EM GUIDE at Time to Listen 2026 in Berlin

In October, EM GUIDE participated in Time to Listen – Sustainability in Contemporary Music in Berlin, a conference organised by field notes at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, focusing on sustainability, cultural networks and the future of contemporary music in Europe.

This year’s edition explored the role of networks in today’s music industry – not only as platforms for sharing knowledge and resources, but as long-term infrastructures supporting independent artists, music journalism, and international cultural cooperation. As part of the programme, EM GUIDE was presented as a case study in decentralised editorial collaboration and independent European music media.

Verena Hahn, Roberto Beseler Maxwell and Gabriella Gal discussed the opportunities and challenges of building a transnational network of independent music magazines, including collaborative publishing, translation, print production, and EU-supported cooperation models. The panel also introduced the first printed edition of EM GUIDE, developed collectively by members of the network.

EM GUIDE’s coordinator Gabriella Gal also joined the panel New Alliances – Contemporary Music in Geopolitical Change, which examined how political, economic and cultural shifts across Europe are reshaping artistic collaboration, independent cultural infrastructure, and cross-border music networks. The discussion touched on the challenges currently affecting independent venues, artists and music media, particularly within Central and Eastern Europe.

The conference created valuable space for exchange between music professionals, cultural organisers, journalists and artists working across Europe’s independent music sector. We are grateful to the organisers and participants for the inspiring conversations, and we look forward to continuing to build collaborative structures that support independent voices in music and culture.