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In May, Hooked on Estonia, a major event showcasing Estonia’s creative and business sectors, took place in Stockholm. The event was organised in cooperation between the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS), Visit Estonia, Tallinn Music Week, the Estonian Association of Designers, Music Estonia, and several other partners. Bringing together Estonian music, design, food, culture, and entrepreneurship in Sweden, the event created opportunities for new international connections and increased the visibility of Estonia’s creative sector.

Ahead of Hooked on Estonia, Music Estonia, together with its partners, organised a two-day networking trip to Stockholm for Estonian music industry professionals. The aim was to introduce participants to key organisations, venues, and companies within the Swedish music industry and to establish new professional connections and opportunities for collaboration.

The Estonian delegation included representatives from Main Character Agency / Night Tapes, MYM.ee, JVPromotion, KIKUMU Festival, Tier Music Publishing, Moon Management, Music Estonia, and Tallinn Music Week.

The networking programme began with a meeting with the Export Music Sweden team, where participants learned about Sweden’s music export support system and explored opportunities for international collaboration. The evening continued with an industry event organised by Monza Festival and Pelago, giving the delegation an opportunity to meet and connect with Swedish music industry professionals.

The following day was dedicated to visits to several key music organisations and venues in Stockholm. The day began at Kollektivet Livet, where the delegation was introduced to the venue’s operating model and programme. This was followed by a visit to Slaktkyrkan, one of Stockholm’s well-known live music venues.

In the afternoon, the delegation visited the independent record label and PR agency Birds Will Sing For You, followed by Luger, one of Sweden’s leading concert promoters. The meetings focused on artist development, live music promotion, and opportunities for international collaboration. The day concluded with a visit to Stallet, a venue specialising in world music and jazz, where the team presented its international programme and opportunities for cooperation.

“Networking trips are one of the best ways to understand the true nature and dynamics of a new market and the opportunities for entering it. No online meeting can replace first-hand experience and genuine human connection. In the international music industry, trust and personal relationships provide the strongest foundation for collaboration,” says Merylin Poks from MYM.ee.

The networking trip culminated in the delegation’s participation in the Hooked on Estonia festival at Rosendals Trädgård. The day began with a B2B networking session for Estonian and Swedish music industry professionals, followed by a stage programme curated by Tallinn Music Week.

The programme featured performances by The ROCKET with Svante Söderqvist Trio and Tuulikki Bartosik, Anna Kaneelina and Erki Pärnoja, Erki Pärnoja’s project Himmelbjerget, and Duo Ruut. The day also included DJ sets by Indrek Migur, Ingrid Kohtla, and Kerttu, as well as the I Land Sound Secret Garden programme.

Networking trips like this provide Estonian music companies and professionals with valuable opportunities to establish international connections, learn from successful business models in other markets, and open new doors for collaboration, export, and bringing Estonian artists to international audiences. Sweden is one of the most important neighbouring markets for Estonia’s music sector, and direct connections with local partners are invaluable in building long-term international relationships.

The networking trip was co-funded by the European Union.