Rockbridge
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The purpose of the project was to improve cross-border rock tourism, organise concerts, and to establish permanent cooperation between Finnish and Russian musicians. The project also intended to create networks with other Finnish cultural and Russia-activists and to develop its own know-how by training.

Main activities

• Organisation of six concerts in Petrozavodsk and three in Joensuu, • Promotion of the concerts (posters, tickets, flyers, newspaper adverts), • Making of Rock makers-document of the different stages of the project, • Recording of the concerts, • Creating contacts to other Finnish Russia-actors by participating in Carelian Faces Festival and by cooperating with Suomen Venäjän ystävät ry (Finland’s Friends of Russia Association). • Participation in several events related to music and culture to enhance its know-how.

Achievements

The project organised 6 concerts in Petrozavodsk and 3 in Joensuu. One of the concerts was a part of the 300-year celebrations of the Town of Petrozavodsk. The project also participated in the Istmus-festival organised by the Myllärit Centre. Each concert had 600-2000 spectators, with the 300th anniversary concert having as many as 4000-10 000 viewers. The project took altogether 21 bands on a tour in Petrozavodsk. The bands gave scores of interviews to the Russian media, and they were also advertised in advance in the local media. The voluminous publicity made the North Karelian bands significantly better known in Russia, and the musically heavier bands established their own groups of fans in Russian Karelia. The Finnish and Russian musicians also got to know each other during the concerts and created partnerships that produced, among others, joint performances. Posters and tickets were printed for the concerts. Flyers were also printed in connection with the posters, and the concerts in Joensuu were advertised in newspapers. The concerts and the entire Rockbridge project were recorded in a Rock Makers TV documentary. The Kohti Rokkia -concerts (Towards Rock) in 2004 and 2005 were recorded and distributed to the performing bands for their promotional activities. The Rockbridge concert tours to Petrozavodsk were extremely popular. In the future, rock trips to Petrozavodsk will be planned together with Joensuun Venäjänystävät ry (Joensuu’s Friends of Russia Association) and the Russian Myllärit Centre. Cooperation with the Russian concert organisers and bands will continue even after the project. The project established relationships with other Finnish Russia-activists in the Carelian Faces Festival and with cooperation with Suomen Venäjän ystävät ry (Finland’s Friends of Russia Association). The project improved its own know-how by, among others, participating in the Music and Media event in Tampere, Finnish-Russian cultural forum in Petrozavodsk, Rajatapaus seminar of the Pop Musicians of Joensuu Association, negotiations tour of the association of municipalities of North Karelia to Petrozavodsk, Häivähdys Venäjää (Glimpse of Russia) cultural festival of Venäjänystävät ry and the preparative seminar for youth strategies of the Regional Council of North Karelia.