Ypsigrock Festival will take place from the 8th to the 11th of August 2024 for its 27th Edition at its stunning location: the imposing Castle of Castelbuono, in Sicily, Italy.

THE FIRST ITALIAN BOUTIQUE FESTIVAL

The charming venue takes you back in time, inside the medieval hill town Castelbuono, nestled between the Madonie Mountains and the sea on Sicily’s north coast. 

Established in 1997, Ypsigrock Festival has earned a reputation as not only being Italy’s leading indie festival and the first boutique festival in Italy, but also one of the most suggestive European small festivals. 
In 2019 Ypsigrock has been nominated for the Best Small European Festival award, for the eighth time in a row since 2011, at the European Festival Awards, the most influential European festival award ceremony, held at Eurosonic, Groningen. Ypsigrock is the only one festival from Italy that’s ever been shortlisted at the EFA (2016, 2018). 
The strong reputation for its varied line-ups led to being awarded as the best festival 2015 at the Italian Onstage Awards and as Best Independent Italian Festival 2018 at the Superclassifica MEI.

Ypsigrock Festival is an enchanted pocket sized event turned out to be the benchmark for addicted indie-rock  lovers.  Ypsigrock  is a  choice  of quality and  it  differs,  cause  it  mixes  up  several  charming  aspects  of  a music festival with an exclusive location.

Ypsigrock Festival is an enchanting pocket sized event of about 3000 visitors per day turned out to be the benchmark for addicted indie-rock lovers, in Italy and abroad, gaining raving reviews and coverage from the most renowned international medias such as The Independent, The Guardian, Pitchfork, The Times, DIY, the 405, Clash, Drowned in Sound, Gigwise and many more. 
Despited of the select and exclusiveness of the event due to is max capacity and location, it is in itself a tastemaker festival for Italy, with a distinct capillary national and more and more international communication and media awareness.

THE EXPERIENCE

Welcome to a warm family home.
Ypsigrock is a choice of quality and it can feel totally surreal, because it mixes up several charming aspects of a cool music festival with an exclusive location and an intimate atmosphere. Ypsigrock is characterized by a safe and supportive environment, social inclusion, outstanding gastronomy and stunning surroundings, providing an unexpected Sicilian experience. All that just 90 minutes from Palermo’s airport, and 20 minutes to the nearest beach.
The good vibes are palpable and the energy is glowing. In this state, there’s nothing better than standing in the middle of hundreds of Ypsini (the Ypsigrock festivalgoers) and looking over your shoulder to see new friends experiencing the same insane moment alongside you.
From planning to attending, at Ypsigrock everything is an adventure and funding new friends transforms your festival experience into a shared sonic experience. So, this event allows everyone to come together and have fun, but it is also a great chance to discover what the local community has to offer. 

The Festival is run by Castelbuono’s Cultural Association Glenn Gould, supported by ca. 80 local volunteers every year, giving a unique positive persepective for locals as well as on the territory itself.

ARTISTIC CHOICES

Ypsigrock was fast building a name as music tastemaker before landing some major coups, including booking the likes of Alt-J, AURORA and Jon Hopkins; this also happened to be their debut live performance in Italy. Other artists to grace the stages of Ypsigrock Festival in recent years and bought over to Italy for the first time include Django Django, Fontaines D.C., SOHN, Hinds, Loyle Carner, Fat White Family, Aldous Harding, to name but a few.

Over the years Ypsigrock Festival has been home to indie-rock’s greatest artists including The National, Spiritualized, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Editors, Mogwai, Beach House, Daughter, Moderat, Belle & Sebastian, Primal Scream, Ride, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Caribou, Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney, Cigarettes After Sex among others, together with up and coming international and Italian talent. But most importantly every act can play at Ypsigrock only once in lifetime! It’s the iconic “Ypsi Once rule”.

LOCATION

Castelbuono is located in about 400m above sea-level at the foothills of the Madonie Mountains, about 1hr 30mins drive from the Palermo international Airport and a 20 mins drive to the Mediterranean coast. 

Getting to Castelbuono means discovering the inner heart of the most unknown Sicily: an unexpected journey through artistic, natural and cultural beauty, essential statements of the genuine Made in Italy.

The festival features a camping site in an umbrageous pine-wood, while Castelbuono also offers various types of accommodation, from b&bs, agriturismo, to five-star hotels.

Ypsigrock Festival is also the best chance for a great vacation destination in the summer, completely lost among several Mediterranean’s undiscovered jewels: Cefalù’s marvelous sands, Pollina’s rocky shores with transparent sea and Madonie’s incredible peaks, all from the extraordinary panoramic position of Castelbuono, affording a magnificent view of a land rich in charm, decorated with a thousand colours and enriched by delicious cuisine.

Every year Ypsigrock Festival brings in Sicily, usually for the first time ever, a wonderful selection of international artists, in a timeless and incredible spot.

STAGES AND VENUES

Ypsigrock’s stages are located all around the picturesque Sicilian hill town of Castelbuono.

The main stage, the Ypsi Once Stage, is set in a truly breathtaking square, a natural amphitheater shaded by the impressive Castle of Castelbuono and the lovely town is crowded by thousands of festivalgoers.

Piazza  San  Francesco encloses the  wonderful  eighteenth-century  cloister that  embraces  the Ypsi  &  Love Stage, the second stage of the Festival.

The third stage is called Cuzzocrea Stage and it is set in the camping area in the middle of a wonderful pine forest in the woods.

The  fourth  stage  is  the Mr.  Y  Stage,  at  the  Centro  Sud,  a deconsecrated  baroque  church  in  Castelbuono, the mostintimate stage during Ypsigrock.

CAMPING AREA

The equipped camping area Ypsicamping is located inside The Madonie Regional Park, a spectacular natural area in the middle of the green woods that surround Castelbuono. Ypsicamping is a fantastic place where it’s possible to join the Festival in a friendly and absolutely relaxed atmosphere.
The scenic beauty of this natural area is such as to have it preferred to other closer areas: the campsite is located about 6.5 km from the main concert venues. Directly in contact with nature you can spend your days relaxing and listening good music: the nights are animated by fantastic electronic live sets and dj sets, and in the early morning returns the absolute peace, waiting for the afternoon live sets.
Ypsicamping – more info SOON.

Find out Ypsigrock and discover the unexpected Sicily!

Artist Application for emerging talents – “Avanti il Prossimo” Talent Competition
“Avanti il prossimo…” is the emerging talent contest organized every year by Ypsigrock Festival since 2000. This competition gives new acts the chance to compete for a slot on one of the stages at Ypsigrock Festival.

We love to discover new bands, so if  you are an emerging band/artist and you would like to play Ypsigrock, our talent competition “Avanti il Prossimo” is your best option. “Avanti il Prossimo” (literal translation: who’s next?) is open to artists of any nationality and artists from any musical genre can apply. Free to enter. The online application is the only way to send the artistic proposals for the talent competition “Avanti il Prossimo”.

Applications for ‘Avanti il Prossimo…2024’ are now OPEN.

Please note: joining the contest implies that the participants fully accept the terms and conditions set forth in these regulations.

YPSIGROCK FESTIVAL 27th EDITION 8-11 AUGUST 2024
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE GLENN GOULD

announces an open call for entries
in the “Avanti il Prossimo…2024” competition
for emerging talent 

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE 

1. PARTICIPANTS

The contest is open to emerging artists who have never previously won the competition, with no limitations on age or musical genre. Details can be found below. 

Who can apply: The contest is open to any citizen of the universe who can hold an instrument with a certain amount of dignity. There are no other limitations, except otherwise specified in point 2. 

An emerging artist is defined as an artist who (under the moniker to be used in the competition) satisfies the following criteria:

– has not released more than 20 recordings overall
– has released at least one album during the last year (with album being defined as at least 8 recordings or 40 minutes of total music).

2. MUSIC

By participating in the contest, you are responsible for guaranteeing that you are the authors or co-authors of the content you submit.  The music has to be the fruit of your own labour. Cover bands will be rejected immediately without passing go. We will consider ONLY original content. The musical genre doesn’t matter. We don’t like labels and we love blending musical influences.  

We cannot accept projects that perform live exclusively with pieces made using background tracks, playback, half playback, the mere public playing of musical recordings, or cover/tribute bands. The use of background tracks or musical sequences in live performances is allowed only on a limited basis, strictly to further the artistic project and not aimed at substituting or diminishing the role of the artist, keeping in mind the characteristics of the genre.

3. APPLICATIONS

Applications can be submitted ONLINE using the form available on this site. It is FREE to apply.

Once the form is completed, an email will be sent to the address you provide, confirming your application. Don’t make a mistake typing the email address or you won’t receive a confirmation email. If you realise you made an error in the email address, repeat the application process, noting in the “comments” field your reason for re-registering. In this case, we will consider the updated application.

Make sure you submit the form correctly. After completing the process, just click the “SUBMIT” button once and wait a few seconds without closing or refreshing the current page, until a message appears at the bottom of the page stating: “Thank you, your message has been sent” If you don’t see that message at the end of the process, it means the form wasn’t submitted correctly.

If you have submitted the form correctly but haven’t received the confirmation email within a few hours, before you get worried or reapply, please check your spam/promotions folders, as you will probably find it there. Only if the problem persists, contact us at avantiilprossimo@ypsigrock.it

4. TIMEFRAME AND DEADLINE

Applications can be submitted starting at 3PM (CET) on 16^th April 2024 until 3PM (CET) on 22^nd April 2024. The date and time written in the confirmation email will be decisive.
There are no exceptions. There are no extensions. You have 7 days to apply.

5. REQUIRED MATERIAL AND SPECIFICATIONS 

–  The application form must be filled out correctly in its entirety.

–  By participating in this project, you accept these regulations unconditionally.

– Specifications for inserting links to stream your original music: Streaming must be available via online platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, YouTube and similar services. You can share a playlist created specifically for this contest or an entire album, but the profile you provide via a streaming link must contain at least 3 original tracks. Profiles with fewer than 3 original tracks will not be considered. If you link to an entire streaming album, you can highlight the 3 tracks you believe best represent your work in the “comments” field of the application.

The tracks can be hidden or unlisted but NOT private and not accessible only via password, otherwise we will not have a way to listen and therefore select them. You cannot send us a password to access restricted areas. 

We will not publish or share your tracks. They will remain confidential and will be consulted by the organisation of Ypsigrock Festival only for the purposes of the current selection.

6. OPTIONAL MATERIAL 

Please REFRAIN from submitting additional material! Really. Let your music speak for you.

If you win, we will ask you to send us a bio, photos, a technical rider, a stage plan and whatnot (therefore if you are selected, you have to be able to submit all of these). But in this first selection phase, all of that material is somewhere between marginal and superfluous. We want to concentrate only on your music.

7. SELECTION CRITERIA AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS
This year the competition will have two phases. 

FIRST PHASE

All of the audio content received during the reference period, in the specified manner and meeting the necessary requirements, will be evaluated by the artistic direction of Ypsigrock Festival, which, at its own indisputable and irrevocable discretion, will select the winners.

The selection criteria will follow a qualitative evaluation based on the originality of the content and its suitability for inclusion in the specific artistic programme of Ypsigrock Festival 2024.

We will select 6 artistic projects. There is usually an abundance of applications, so if you aren’t chosen for this edition it doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t appreciate what you do. Don’t give up, try again next year!

The 6 finalists chosen by the artistic direction of Ypsigrock Festival will be included in the official lineup of Ypsigrock Festival 2024, scheduled for 8-11 August 2024.

The results of the competition will be published by the end of June. The winners will be publicly announced through official festival channels only after the parties involved have been notified that they have won. We will only contact contest winners, who must respond to the notification within 3 days of the communication being sent. In the event that a response is not received within the time indicated, the organisation reserves the right to decide whether to proceed with the announcement of replacement selections.  

Please apply only if you are motivated and convinced that you can make plans to be with us from 8-11 August. If you are not free on these dates, or if you have already scheduled concerts elsewhere on those days, out of respect for everyone’s time and work, we beg you not to apply. 

SECOND PHASE

In 2024, thanks to the support of the BANDO PREMI E CONCORSI 2023-2024 NUOVOIMAIE, the 6 artists chosen as finalists in Avanti il Prossimo…2024 will be further evaluated by a panel of judges, which will include – along with the artistic direction of the Festival – professionals in the sector. The panel of judges will choose, from among the 6 projects performing at the festival, a single project as the Overall Winner of Avanti il Prossimo…2024. The panel will be required to judge the live performances during the event. The Overall Winner will be announced only after the festival has ended, the judges’ scores have been tallied and, above all, after verifying that the winner meets the eligibility requirements for the grant awarded by NUOVOIMAIE (see below). 

8. PRIZES

The 6 finalists of the first phase of Avanti il Prossimo…2024 will be part of the official artistic programming of Ypsigrock Festival 2024, scheduled for 8-11 August 2024. Inclusion in the lineup of Ypsigrock 2024 will be appropriately communicated and promoted by the festival organisation through all the channels available to the event.

The 6 finalists will have the right to:
– a buyout of €400, the figure is to be understood as per participating artistic project, not per person. The finalists will be hired by the Festival (hired for the performance day);
– backstage Catering + a free drinks card on the day of the act’s performance;
– access to the festival (full festival pass) for each member of the band.
The costs of travel and accommodation/stay of the 6 finalists will be not covered by the festival.
The organization can help you finding an accommodation on site.

Premio NUOVOIMAIE (NUOVOIMAIE Prize): The Overall Winner of Avanti il Prossimo…2024 (selected during the second phase of the contest by the panel of judges on the basis of the festival’s live performances), in addition to the above-mentioned prizes, will also be guaranteed the following*:

–  an amount equal to €10,000, provided by NUOVOIMAIE, to invest in a future tour according to the criteria set forth in the BANDO PREMI E CONCORSI 2023-2024.

*IMPORTANT: NUOVOIMAIE is a collecting society. Winning the second phase of the contest and the distribution of the prize money supplied by NUOVOIMAIE are strictly tied to several prerequisites:
– in accordance with the “BANDO PREMI E CONCORSI 2023-2024” the recipient of the grant supplied by NUOVOIMAIE must be a member or principal of NUOVOIMAIE as of the date the tour starts (which must take place within 12 months of winning the contest). In the case of a musical group with multiple components, the aforementioned condition must apply to at least 2/3 of the members; in the case of an artistic duo, the condition must apply to both members. 

– the recipient of the grant awarded by NUOVOIMAIE must have released its own original material as specified in points 1 and 2 of these general rules of contest. NUOVOIMAIE will verify the conditions necessary to disburse the prize money.

If, upon examination of the requested documentation at the time of the win, the artist chosen by the jury as Overall Winner of the second phase of the contest does not meet the requirements to receive the contribution provided by NUOVOIMAIE, Ypsigrock Festival will arrange to assign the prize money in order of ranking to the artistic project that meets the requirements, or to establish an appropriate prize to be awarded among the finalists. 

9. INFORMATION

For information about Ypsigrock Festival, visit www.ypsigrock.it

For specific issues about the competition, please write us at avantiilprossimo@ypsigrock.it

By issues, we don’t mean confirmation emails for the contest that go into your spam, which you haven’t checked yet. P.S. Check your spam. 🙂 

_____________

TO APPLY, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.

• YPSIGROCK 2019
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