Many event organisers are having to adapt and are turning their attention to the prospect of virtual event delivery. This is a chance to hear from three who have already successfully done so in recent months, finding out about how they chose which digital platform to use, the challenges they faced, the actions they took to address these and how they managed to navigate through a very different operating environment.

Hear from Ben Avison, Editorial and Event Director at Host City and Cavendish Group, who will be chairing the webinar and providing insight into the virtual Host City conference delivered in December. He will be joined by Caitlin McNaughton, Communications and Partnerships Manager for Melbourne Fringe who delivered their online festival in November and Lesley Shaw, Producer at Celtic Connections who delivered their digital-first festival in January as they each share their experience and learnings gained from the successful online staging of their recent events. 

The webinar will tackle a range of issues from functionality and look and feel, to rights handling, international distribution issues and monetisation. There will be an opportunity for participants to submit questions in advance and on the day; if you would like to submit questions in advance, please submit these when prompted during the webinar registration process or by emailing information@eventscotland.org.

Register here.

[Source: Interkultur] The World Choir Games, also known as the Olympics of Choral Music, will be held exceptionally in October/November. "Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures. Corona will not get our choirs down! The Games will go on!": the Flemish government and INTERKULTUR decided to postpone the World Choir Games for a second time.

Minister Jambon explains: "Many people have sacrificed a lot and made efforts to get through pandemic last year. Also our thousands of choir singers in Flanders and all their enthusiastic fellow singers from all over the world. We have already had to postpone a fantastic event - the World Choir Games - once. Now, however, the summer period is also coming too soon. Choirs want to be able to rehearse, practice and work together towards the event for a few months, but that is not yet possible. Also, the numbers are still uncertain, even for many foreign choirs."

However, INTERKULTUR and the Flemish government have come together in the determination to give a perspective to the international singers also in these extraordinary times. With the decision to let the World Choir Games exceptionally take place in autumn, the Flemish government and INTERKULTUR react to the overall positive dynamics around the World Choir Games.

The decision to postpone is a decision about giving perspective, according to Minister-President and Minister of Culture Jan Jambon: "We are delighted that all partners have agreed to a feasible date, so that in 2021 we can still bring this top event to Flanders. It is a bright spot for many passionate singers at home and abroad who have been deprived of their stage for so long. I have felt an enormous urge to make this event happen, even in these special times.”

The health, welfare and safety of the participating choirs, the supporters who travel with them and the many fans and visitors in Flanders are and remain top priority. And although the scale of the event will obviously have to be adjusted, and some parts of the program will have to be reviewed again, all parties involved are welcoming this development as a turning point after a particularly difficult period. It will be a special – rather emotional – moment for everybody that will leave many deeply moved.

INTERKULTUR President Günter Titsch: “After months of restrictions, overcoming the crisis now seems within reach. I am very pleased that together with our partners in Flanders and especially through the personal support of Minister-President Jambon, we have found a good way to let the 11th World Choir Games 2021 take place with the greatest possible security for all participants. This fall we will show to everyone: The international choral world is back and will finally sing on a world stage again!”

The World Choir Games will have an innovative virtual component in addition to the live event. It was also the corona crisis that led to the move to the virtual. Koor&Stem drew up a digital concept for the development of a 'Virtual Village' for the World Choir Games. This tool enables all the choirs that are unable to participate in the 11th edition, to still actively participate in the Games. It involves not only streaming of the main events, workshops and concerts, but also international meetings and even competitions!

The Flemish Government, INTERKULTUR and Koor&Stem are ready to work together with the cities of Antwerp and Ghent to make the 11th edition of the World Choir Games from October 30 to November 7, 2021 an unforgettable event! They are convinced that all sponsors and partners will help compose this musical story. Together, they aim for nothing less than the best edition ever in the history of the World Choir Games.

All the details regarding the autumn edition of the World Choir Games 2021 are now available at www.wcg2021.com.

It was "the miracle of Sochi", back then at the World Choir Games 2016. Afghanistan’s Noor-e Omid choir competed in the world's largest international choir competition, the so-called Olympics of Choral Music.

During the Taliban regime, religious extremists had censored singing and music in society. It was only after 2001 that Afghanistan’s music scene slowly began to re-emerge and by 2016, the miracle happened: Afghanistan had its first ever polyphonic choir, and it was the country’s first choir to take part in the World Choir Games.

The story left a lasting impression on everyone involved, including the then Artistic Director of the World Choir Games, Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß. “In their country, people have not known music for generations, but now these young people somehow heard about the ‘Choir Olympics’, learned sheet music, rehearsed a programme, and fulfilled a lifelong dream by participating in the Games.”

Yet this story is just one of the many "miracles" that happen year after year at INTERKULTUR’s international choral events like the World or European Choir Games. Wherever people of different faiths and cultures come together, a great deal of understanding and tolerance is needed. At INTERKULTUR events, this spirit of acceptance arises naturally – after all, singing together calls for harmony.

And so choirs from countries that are opponents on a political level, such as Iran and Israel, meet in the choir competitions and festivals regularly and peacefully. And different religions connect in a very direct way, as happened at the World Choir Games 2010 in Shaoxing, China, when a German gospel choir visited a Buddhist temple and sang a Christian gospel – to the great joy of everybody on site.

At the European Choir Games 2013 in Graz, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian singers appeared together on one stage as one large festival choir and performed Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem together.

Such large concerts with hundreds of singers from different countries, cultures and religions have long tradition at the World Choir Games. No one sums up the immense impact better than a singer from Australia who, after taking part in the large festival choir concert of the World Choir Games 2016, said: “Well, this was fantastic, I've never been to such a happening before. It shows what you can do, if you invest in culture and if you invest in youth. Much better than buying weapons and guns: invest in culture and music!”

The debate about singing in public in Afghanistan continues today, with a social media campaign recently overturning a ban on teenage girls singing in public.

On the world stage, singers can discover the great diversity and enthusiasm with which people express their different cultures and religions through song. Find out how you can turn your city into such a special stage that brings people from all cultures and religions together here: https://worldofchoirs.com/wcg/

This article was written by Henriette Brockmann of INTERKULTUR. 

Around the turn of the year 2019/2020, the first news about the novel coronavirus reached the world. China in particular, but also numerous other countries, found themselves in a difficult situation and everyday life came to a standstill. The virus continued to spread and new infections were reported daily.

The Chinese city of Wuhan was hit hardest at the beginning of the year. But the rapid spread of Covid-19 soon meant that the entire world had to face the pandemic and all the challenges it entailed. This globe-spanning crisis had a profound impact on humanity - and the choral world in particular. We all had to keep our distance - and yet we have moved closer together - even across national borders!

And then there was silence…

The pandemic brought public and private life to a standstill. In many places, a state of emergency was declared and a lockdown imposed. Stores, restaurants and cultural institutions had to close, and schools and workplaces were moved home.

This life at a distance also hit the choirs of this world especially hard. Concerts, festivals and even choir rehearsals had to be cancelled or postponed and stages remained silent. In most countries, choral life has come to a complete standstill and many choirs and choirmasters have lost their financial support and perspective. Li Peizhi, president of the Chinese Choral Association, described the feeling of these drastic impairments of everyday life in an interview as a “train that comes to an abrupt halt”.

In all areas of life and also in choral work, the technical possibilities of our time and global networking with the help of the Internet gained completely new relevance and significance from one moment to the next. The choirs around the globe did not lose confidence and developed ideas to continue to live out their passion for choral music, to maintain their choral community together with their fellow singers, to stay positive and to break new ground in terms of rehearsals - and the silence of the choral world did not last long.

…but not for long

Tim Sharp, a member of the Advisory Board of the World Choir Council, wrote in an interview that “singing not only gives something to the listener, but also to the individual singer. Singing requires us to use our bodies and connects us directly to our emotional lives.

Every single aspect of the singing process is physical. And, while the experience of singing is highly individual, choral singing connects and harmonizes these individual sounds into a community.“

Music is a powerful, courage-giving force that connects people and inspires spirits. In many places around the world, music was played together just as the pandemic began. Neighbourhoods sang together on their balconies, at their windows or on the street and grew closer. This community at a distance, this community in music and song, has also given hope to many people.

The choirs were particularly limited in their work and could only meet virtually. But they got creative and took advantage of the new technologies: choir rehearsals online, classes at home in the living room, virtual choir projects, video premieres instead of performances in concert halls.

Besides all these creative projects and new approaches to choral work, this time of special challenges has also brought the choral community closer together.

The (choral) world has come closer together

Of course, all these approaches and the virtual choir projects cannot replace the community of the choir and the experience of a live performance, but they have given confidence to the singers of this world. New ways were tried out to continue learning together and to continue singing together.

With the help of workshops, online tutorials or direct exchange in social networks or forums, choirs and choir directors helped and supported each other.

Following INTERKULTUR's motto “Singing together brings nations together”, many choirs have also used these projects and collaborations to come together virtually with other choirs from all corners of the world.

The new possibilities of technologies were used extensively and became a popular tool to overcome creative self-isolation, which also affected the rehearsal process. Even though synchronous singing and choral rehearsals in large groups are technically impossible or difficult, the digital applications are a good opportunity to maintain social contacts and community.

Li Peizhi, president of the Chinese Choral Association, said in an interview, “I think people, and especially musicians, are using their ability and energy to express and transmit their emotions and their thoughts. [The] projects are wonderful because the message they send out is consistently positive and has made people realize the great power of music.”

This bond and solidarity that has united the choral world in recent months, even if only virtually, will hopefully accompany us in the future and we should continue to cherish it. What will the new normal look like after the pandemic?

The questions that now arise at the beginning of the new year, as vaccinations begin worldwide and (hopefully) with the end of the crisis in sight: What are the lessons we learn from this crisis? What impact will these experiences have on the choral world and how will choral work change?

Russian choral legend Vladimir Minin commented on this in an interview: “Digital technologies are a temporary means, a way out, a tool for information exchange - but nothing more. No technology can convey the living energy of the choir, and the subtle intricacies of the movement of its collective soul.“

Li Peizhi, President of the Chinese Choral Association, has a similar view: “These new forms of singing and online lectures are currently very popular all over the world. I personally think that this is a special countermeasure in a special time to satisfy the strong desire for singing. Choral singing is a fantastic way for people to communicate emotions, but this requires contact and time to rehearse. Therefore, it‘s imperative that we experience the artistic engagement that occurs in actual rehearsals to unleash the full beauty and charm of the choral art.“

Tim Sharp, a member of the Advisory Board of the World Choir Council, hopes “to be able to use these tools when we sing together again. I firmly believe that we will emerge from this time stronger, and we will also have learned how to teach and communicate with new tools that are appropriate for choral music education, performance, composition, and advocacy.”

Digital technologies are good and valuable tools for the current time and they will certainly be able to enrich choir work in certain areas in the future. However, it is also clear for the choral world that the virtual will not be the new normal. What is missing is the interpersonal aspect, the dynamics, the immediate communication with fellow singers - the essence of singing together that we all sorely miss.

We don‘t know what the future will look like, but we are confident that it will be beautiful and, above all, full of singing!

This editorial was written by Franziska Hellwig of INTERKULTUR, the world's leading organizer of international choir competitions and festivals. For more information visit www.interkultur.com

Singing is one of the most beautiful things in the world. It is healthy and makes people happy – whether as a singer or a listener. Without a song, the world would be silent.

Music and especially singing have always been a comfort to people in the darkest times. Be it the many spirituals describing the hardship of slavery, the Singing Revolution in the Baltic States, and, most recently, the many songs sounding from balconies in neighbourhoods all over the world at the beginnings of the current pandemic.

There are an estimated 37 million choir singers in Europe alone, with millions more scattered all over the world. All have been suffering from restrictions since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but at the same time it quickly became obvious that the choir singers not only handled the given circumstances with high responsibility, but also got immensely creative in keeping their community alive: choirs were among the first to create fun and emotional virtual music videos when social distancing started to become the name of the game.

And especially this high spirit of hope and confidence among the choral community will be the key to get out of the current situation. INTERKULTUR, as the world’s largest organizer of international choir competitions and festivals all over the world, comprises a strong network of choir singers, conductors and musical institutions all around the world. Its events are an experience of international communication – connected through the universal language of music. Whether in Hoi An (Vietnam), Barcelona (Spain), Princeton (USA), Vienna (Austria), or Guangzhou/Canton (China), at more than 230 international events in the last 30 years INTERKULTUR has brought people together from 107 countries, regardless their origin, religion or world view. And every two years INTERKULTUR organises the world’s largest international choir competition in different cities on different continents: the World Choir Games, known as the Olympics of Choral Music.

Three World Choir Games editions are already in preparation, holding the spirits among the choral community high during an ongoing global low. The outlook on celebrating the World Choir Games in Flanders, Belgium (2021), Gangneung, Republic of Korea (2022) and Auckland, New Zealand (2024) are exciting goals to approach with new motivation.

And there is hardly any other event that visualises so clearly why arts and culture are sorely needed here, in a deeply troubled world.

Anyone who has witnessed a World Choir Games event on site will immediately understand how this unique event for this special group of people is able to inspire an entire city and an entire community with an unprecedented spirit of music, culture and international community. The World Choir Games is an occasion to experience the most beautiful sounds and emotions of humanity: listening to music from all over the world, watching singers in traditional costumes presenting their individual cultures, and meeting people from countries one could barely visit in a lifetime. Together, all participants, residents and visitors are celebrating a great festival of music, song and joie de vivre – all at one single place, in the World Choir Games host city.

An unforgettable experience for all involved and especially for the host city itself! You can find more information here: http://host.worldchoirgames.com

[Source: Interkultur] The 12th World Choir Games 2022 in Gangneung, Republic of Korea, are making us dream of a bright future: Singing and celebrating at a wonderful destination surrounded by beautiful coast and mountains with a treat of real Olympic air through the Olympic Park and ICE Arena, which tell us about the time of Winter Olympics in 2018.

In order to help you making this dream reality we have recently published a new loyalty package which grants you additional discounts for registrations until May 5, 2021: the more World Choir Games participations you had since 2012, the greater benefits you’ll receive. But that’s not all: On top of this we will give you a free city sightseeing tour, a voucher for your scores and even professional pictures from your choir on stage.

You didn’t join a World Choir Games with your choir yet? No problem, also new choirs will receive a little discount, if they register for the World Choir Games 2022 until May 5.

And no worries, we don’t need the full registration documents until that date. All you have to send to us is the

• Full Registration forms , except repertoire (this can be submitted later with sheet music)*
• Registration fee
• Photo of your choir*
• Short biography of your choir
• Recording of your choir in mp3 format

(*the number of participants and final travel dates in the registration form as well as your official choir photo can of course be updated at a later stage)

What are you waiting for? Check out all the details at www.wcg2022.com! You will find the specific information in the section “Registration” after you have chosen your country from the list.

SportAccord has announced that the inaugural ArtAccord will bring a new creative concept to the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg by showcasing the work of some of Russia’s best and brightest artists.

ArtAccord will take place during SportAccord 2021, which will run from 23-28 May, giving delegates the opportunity to experience pieces of art in an intimate, gallery-like setting after being introduced to some of the profiled artists.

The event will kick-off on Sunday, 23 May 2021 with Welcome Addresses from Dr. Raffaele Chiulli, President of SportAccord, and other prominent Russian figures from the Sverdlovsk Region and visual arts community followed by cocktails and canapés to allow attendees to take in the pieces and connect with other art enthusiasts. 

The launch of ArtAccord builds on SportAccord’s embrace of art and culture at previous editions of the World Sport & Business Summit in Russia. Notably, delegates at SportAccord 2013 in Saint Petersburg were granted a private visit to the famous State Hermitage Museum, and the work of the late Tuman Zhumabaev, one of Russia's most prominent contemporary artists, was featured in an Art Gallery exhibition at SportAccord 2015 in Sochi and SportAccord 2019 in Gold Coast.

Ekaterinburg, the host of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021, has forged an international reputation as a hub of art and culture, as well as sport. The city is home to numerous globally renowned institutions, such as the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts and the Ekaterinburg State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

“We have always been keen to showcase local artistic and cultural offerings at the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit, providing delegates with an insight into the fabric of our host cities, regions and countries,” SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt says.

“Ekaterinburg has a heritage that is steeped in arts and culture, and we have a wonderful opportunity to give attendees a unique experience through the inaugural ArtAccord. I would like to thank the Sverdlovsk Region, Ekaterinburg, and the Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts for supporting this exciting initiative, which I am sure will prove to be a memorable addition to SportAccord 2021.”

Regional Minister of International and Foreign Economic Relations of the Sverdlovsk Region, Mr. Vasily Kozlov says: “ArtAccord will provide a platform for some of Russia’s most engaging artists to reach a wider audience through the international sporting community. We believe delegates will be inspired by what they see and experience during this innovative new part of the SportAccord 2021 programme in Ekaterinburg.”

The annual World Sport & Business Summit is a six-day event attended by leaders of the global sports community. As the only global sports industry event attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders, SportAccord also brings together organising committees, hosting cities and regions, governments and administrations, rights-holders, agencies and athletes, as well as top-level experts and organisations from the sports media, technology, investment, medical and legal sectors.

Registration is open for the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2021 in Ekaterinburg, the 19th edition of SportAccord’s flagship annual event. Organisations interested in becoming an official partner or exhibitor can contact SportAccord to discuss these investment opportunities by emailing sales@sportaccord.sport, with SportAccord also offering an interactive exhibition floorplan and 3-D flyover of the SportAccord 2021 exhibition space.

You can follow SportAccord’s portfolio of events via Twitter @sportaccord or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr.

Choir Games shape their host cities in a unique way. Whether in restaurants, cafés, parks, streets, opera, university, hotel, and public transport – the sound of choir music from four continents floats through the town for one or two wonderful festival weeks.

Singers from choral groups from all over the world not only have the chance to perform in a big TV show and compete in musical categories of various choral genres, but also present themselves in Friendship Concerts and bring their music into the streets and onto the squares of their host city.

Roughly 10,000 choirs from 107 different countries and regions have participated in the various INTERKULTUR choir events and created nights that never die. Especially during the Awards Ceremonies, national boundaries, ideologies, religions and restrictions of any kind dissolve and the singers are united by their love of choral music. China, Russia, USA, Vietnam, Israel, Iran, Gibraltar, Great Britain, France, Germany, Botswana, Suriname, Sweden, and many more countries have shared one stage, sung together from their hearts and created memories for a lifetime – not only for themselves but for all those who are part of the occasion.

The Choir Games usually gain a high media attention before, during and after the event; international media coverage reaches up to 1 billion people all over the world. As an example, in November 2019 the 11^th World Choir Games 2020 has already gained a media reach of 400 million people – 10 months before event actually starts!

INTERKULTUR President Günter Titsch further stresses the high legacy effect of the Choir Games: “The Choir Games create a fantastic atmosphere, wherever they happen. Visitors and inhabitants listen to fantastic choral music from international choirs, enjoy great concerts and share the big joy of the winning choirs about their achievements – memories that will last a lifetime! Local choirs get inspired by the international choirs and have the opportunity to work with choral experts from all over the world and thus make big progress in their musical development in just a few days.

“The international guests take their memories home to their countries, tell about the beauty and hospitality of the respective host city and share the experience of people getting united through the language of music.”

In a huge closing event, the hosting cities and countries traditionally give a wonderful, personal farewell to their international guests. Famous national music stars present a big stage show – supported by a 500-voices Festival Stage Choir consisting of 20 national and international choirs. A superlative musical experience for everyone!

The next Choir Games invite singers from all over the world to Flanders, Belgium, where the 11^th World Choir Games 2020 promise to be another inspiring and unifying experience for the international choral world.

Dr. Christoph Wirtz, Secretary-General of INTERKULTUR is speaking at Host City 2019. You can also find out more at their exhibition stand at Host City 2019.

In the run up to Host City 2019, the largest meeting of cities and sports, business and cultural events, Glasgow has been identified as the UK’s most cultural and creative city.

The latest recognition follows the city being named European Capital of Sport for 2023, and one of the world’s most sustainable business event destinations – all three accolades arriving in the space of just a few days.

[Source: SEC]: The naming of Glasgow as the UK’s top cultural and creative city is part of a landmark report by the European Commission.

The report puts Glasgow ahead of London, Bristol, Brighton and Manchester which make up the rest of the top five in the UK. Edinburgh is ranked 6^th in the list. As befits the city’s ‘People Make Glasgow’ slogan, the report also ranked Glasgow as Europe’s leader for ‘openness, tolerance and trust’.

The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor 2019 report looked at 190 cities from across 30 European countries and ranks 29 different aspects of a city’s cultural health, including its cultural vibrancy, creative economy and ability to attract creative talent and stimulate cultural engagement.

The report states: “Glasgow was one of the first European Capitals of Culture, in 1990. Known as an industrial city, it has now gained recognition as a creative and cultural centre of European importance.”

Dr Bridget McConnell CBE, the Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “We always knew Glasgow was a global cultural leader and we’re delighted that the European Commission has confirmed our position of the UK’s leading cultural and creative city.

“Glasgow is a city bursting with energy, passion and creativity and filled with artists, designers, creators and innovators. We have world-class museums and galleries, incredible architecture and history and as a UNESCO City of Music, there’s nowhere better to enjoy a gig. A focus for the performing arts and a hub for the creative industries, it’s no wonder that we’ve come out top of the ranking.

“What’s more, our openness, tolerance and trust has been rated as the best in Europe, confirming what we already know, that our people make Glasgow the best city in the world.”

Glasgow is home to more than 100 cultural organisations and five of Scotland’s six internationally renowned national performing arts companies, namely the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; National Theatre of Scotland; BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet. It is also home to music venues including the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, City Halls and Old Fruitmarket.

More people visit Glasgow’s museums each year than in any other UK city outside of London, with both Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the Riverside Museum attracting more than 1.3 million visits each in the last year. The city is also investing £66 million in a full refurbishment and redisplay of The Burrell Collection, which is set to re-open to the public in 2021. Glasgow’s nine city museums are home to Europe’s largest civic arts collection, with masterpieces by Dali, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, Whistler and Monet as well as stunning works by the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists – all on show for free in the city’s museums. In terms of contemporary art, Glasgow has no fewer than eight Turner Prize winners and 12 nominees who have hailed from, trained in, or worked out of the city in recent years.

The city is also the place to come to admire the genius of architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, or a gig at the SSE Hydro which in 2018 was named the world’s best performing music venue by size, or to enjoy shows by trailblazing companies such as The Citizen’s Theatre. Glasgow is also home to a year-round calendar of major cultural events from the UK’s biggest Mela to the Merchant City Festival and the World Pipe Band Championships. Every January, the city’s Celtic Connections festival welcomes more than 2,000 artists from across the globe to take part in some 300 events on 35 city stages as part of an incredible celebration of traditional and folk music. The city is also home to the Glasgow Jazz Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the Glasgow Film Festival.

Dr McConnell added: “We’re proud to have a huge and diverse cultural offer that’s open to everyone, whether that’s enjoying a community pantomime in venues across the city or being inspired in our world-class museums. We also recognise that we need to invest in our cultural legacy and we are doing just that with a £66 million refurbishment of The Burrell Collection. I have no doubt that when we once again reveal Sir William’s incredible gift in its new home, Glasgow’s cultural credentials will be lifted to even greater heights.”

Work is progressing on a new Culture Plan for Glasgow which will set out ambitious new targets to build the city’s reputation as globally recognised creative and cultural world city, with citizens at its heart.

Dr. Bridget McConnell CBE is speaking on the opening panel of Host City 2019, “Let’s Do This Together!” on 26-27 November in Glasgow. Register here.

[Source: The Sports Consultancy] INTERKULTUR, the world's leading organiser of international choir competitions and festivals, is delighted to announce that it has received an unprecedented 33 expressions of interest from potential host cities in 19 countries following the launch earlier this year of its first ever formal host city bidding process for the 2022 World Choir Games. As a result, INTERKULTUR has announced today that it is extremely likely they will use this process to simultaneously award the 2024 host.

Having chosen to partner with London based event-tendering specialists, The Sports Consultancy, INTERKULTUR has demonstrated the benefit of running a highly targeted and structured bidding process which clearly articulates the benefits and is based on a core value proposition.

Applicants are now required to complete a bid file to be submitted by 25th October 2019; following which an evaluation will confirm the cities that will go through to the Candidate phase.  INTERKULTUR will visit all Candidates in January 2020, and the host(s) will be announced in March 2020. A handover for the 2022 host will then take place at the 2020 World Choir Games in Flanders, Belgium.

The World Choir Games, launched in 2000 and hosted biennially, is the pinnacle of international competition for amateur choral singers and attracts over 25,000 vocalists from more than 70 countries around the world.

Commenting on the bidding process, Günter Titsch, President INTERKULTUR said: “It is hugely satisfying to see the strong global appeal our event is generating reflected in the number of cities around the world interested in hosting future editions.  We are thankful to the work of The Sports Consultancy whose professional approach is clearly having a meaningful impact.”

Sian Jenkins, Senior Consultant, The Sports Consultancy, added: “We are delighted with the response we have achieved so far. We see real value in this unique event, and we are excited to work closely with the cities who have expressed an interest as they develop their bids. It is of utmost importance to us that we deliver a structured and professional process and feedback to date has indicated our interested cities value this approach highly.”