Red Bull Music Academy 2011 moves to Madrid

This year’s Red Bull Music Academy will be held in Madrid, following the news that recent events in Japan had caused in to pull out of its original Tokyo destination.

The Academy takes place from October 23 to November 25, and will be set in Matadero Madrid, “one of the most remarkable architecture sites of early 20th century Madrid, the industrial complex is currently being transformed into the Spanish capital’s biggest centre for contemporary creation”.

The press release continues, claiming that the Academy “will lay the foundations for the music at Matadero Madrid. Through the collaboration with the City Council’s Department of the Arts, it is ensured that the Academy space will live on as a cultural hub – and that the music won’t stop in years to come. This extraordinary opportunity will also allow for a new level of set-up and design at the studios built for the Academy 2011.”

“Matadero Madrid aims to foster an integral approach to culture and to become a vibrant laboratory for the development of new cross-disciplinary projects in performing & visual arts, design, music, dance, architecture, urban planning, landscape design, fashion, literature, cinema, and thought.

“While RBMA are happy to announce that they have found an exceptional location for this year’s edition of the Red Bull Music Academy, they would also like to emphasize again how difficult the decision was not to hold the Academy main event in Japan.

“Setting up the Academy is a year-long process of establishing links with local artists and cultural institutions, creating a dedicated local team of about 100 people, securing international lecturers, dealing with authorities regarding permissions, booking nights in conjunction with local promoters, as well as building studios and refurbishing a building as an inspirational space.

“Although the kick off date is set for October, the work on the Tokyo edition started back in April 2010, and the most crucial phase for all of the above is now. When the terrible events of March 11 struck in North East Japan, they had to make a timely decision about a potential relocation, and it quickly became apparent that going forward with these plans in Tokyo right now would not be possible. Furthermore they received a lot of cancellations from people who had already applied. The very same goes for artists who were requested to lecture and perform in Tokyo. These are the people who make the event what it is, and their current concerns had to be respected.

“Red Bull Music Academy’s involvement in and contribution to the musical landscape in Japan will not stop. To the contrary, they will build on the strong networks and close ties that have evolved throughout the process of preparing the Academy. RBMA will continue to host workshops, gigs, RBMA Radio sessions and festival stages as they did at SónarSound Tokyo, as well as setting up international showcases for Japanese culture: in Madrid and beyond.

The application period for potential participants has been extended to April 26 (date of postmark).