The World Music Association of Serbia (WMAS) and the Music Information Centre Serbia (MICS) invite young and emerging musicians, bands, and songwriters from Serbia to apply for a performance opportunity at the final concert of the project “Play It! – Strengthening Cooperation in the Music Industry”, implemented with the support of UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD).

The concert will take place on 19 July 2026 in Niš (Municipality of Medijana), as part of the final conference dedicated to the development of the music industry in Serbia.

Who can apply?

The call is open to:

• young and emerging musicians up to 30 years of age – solo artists, songwriters, and bands;

• representatives of various music genres (rock, pop, jazz, world music, electronic music, hip-hop, alternative music, etc.);

• musicians with limited professional experience or those seeking to present their work to a wider professional and public audience.

Applications from young people from different local communities, women in music, members of minority communities, and other underrepresented groups are especially encouraged.

What do selected participants gain?

Selected participants will have the opportunity to:

• perform in front of an audience and music industry professionals;

• present their original works and music projects;

• establish new professional contacts;

• be featured through the activities of the Play It! project and the Music Information Centre Serbia;

• gain national-level visibility.

How to apply?

Please send:

• your full name (or band name, including the names of band members);

• the city you come from;

• a short biography;

• a description of your music project;

• links to recordings (YouTube, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, etc.);

• a contact phone number and email address.

Applications should be sent to:

mics.rs.office@gmail.com

with the subject line: “Application for the Play It! Concert”

Application deadline: 1 July 2026

Selection process

A committee appointed by the organizers will select participants based on:

• quality of musical expression;

• authenticity and creativity;

• diversity of musical genres;

• alignment with the objectives of the project.

The number of participants is limited, and the results of the selection process will be announced after the application period closes.

Play It! – Strengthening Cooperation in the Music Industry aims to strengthen collaboration, professional capacities, and the visibility of music industry stakeholders in Serbia through research, a digital platform, educational programmes, networking activities, and support for young and emerging musicians.

We invite all young authors and performers to take advantage of this opportunity and present their work to audiences and music professionals.

See you in Niš on 19 July!

LINKS:

Play It! >>  ǀ  WMAS >>  ǀ