The Ministry of Education and Culture called the two tenders for combined grant money of HUF 100 million to expand the offering of popular music and improve the infrastructure at venues outside of the capital, said PANKKK coordinator András Berta.
The events tender, which was called for the third time, will support about 1,500 concerts, of which one-fifth will be by performers just starting their careers. The tender, which drew applications from 96 venues for more than HUF 220 million in grants, aimed to improve the quality of concerts. The grant money, of a combined HUF 70 million, will be used for performers? fees, to buy performance rights and for promotion. Grant winners will be required to organize at least one live music programme a month between September and May, Berta stressed.
Almost 80 clubs applied in the infrastructure tender for a combined HUF 120 million. The evaluation committee awarded HUF 30 million to applicants to improve sound and lighting infrastructure as well as dressing rooms for performers.
Since the summer of 2005, PANKKK has introduced a radical new approach to Hungarian cultural policy as it is the first government initiative that aims to improve Hungary's non-classical music scene. PANKKK's main mission is to create a viable environment for high-quality music from the amateur to the professional level. The programme covers all fields of non-classical music, including jazz, folk music, world music, pop, rock and other genres.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
