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The Impact of Showcase Festivals on the Development of their participants

Over the past two decades, showcase festivals have established themselves as essential venues for the international development of artists and music professionals. Halfway between concerts, trade fairs and professional conferences, these events bring together thousands of delegates from labels, booking agencies, festivals, media and institutions every year. Unlike mainstream festivals, their aim is not to appeal to a wide audience, but to create opportunities for visibility, networking and collaboration for artists looking to break into international markets.

At the same time, public or hybrid organisations dedicated to export , which emerged in Europe in the 1990s, have played an increasing role in the development of these festivals. Their mission is to support the international circulation of music by financing, supporting and supervising the participation of artists and professionals in these events. Together, showcase festivals and export offices now form a veritable ecosystem where different rationales come together, relating to cultural policy, entrepreneurial development, and even soft power. While this cooperation opens up real opportunities for artists and professionals from non-hegemonic markets, it is not without its tensions, particularly in relation to the difficulty of measuring its impact. It is in this context that the present study is situated. It aims to analyse the financial and symbolic impact , feedback and perceptions of professionals who have participated in one of the most important showcase festivals: WOMEX. By combining quantitative and qualitative data, the study hig.