Athens Music Week 2026 Open Call for Showcase Artists
- November 21, 2025
Athens Music Week 2026 Open Call for Showcase Artists
The Open Call for Athens Music Week Showcases is now open, inviting new and emerging artists who want to grow their network, expand their audience and present their music to national and international talent scouts, bookers and industry professionals. Apply until 21 December 2025.
Athens Music Week (AMW) returns for its 8th consecutive edition from 6 to 9 May 2026, bringing together artists, creative professionals and music lovers for four days of concerts, discussions, workshops and networking activities across the city of Athens.
AMW has become a meeting point for artists who want to take the next step in their career. The showcase programme is designed to help creators connect with the people who matter: talent buyers, festival programmers, managers, A&Rs, promoters and industry professionals from Greece, the Balkans and the wider European scene.
Every year, the Open Call marks the beginning of this journey. The showcases remain at the heart of AMW, offering emerging artists the chance to perform in a professional setting, gain visibility and build meaningful relationships that can lead to future bookings and cross-border collaborations.
The selection of showcasing artists is curated by the AMW Artistic Board, composed of experienced professionals from both the domestic and international music industry. Their input ensures a dynamic programme that highlights artistic identity, originality and live potential.
Artistic Board 2026
More specifically, the Artistic Board includes representatives from both the domestic and international music markets.
From the domestic scene, participants include: Andreas Periklis Metaxas, Marketing Director at Stay Independent; Michalis Kamakas, Radio Producer at Kosmos 93.6; Theodora Karakassi, co-organiser of the Athens-based Plisskën Festival; Aggelos Kleitsikas, journalist and member of the Athens Jazz Festival team; and Elli Bornova, cultural programmer at Romantso.
From the international music market, participants include: Cosmin Ionescu (RO), Head of Over Ground and key member of the Mastering the Music Business conference; Ruth Koleva (BG), Founder and CEO of the So Alive Music Conference in Sofia; Dino Lupelli (IT), Director of Music Innovation Hub and Founder of Linecheck Music Meeting & Festival; Lisa Nasta (UK), Coordinator and Production Manager for the Green Futures Field at Glastonbury and Director of Re-Play Music; and Cesar Andion (ES), PR, Talent & Export Specialist for Live Nation Madrid and Head of The Spanish Wave export programme.
You can explore the full Artistic Board profile page here. More members will be announced soon.
By strengthening this process and widening the pool of professionals involved, AMW continues to bridge the Greek music scene with international markets, supporting artists with export potential and welcoming outstanding international acts to perform in Athens.
By aspiring to become a hub for promoting domestic musical talents with export potential, as well as introducing outstanding international artists to the Greek audience, AMW reinforces its commitment to bridging the Greek music industry with the global market, a goal that is at the heart of AMW’s philosophy.
ABOUT THE OPEN CALL
How the selection works
All submissions are reviewed by the AMW Artistic Board, a group of experienced curators, bookers and music professionals from Greece, the Balkans and across Europe. Their recommendations help shape the showcase lineup, with a focus on artistic identity, originality and live potential.
What AMW offers
AMW is designed to provide real value to emerging artists: curated industry exposure, direct access to professionals and long-term opportunities linked to our wider ecosystem. Our aim is to offer a platform that leads somewhere, creating visibility, meaningful encounters and follow-up opportunities that extend well beyond the performance.
Selected artists receive:
– A 30-minute showcase slot in front of bookers, curators and industry professionals
– Full provided backline
– Artist accreditation for all days of AMW
– Accommodation for acts traveling from more than 200 km
Participation in the showcase programme is completely free of charge. No application fee. There is also no performance fee or monetary compensation for showcase artists.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the AMW 2026 Showcase Programme, artists must meet the following criteria:
– Solo artists or bands, with all members 18+
– Perform primarily original material (projects based on covers are not eligible)
– For artists from outside the European Union: a valid travel visa allowing performance in Greece
– An active project with recent releases, live videos or concert history
– Ability to perform a 30-minute live showcase
– Availability to perform in Athens between 6–9 May 2026
– All genres and contemporary music styles are welcome
Artists should be open to using AMW as a professional opportunity, including networking and participating in relevant activities.
Timeline
Open Call runs until 21 December 2025
– Shortlist (40–50 acts) sent to the Artistic Board by end of December 2025
– Final deadline for Board selections: 10 January 2026
More information about this year’s programme will be announced after the new year.
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