would engage with the natural landscape and that many activities would encourage people to move through different spaces around the municipality. 

“I think that when an artist understands the place where they are performing, the concert changes completely.”

We did not want the festival to be concentrated on a single stage. We wanted people to discover Jericó by walking. That is why we incorporated venues such as the MAJA Museum, cultural cafés, heritage spaces and experiences in natural settings such as the Silent Concerts on coffee farms. The idea was for each place to contribute something different to the artistic experience.

Even the selection of artists had a great deal to do with that vision. We look for projects capable of creating closeness with audiences, open to intercultural dialogue and with a particular sensitivity towards the territories they visit. I think that when an artist understands the place where they are performing, the concert changes completely.

AT: The programme brought together international, national and local artists. How did you approach the balance between introducing audiences to music from elsewhere while at the same time giving visibility to artists from Jericó and Antioquia?

EQ: That balance was a priority from the beginning. I never imagined a festival in which international artists would be the main protagonists and local musicians would appear only as opening acts.

For me, it was very important to build a dialogue between different cultures. When a French artist shares a stage with a Colombian musician, when a Chilean group engages with artists from Antioquia or when audiences in Jericó discover projects from Japan, Cuba or Venezuela, we are not simply programming concerts; we are creating encounters that enrich everyone involved.

At the same time, I wanted those arriving from other countries to discover the enormous talent that exists in our territory. Colombia has extraordinary musical diversity and Antioquia has a very rich artistic scene that deserves to circulate far beyond its borders.

I believe that true exchange happens when everyone learns from everyone else. It is not about bringing international artists in to impress the audience, but about creating spaces where different cultures can listen to one another, inspire one another and build relationships that continue long after the festival.

“We are interested in artists with their own identity, authentic proposals, artists who research, engage with their roots and are curious about other cultures.”

AT: What qualities do you look for in an artist or project when considering them for Jericó FEST? Is musical quality enough or is it also important that the proposal engages with the territory and the philosophy of the festival?

EQ: Artistic quality is essential, but on its own it is not enough. There are extraordinary musicians who might not be right for Jericó FEST, and that does not make them any less valuable. When we think about the programme, we look for projects that understand music as a form of encounter.

We are interested in artists with their own identity, authentic proposals, artists who research, engage with their roots and are curious about other cultures. We also greatly value a willingness to share with the audience and the community. At Jericó FEST, artists do not simply arrive, play a concert and leave. We want them to explore the municipality, meet its inhabitants, take part in educational activities, talk with other musicians and experience the territory. I believe that experience transforms both the artist and the festival.

Ultimately, our aim is not to present a succession of concerts. We want to create a complete cultural experience in which music serves as a bridge connecting people, territories and cultures. Those are the kinds of artists we look for: those who understand that a festival is not simply a stage, but an opportunity to build human relationships that can last far beyond the final applause.

Eduardo Moreno & Okocán is a Cuban-led project based in Medellín, blending son, changüí, guaracha, bolero and danzón with jazz and Brazilian influences in a vibrant contemporary sound. They performed in the first edition of Jericó Fest.

Community, tourism and sustainability

AT: Jericó FEST presents itself not only as a music festival, but also as a cultural, social and tourism platform. How are these different dimensions brought together in practice?

EQ: From the beginning, I was very clear that Jericó FEST could not be understood simply as a four-day event. My intention was never to organise a programme of concerts and wait for audiences to arrive. What I wanted was to build a platform that would generate value for the territory before, during and after the festival.

Music is the heart of Jericó FEST, but many other things happen around it. A visitor who comes to the festival does not only attend a concert; they stay in a local hotel, have breakfast in a café, buy crafts, visit a museum, learn about the town’s history, consume local products and explore the landscapes that make Jericó such a special place. That movement directly benefits the local economy and demonstrates that culture can also be a strategy for territorial development.

At the same time, the festival creates spaces for encounters between artists, cultural managers, entrepreneurs, institutions and the community. That interaction generates new relationships, new ideas and, very often, projects that continue long after the festival has ended.

That is why I prefer to speak of a cultural platform rather than simply a festival. A concert ends when the lights go out; a platform continues creating opportunities over time.

AT: How did the Jericó community participate in the first edition? As audiences, artists, craftspeople, suppliers, hosts or even as part of the decision-making process?

EQ: One of the greatest satisfactions of the first edition was seeing that the community was not a spectator of the festival, but a fundamental part of it.

From the beginning, we understood that a project like this could only be built hand in hand with the territory. We worked with local institutions, businesses, hotels, restaurants, entrepreneurs, craftspeople, transport providers, cultural spaces and many inhabitants who believed in the proposal even before the first stage had been built.

Local artists had a place in the programme, local enterprises took part in the cultural market, businesses in the municipality welcomed visitors and many people collaborated as volunteers or supported different logistical aspects.

“When someone talks about a project using “we”, I think that is when a genuine sense of belonging begins to develop.”

But beyond those specific forms of participation, there was something that moved me deeply: seeing how the inhabitants began to feel that the festival belonged to them. I remember conversations with people who told us: “Next year we could do this differently” or “Are you already thinking about the next edition?” When someone talks about a project using “we”, I think that is when a genuine sense of belonging begins to develop. That is probably one of the achievements I value most.

AT: Cultural tourism can create major opportunities, but it can also transform a territory in response to visitors’ expectations. How do you ensure that the festival remains meaningful for the local community and does not simply turn Jericó into a beautiful backdrop?

EQ: That is a question we ask ourselves constantly and, for me, it is one of the greatest challenges cultural festivals face today.

I believe there is a risk when an event begins to be designed exclusively with the visitor in mind. Little by little, it can lose its connection with the place where it takes place and end up offering an experience that could happen in any other destination. We want precisely the opposite.

Jericó FEST is based on a very simple idea: the territory is not the backdrop to the festival, it is its protagonist. That means that artistic decisions, activities and partnerships must respond first to the identity of the municipality and only afterwards to the expectations of the audiences who visit us.

If someone travels from another country to discover Jericó FEST, we want them to discover the real Jericó, not a version constructed for tourism. We want them to talk to its inhabitants, discover its heritage, walk through its streets and understand the importance of coffee, history, architecture and everyday life in the municipality.

“A festival also has a responsibility to contribute to the quality of life of those who live in the territory throughout the year.”

But there is something that is even more important to us. We believe festivals and cultural events should not be measured solely by the number of visitors they attract or the economic impact they generate. All of that is important, of course, but it cannot be the only indicator of success. A festival also has a responsibility to contribute to the quality of life of those who live in the territory throughout the year.

And when I speak about quality of life, I do not mean only generating income for local businesses, but also offering experiences that inspire, move people and broaden their horizons. We want a child in Jericó to be able to discover the music of another culture for the first time without leaving their municipality. We want a young person to find motivation in a concert or workshop to become involved in the arts. We want local musicians to be able to share a stage with international artists and create new opportunities. We want families to feel that public space is once again a place where they can meet and enjoy time together. Ultimately, the most important legacy of a festival is not the stages it builds or the artists it presents, but the experiences and memories it leaves within its community.

The success of Jericó FEST does not lie in transforming Jericó to make it more attractive; it lies in helping more people discover the enormous value Jericó already has while, at the same time, helping those who live there feel even prouder of their territory. I think that difference may seem subtle, but it completely changes the way a festival is understood. Because when a community feels that a project also belongs to them and improves their lives, that project ceases to be an event and begins to become part of the identity of the territory.

AT: The festival was free and open to the community. Why was it important for you to maintain that principle of free access and how can such a model be financially sustainable?

EQ: Free access was never a marketing decision. It was a decision deeply consistent with the festival’s vision.

I have always believed that access to culture should not depend on people’s financial means.
If we wanted to build a project genuinely connected with the community, it was essential that any resident of Jericó could attend the concerts, participate in activities and feel part of the festival without the price of a ticket becoming a barrier.

That does not mean culture is free. On the contrary, producing an international festival involves an enormous human, technical and financial effort. Artists must receive fair fees, technical teams must be paid and the entire production chain needs resources in order to function. That is why we believe in a model based on shared responsibility.

Public institutions, private companies, international cooperation programmes and strategic partners are not simply funding concerts; they are investing in a project that generates economic development, strengthens cultural tourism, promotes artistic circulation, stimulates local commerce and creates opportunities for the community.

That is the great challenge for the coming years: consolidating a diversified financial model that allows us to maintain free access without compromising either artistic quality or the sustainability of the festival.

“Music can be much more than entertainment. It can be a tool for strengthening identity, creating opportunities, connecting cultures and building a future.”

AT: Today many festivals talk about sustainability. Beyond reducing waste or using reusable materials, what does sustainability mean to you from a cultural, social and economic perspective?

EQ: I think sustainability has become a widely used word, but it is sometimes reduced too much to its environmental dimension. Of course, it is important to talk about recycling, reducing waste or reusable materials. We are also working on those actions and will continue to strengthen them. But for me, sustainability begins much earlier.

A festival is sustainable when it strengthens the culture of a territory rather than displacing it.
It is sustainable when local artists find new opportunities for circulation.
It is sustainable when businesses in the municipality see a real benefit and want to continue supporting the project.
It is sustainable when people feel proud of what is happening in their community and take an active role in building it.
And it is also sustainable when long-term relationships are created between institutions, sponsors, cultural organisations and international partners.

At Jericó FEST, we understand sustainability as a balance between three inseparable dimensions. The first is cultural, because we want to protect and project the tangible and intangible heritage of the territory. The second is social, because we believe culture should generate participation, inclusion, training and opportunities for people. And the third is economic, because a cultural project can only transform a territory if it has the ability to sustain itself over time.

We do not want to be a festival that happens once and disappears. We want to build a project that continues to grow alongside the community from one edition to the next, builds trust among its partners and becomes a benchmark for how culture can contribute to the sustainable development of a territory.

At its heart, that has always been Jericó FEST’s vision: to demonstrate that music can be much more than entertainment. It can be a tool for strengthening identity, creating opportunities, connecting cultures and building a future. That is the sustainability we believe in and the one we want to continue developing in the coming years.

This aftermovie brings together some of the festival’s most memorable moments: the tree planting that marked the beginning of our commitment to sustainability, concerts featuring artists from France, Japan, Cuba, Chile, Venezuela and Colombia, talks, book launches, open-air cinema, workshops, an entrepreneurs’ fair, coffee experiences and our Silent Concerts, an immersive concept that brought music to the waterfalls, trails and natural landscapes of Jericó.

 

After the first edition

AT: What surprised you most during the first edition, whether positively or negatively?

EQ: What surprised me most was the way the community took ownership of the festival. You always imagine how you want a project to be received, but actually experiencing it is completely different.

Walking through Jericó during those days was deeply moving. Seeing its streets, squares, parks, cafés, museums and the different festival venues filled with people enjoying the programme was one of the greatest satisfactions of this first edition. There were children, young people, adults and older people sharing the same spaces, attending concerts, talks, book launches, workshops, experiences such as the Silent Concerts and many other activities. Seeing people stop to listen, talk, discover new artists and simply enjoy being together filled me with enormous joy.

I felt that, for a few days, the festival became naturally integrated into the everyday life of the municipality. It was not an isolated event, but an experience that unfolded while walking through Jericó. Music, conversations and cultural activities began to become part of the town’s landscape, and that was precisely what we had dreamed of from the beginning.
I was also surprised by the reaction of the international artists. Many arrived thinking they would be taking part in just another festival and ended up being deeply moved by the human experience they found in Jericó. They did not only talk about the concerts, but about conversations with people, the landscapes, the heritage, the hospitality and the feeling of being in a place that has preserved a very authentic identity.

“The success of Jericó FEST is measured not only by what happens over four days, but by the opportunities, relationships and processes it is able to sow for the future.”

That confirmed something I had always imagined: when a festival is genuinely connected with its territory, the artistic experience goes beyond the stage. Music becomes an excuse to meet, discover other cultures and strengthen the bond between people and the place they inhabit.

Of course, there were also difficult moments. Like any first edition, we had to make decisions as we went along, adapt to unexpected situations and face logistical and financial challenges that tested the team. But, in retrospect, those difficulties were also an opportunity to learn. Today I feel that thanks to them, we have a much stronger foundation on which to continue building the festival we imagine for the coming years.

AT: What was the greatest challenge in turning the idea of Jericó FEST into a real event?

EQ: Without a doubt, getting an idea to become a shared reality. When you imagine a project like this, you see it very clearly in your head. But then comes the most complex part: convincing other people that this vision is also possible.

We had to build trust with institutions, partners, sponsors, artists and the community itself. We had to explain again and again that we did not want to create an isolated event, but a long-term project that could contribute to the cultural and tourism development of the territory.

And, of course, there was the enormous challenge of funding. Culture often faces the paradox that everyone recognises its importance, yet securing the resources needed to bring a project to life remains one of the greatest challenges. We went through moments of considerable uncertainty, when some of the support we had expected could not be secured and we had to rethink strategies as we went along.

Even so, we never considered abandoning the essence of the festival. We preferred to adjust many things rather than sacrifice what gave the project its meaning. Looking back, I think that challenge made the team much stronger. It forced us to be creative, trust in partnerships and understand that a festival is built not only with a budget, but also with conviction, collective work and an enormous capacity to adapt.

AT: How do you assess the success of a festival like this? Through attendance figures, local economic impact, artistic encounters, international visibility, community participation or aspects that are less easy to measure?

EQ: I think all those dimensions are important, but none of them on its own can define the success of a festival. Of course, we are interested in knowing the number of attendees, the economic impact on local businesses or the visibility the festival achieves in the media. Those are necessary indicators and they help us understand the reach of the project.
But if I had to choose one main criterion, it would be the festival’s capacity to generate relationships that continue after it is over.

“When a community begins to take ownership of a cultural project, it means that project has managed to go beyond the programme and become a collective experience.”

For me, it is very significant when a foreign artist wants to return to Jericó, when a programmer discovers a Colombian musician and invites them to another country, when a local entrepreneur sees their business grow thanks to the festival or when a child leaves a concert with the desire to learn an instrument. Those are impacts that do not always appear in statistics, but very often they are the most transformative.

I also consider it a success when the inhabitants of the municipality feel that the festival forms part of their identity and look forward to the next edition. When a community begins to take ownership of a cultural project, it means that project has managed to go beyond the programme and become a collective experience.

Ultimately, I believe the success of Jericó FEST is measured not only by what happens over four days, but by the opportunities, relationships and processes it is able to sow for the future.

AT: Was there any particular concert, encounter or moment when you felt that the original idea of Jericó FEST had fully come to life?

EQ: Yes, there were several, but there is one feeling I remember very clearly.
It was one of those moments when I stopped thinking about production, schedules, logistics or everything that normally occupies the mind of someone organising a festival.
I looked around and saw people of different ages, artists from different countries, Jericó residents and visitors sharing the same space with complete naturalness.
It did not matter where each person came from or what language they spoke. In that moment, everyone was connected through music. That was when I understood that the idea of Jericó FEST was no longer simply a personal vision. It no longer belonged to me and had become a shared experience.

I was also deeply moved to see the artists exploring the municipality, talking with residents, visiting cafés, walking through the streets and enjoying the landscape without rushing. That was exactly what we had imagined: a festival where cultural exchange would happen both on and off stage.

I think those are the moments that truly justify all the effort behind a project like this.

AT: After completing the first edition, what would you keep exactly the same and what would you change for the next one?

EQ: I would keep the essence.
I would maintain the idea of a festival that is free, open to the community, deeply connected with the territory and with an artistic programme combining excellence, diversity and intercultural dialogue.

I would also keep the decision to grow slowly. We live in a time when it often seems that success means making an event bigger every year than the year before. I do not share that view. I would rather Jericó FEST grow responsibly, consolidating each step, strengthening its partnerships and building a project that is sustainable over time.

What I would change are many operational aspects that can only be learned by doing. The first edition left us with very valuable lessons in logistics, production, mobility, institutional coordination and planning. All of that will allow us to offer an even better experience for audiences, artists and partners alike.

We also want to strengthen the festival’s academic and professional programme. I am interested in Jericó FEST being not only a space for enjoying great concerts, but also a place where artists, cultural managers, students, researchers and institutions can meet, exchange knowledge and generate new opportunities for cooperation.

I think the greatest lesson from this first edition was understanding that the festival has already found its identity. The challenge now is not to reinvent it every year, but to continue deepening what gives it meaning: a high-quality artistic programme, a community that recognises itself in the project, an international perspective built from a local territory and the conviction that culture can be a real tool for transforming people’s lives.

Because, ultimately, that remains our objective. Not to organise the biggest festival, but to build one of the most meaningful festivals for those who experience it, both from within and from outside Jericó.

Looking to the future

AT: Can Jericó FEST become a meeting point between Latin American artists and international festivals, programmers and cultural networks?

EQ: I am convinced that it can. In fact, that has been one of the ideas present since we first began imagining the festival.

For more than fifteen years, I have had the opportunity to attend music markets, festivals and cultural cooperation spaces in Latin America and Europe. That experience allowed me to understand that great projects are not built solely on good artistic programming, but on the relationships they manage to build over the long term. Jericó FEST wants to become precisely that kind of meeting space.

We want a Colombian artist to be able to meet a European programmer, a Latin American festival to discover new musical proposals, a cultural manager to find a partner for developing a co-production or an informal conversation over coffee to end up becoming an international tour.

I have always believed that the most important opportunities arise from human encounters. That is why we want Jericó FEST to be much more than a place where concerts are presented. We aspire to make it a space where networks are built, ideas circulate and new collaborations emerge between artists, institutions and cultural organisations from different countries.

I believe Colombia has every potential to become a bridge between Latin America and the rest of the world, and I would like Jericó FEST to contribute to that vision from a territory that demonstrates that internationalisation can also be built from municipalities and not only from major cities.

“After many years taking part in international music markets, I learned that the most valuable conversations very often happen away from the stages.”

AT: Do you imagine the festival developing a professional programme alongside the artistic programme in the future, with activities such as meetings, residencies, workshops or spaces for international exchange?

EQ: Yes, and in fact that is one of the paths I am most excited to develop. From the beginning, I imagined Jericó FEST as a cultural platform, not simply as a concert festival. That means the artistic programme will always be at the heart of the project, but around it we want to continue building spaces for training, reflection and cooperation.

In the coming years, I would like the festival to host meetings between programmers, cultural managers, festivals, universities, public institutions, artists and international organisations. I would also like to strengthen artistic residencies, specialised workshops, creation laboratories and spaces for exchanging experiences.

After many years taking part in international music markets, I learned that the most valuable conversations very often happen away from the stages. They happen when people have time to get to know one another, share ideas, explore a territory together and discover common interests.

“I believe we are living through a moment in which culture has a responsibility to build bridges.”

Jericó offers precisely that context. It has the human scale, tranquillity and cultural richness needed for those encounters to happen very naturally.

My dream is that, over time, someone will come to Jericó FEST not only because they want to hear a great concert, but also because they know that there they can learn, build partnerships, develop projects and meet people who share the same way of understanding culture.

AT: Where would you like Jericó FEST to be in five years?

EQ: In five years, I would like Jericó FEST to be recognised as one of the most important world music festivals in Latin America, not because of its size or the number of artists it presents, but because of the quality of the experience it offers and the impact it generates in the territory.

I dream of an established, sustainable festival that is deeply connected with the community. A festival that has managed to preserve its essence while growing responsibly.
I would like artists from different continents to want to come to Jericó because they know they will find an open-minded audience, an inspiring territory and a project that values cultural exchange above spectacle.

I also imagine a festival that contributes permanently to the cultural development of the municipality, strengthens the local economy, promotes responsible cultural tourism, generates opportunities for young people and continues positioning Jericó as an international reference point for culture and sustainability.

But above all, I would like the people of Jericó, five years from now, still to feel that this festival belongs to them. If we manage to grow without losing that connection with the community, I think we will have done things well.

AT: Finally, what would you say to an artist, cultural manager or traveller from anywhere in the world who is discovering Jericó FEST for the first time?

EQ: I would tell them to come with time. Not to come only to attend the concerts. To allow themselves to walk slowly through the streets of Jericó, talk to its people, sit down for a coffee, visit a museum, discover its craftspeople, explore its mountains and let themselves be surprised by everything that happens between one stage and the next. Jericó FEST is not designed to be consumed as a programme of activities to tick off on a schedule. It is designed to be experienced.

I would also tell them to come with an open mind. They will probably discover music they have never heard before, meet people from very different cultures and encounter different ways of understanding art and territory.

I think the best journeys are those that transform us a little. And I would like to think that those who visit Jericó FEST return home with new friendships, new ideas and a different perspective on Colombia, on Latin America and on the role culture can play in our lives.

“Festivals can become spaces where we listen to one another again, where we discover other ways of seeing the world and where we remember that, despite our differences, we share something essential.”

AT: After this entire journey, what does Jericó FEST represent to you today?

EQ: If I had to sum it up in one sentence, I would say that Jericó FEST represents the synthesis of everything I have learned over these years. It brings together my experience accompanying artists through their internationalisation processes, the lessons learned from Emprende Música LATAM, the encounters we promoted through LATMUS, the building of networks such as Red Iberfest and, above all, the conviction that culture can be a tool for transforming territories.

For many years, I travelled the world observing how music could strengthen communities, stimulate local economies and project the identity of a place. At some point, I realised that I no longer wanted simply to observe those processes; I wanted to help build one.
That is what Jericó FEST is to me.

It is not a project that aspires to be the biggest, but one that aspires to be profoundly meaningful. A festival where music is the meeting point between cultures, where heritage engages with contemporary creation, where artists find new opportunities and where the community is always at the centre of the story.

I believe we are living through a moment in which culture has a responsibility to build bridges. We live in a world that is increasingly polarised, increasingly fast-paced and, very often, increasingly disconnected. Festivals can become spaces where we listen to one another again, where we discover other ways of seeing the world and where we remember that, despite our differences, we share something essential.

If, in a few years’ time, someone remembers Jericó FEST not only because of a great concert, but because they met someone there who changed their life, discovered a culture that inspired them or felt proud of their territory again, then I will feel that all the effort was worthwhile.

Because ultimately, that has always been the festival’s true purpose: to use music as a tool to connect people, strengthen communities and demonstrate that culture can transform territories when it is built with respect, long-term vision and, above all, a deep love for the people who inhabit them.

Thank you, Eduardo!

➡️ And you can follow Jericó FEST on Instagram

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REFLECTIONS AFTER BOTH INTERVIEWS

Although they operate from very different contexts, Jericó FEST and Capibara Music share several fundamental aims.

Both seek to facilitate the international circulation of artists, not simply as a matter of exporting performances but by creating the professional relationships, knowledge and networks that make sustainable artistic careers possible. Capibara works through booking, production, internationalisation and professional support, while Jericó FEST aims to create two-way connections between Colombian artists and international programmers, festivals and cultural organisations.

Both also focus on creating access for artists and communities that often remain outside the main cultural circuits. Capibara addresses the lack of visibility and professional access experienced by many Latin American migrant musicians in Spain. Jericó FEST challenges a different kind of centralisation, demonstrating that international cultural exchange can be built from a small municipality rather than only from major cities.

Another important connection is their emphasis on representation on one’s own terms. Capibara explicitly seeks to prevent migrant music from being folklorised or exoticised and to ensure that the communities themselves have a voice in programming and decision-making. Jericó FEST follows a closely related principle: Jericó is not treated as a picturesque backdrop for an externally imposed event, but as the protagonist of the festival, with its identity and community shaping the project.

Finally, both projects see music as more than an artistic product. They connect it with professional development, education, community building, cultural exchange and longer-term social impact. In both cases, the ultimate aim is not simply to create more concerts, but to create stronger conditions for people, cultures and artistic communities to connect and thrive.

Ultimately, both projects are about creating access: access to professional networks, to international circulation and, above all, to the possibility of being represented on one’s own terms.

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BRIEF NEWS FROM THE MEDIA, CHARTS AND SISTER PROJECTS 

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🔸#1 for Transglobal World Music Chart in August of 2026 has been: Mexican Institute of Sound & Meridian Brothers’ Ruido Tovar (Ansonia) 

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🔸Mundofonías, the radio show I make with Juan Antonio Vázquez, has been on a break throughout August, so there are no favourites this month.

Do you have a call of interest for our community that you want to share? Let me know asap.

 

OPEN CALLS & PROFESSIONAL EVENTS

This section is open for news. It is free of charge. You can let me know if you have any open call of relevance to the community.

🔸EFN Talking Points Online

EFN Talking Points Online is a new series of online conversations bringing together different voices to explore issues that matter to the folk community.

The first session, “Too Much Supply, Too Little Demand?”, will examine the imbalance between the growing number of artists and projects and the opportunities available to present them. The speakers will be David Sierra (Sierra Contratación Artística), Anne-Mari Hakamäki (Kaustinen Folk Music Festival) and David Agnew  (English Folk Expo), with Araceli Tzigane Sanchez Mapamundi (Mapamundi Música) as moderator.

The talks are free and open to everyone, not only EFN members. EFN members are also invited to suggest topics for future sessions.

➡️ Register to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/EJvTL4fZSpqXpg8RYS6low

THESE CALLS ARE NEW IN THE NEWSLETTER:

🔸European Folk Day, by EFN

The fourth European Folk Day will take place on Wednesday 23 September 2026, with celebrations running from 18 to 27 September. Created by the European Folk Network, the initiative brings together people and organisations involved in traditional arts across Europe and beyond, from individual artists and grassroots communities to festivals, institutions and companies.

Anyone can take part with an activity related to folk music, dance or storytelling, either live or online. Events can now be registered on the European Folk Day website and added to the international programme.

Register your event and learn more, here.

🔸EFFEA Call #5 – for festivals. Open on September 1st 

Official announcement available here. The European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists (EFFEA) will open its next call on 1 September 2026, with applications closing on 3 November 2026.
Applications are submitted by a lead festival, working with at least two partner festivals from other countries.
The partnership develops a residency and international circulation opportunities for one emerging artist or collective during 2027.
The lead festival receives and manages the grant, rather than the artist applying directly.
Two schemes are available: Discovery – €8,000 and Springboard – €15,000.
Around 50 residencies are expected to be supported.

Territorial restrictions:

• The lead festival and the two mandatory partner festivals must each be based in a different eligible country. Festivals based in Israel, Moldova, Palestine, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK may participate only as partner festivals, not as the lead festival.
• The artist does not need to come from a different country from the participating festivals. The artist must either hold the nationality of or have an official address in an eligible country. Eligible countries include all EU Member States plus Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.

For festival programmers, this can be a useful opportunity to develop an artist jointly with international festival partners and share the costs of presenting and supporting their work across borders.

🔸ESNS 2027 

◻️Application deadline: September 1st
◻️When and where? 13-16 January, Groningen (The Netherlands)
◻️What is it? “ESNS has an impressive track record, and you can become part of it! Many European artists played their first international show in Groningen or were discovered through ESNS by their label, talent agency, or a large summer festival.” Read more, on the official website.
◻️Who can apply? Artists from European countries.
ESNS does take artists who could broadly be described as world, global, folk or roots music, but it is not a dedicated world music showcase. Its main focus is emerging European artists with strong international potential, across genres. The 2026 line-up, for example, included artists such as N’famady Kouyaté, Hildá Länsman & Tuomas Norvio, Nusantara Beat, YĪN YĪN and CALIFATO 3/4, while previous editions have featured Altın Gün, Marina Satti, Aïta Mon Amour, Enji, Marta Pereira da Costa, Sami Galbi and María José Llergo.
Apply here.

🔸Latin American musicians living in the wider Antwerp or Brussels region for Klanken van de Steden

◻️Application deadline: Wednesday 16 September 2026 at the latest
◻️When and where? “An intensive creative process, both individually and alongside other musicians, resulting in two concerts on 29 and 30 April 2027, one in Antwerp and one in Brussels. A selection of songs created during the residency will also be recorded. In addition, there is the opportunity for individual musicians or duos to give extra performances during the musical walks organised by the Merodefestival or Zoniënklanken.”
◻️Who can apply? Singers and musicians with Latin American roots who live in the wider Antwerp or Brussels region and who feel at home with a repertoire that touches on protest, remembrance and solidarity in the style of nueva canción.

TH NEXT CALL WAS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH:

🔸Afro Pepites Show #16

You can learn more in the previous edition of this newsletter.

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MEET ME AT

• 4-5 September, Tavira (Portugal). Concert by Ali Doğan Gönültaş at the Feira da Dieta Mediterrânica. World premiere of the collaboration between Ali’s trio and Mario Pousada.
• 25-26 September, Budapest. Hungarian Heritage House Days
• 8-10 October, Bayonne (France). Workshops and concerts of Vigüela with Sara Cano at Haizebegi Festival.
• 21-25 October, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain). WOMEX