ESNS TURNS 40: ‘EUROPE CALLING’ TO LEAD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS IN JANUARY 2026
In a world marked by geopolitical tensions, cultural fragmentation and rapid industry shifts, Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) will celebrate its 40th anniversary in January 2026 and responds with a strong, unifying theme: Europe Calling.
For four decades, ESNS has been Europe’s leading showcase festival and conference for emerging talent, helping to launch the careers of artists such as Dua Lipa, Stromae and Robyn. As the European music sector stands at an important crossroads, the 40th anniversary will not just celebrate the past, but also bring the music sector together to build a shared European future.
Europe Calling
In recent years, ESNS has put the spotlight on different European countries - Poland in 2024, Italy in 2025 - celebrating their unique cultural stories through music. But with rising global geopolitical pressures, the call for European unity has never been more urgent. Europe Calling is ESNS’s new manifesto: a shift from national spotlights to a shared cultural movement.
"For years, shining a light on individual countries has helped us celebrate Europe’s rich diversity, but the challenges we face today demand more," says Anna van Nunen, Managing Director of ESNS. "Now is the time to bring those voices together and build an even stronger, connected European music community. Europe Calling is about more than identity, it’s about taking responsibility for our shared future. Music can bring us together. It’s time to make that connection louder than ever."
A celebration of 40 years of European music
In addition to showcasing hundreds of Europe’s most urgent emerging artists, ESNS26 will proudly celebrate its 40-year anniversary. Expect curated archival deep-dives, exclusive collaborations with media partners, pop-up activations and unique anniversary events that will highlight success stories of artists who started on ESNS stages and went on to shape European music.
These stories will unfold both in the city of Groningen and across digital platforms, making the rich legacy and ongoing impact of European music visible, accessible and celebrated across the continent.
Europe Calling: For our industry. For our culture. For our future
Europe is the second-largest music market in the world, with artists breaking international barriers in their own languages. But this position is not guaranteed. Europe Calling is more than a theme, it is a call to action. A rallying cry to invest in artists, in infrastructure and in the future of a unified European music sector. The full manifesto can be read here.
Join us in Groningen from January 14 to January 17, 2026, as we celebrate 40 years of groundbreaking European music and shape the next chapter together. You can get your ESNS26 Delegate Pass here.