Good news for the Icelandic music scene
Girl band Kælan mikla at iceland Airwaves 2014. The festival will receive continued support from Icelandair and the City of Reykjavik. Photo/mbl.is
Icelandair and The City of Reykjavik have announced that they have signed a three-year contract to support Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík Loftbrú and the Icelandic Music Experiments. They will also be supporting Iceland's contribution to the Eurosonic festival. This was announced a press conference at noon today.
Icelandair and the City of Reykjavik, who have supported the Icelandic music scene for years, want to increase their support of the grassroots in Icelandic music.
Managing director of Icelandair, Birkir Hólm Gíslasson said to mbl.is that the contracts are an important step for the company. "We've been supporting both music and sports and it's a company policy to support and connect with all things Icelandic. We're very proud of that."
The Iceland Airwaves has existed since 1999 and Icelandair has been its main sponsor from the beginning. The Reykjavík Loftbrú fund was founded in 2003 by the City of Reykjavik, Icelandair, FÍH, FHF and STEF and helps artists fund trips and performances abroad. The Icelandic Music Experiments are a music competition held annually for people aged 18-25.
Icelandair is the main sponsor for Iceland's participation in the Eurosonic festival 2015 in the Netherlands. The festival this year is dedicated to Icelandic music and 18 Icelandics bands and musicians take part.
Newcomers Vio, who won the Icelandic Music Experiments last time, performed at the press conference today.
Check out Vio below:
Birkir Hólm, Managing Director of Icelandair at the press conference today. mbl.is/Þórður Arnar Þórðarson
