The kick-off meeting of Swinging Europe Network’s third project period, scheduled to run between 2022-2025, took place at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria, between 6-8/6/2022.

Representatives of the 13 project partners from across 11 European countries, attended the activities scheduled by lead partner Lindy Hop Bulgaria (LHBG), to discuss in detail the implementation of the project, which is co-funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Union through the Creative Europe program.

The threefold aim of the Swing Net 2 project is:

  • To support professionals active in the swing dance and music sector – musicians, dancers, teachers, dance schools, event organisers, content creators- stand on their feet again after the COVID19 crisis, as well as provide them with opportunities for international professional mobility.
  • To increase visibility, introduce and acquaint the general public with the swing dance (lindy hop) and swing music vast history, origins, cultural heritage, iconic figures and values, and with the vibrant community active across Europe.
  • To establish Swinging Europe Network as a means for professional development through relevant interaction of professionals across Europe.

The means to achieve the aforementioned, combine activities in the physical world, such as festivals, conferences, artists’ residencies, as well as digital content creation, in the form of a series of podcasts, an audiobook, newsletter and other ways of making Swing Net 2 project available to the public:

  • An artists’ mobility and visibility programme
  • Training, experience sharing and career development
  • Swing history heritage awareness and recognition activities
  • Strategic development of the sector and representativeness activities

The 13 partners collaborating in the Swinging Europe Network 2022-2025 project period (Swing Net 2) are:

  • Lindy Hop Bulgaria (Bulgaria)
  • Marmaduke (Spain)
  • Italian Swing Dance Society (Italy)
  • Svingo Rojus (Lithuania)
  • Louis Lou (Belgium)
  • Associació Cultural Storyville (Spain)
  • Syncopation Society (Germany)
  • Little Big Minds (Portugal)
  • Pepita Dance Association (Hungary)
  • Shake That Swing (France)
  • Swingville Montpellier (France)
  • Kulturno Drustvo Swing Festival (Slovenia)
  • Swing in Greece (Greece)

What is more, sustainability, gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness are among key points and priorities of the Swinging Europe Network project. In line with the EU Green Deal actions, the European Year of Rail initiative and the European Strategy for Textiles, project partners will be urged to promote the use of public transportation and rail whenever possible, paperless festivals and the upcycling of garments.