Experiments with new live formats
How can we create deeper musical experiences for both artists and audiences? How can venues become laboratories for creative development and experimental live formats? These are some of the questions Godset, in close collaboration with VEGA, will explore in the coming years.
Godset has applied for funding from the Danish Arts Foundation for the period 2025-2028 to develop, test, and promote new concert formats and collaborative models between artists and venues, which we have been selected for. The funds will be used to investigate and test various initiatives that can enhance artistic immersion, experiments, and audience experiences on the live stage.
"The music industry is sometimes quite conservative; once a gig is secured, it's about doing as little as possible for everyone involved. We want to challenge that a bit. When we undertake this project with VEGA, it also means that Godset gains access to experiences and methods developed at one of Denmark's coolest venue. We can actually test these out with our audience," says Martin Røen, leader of Godset.
The goal of the project is not just to present music, but to create spaces where artists can experiment with new expressions, delve into their creative processes, and let the music unfold in new ways. This project is about allowing room for artistic curiosity, time for immersion, and the freedom to rethink what a live concert can be. We will explore everything from immersive sound experiences to interdisciplinary collaborations, where technology, stage design, and audience interaction create new dimensions in the concert experience.
For the audience, this might mean a deeper and more sensory experience. We will explore how we can offer them more than just a concert – how we can create an atmosphere where they can immerse themselves, be surprised, and experience music in a more intense and perhaps even personal way. It's about opening up new ways to experience music, where the boundary between artist and audience becomes more fluid, and where the concert space becomes a site for collective experience and reflection.
"I think it's a fantastic opportunity to also test formats outside of Godset. We have plenty of collaborators in associations, cultural and educational institutions, and for example, Sonic College, who are really sharp, and whom we hope to share knowledge with and test new formats together," says Martin Røen, leader of Godset, Kolding.
Read more about the collaboration with VEGA and the project Nye Formater here: VEGA Beyond 2025-2028 - VEGA.dk
Read more about the grant from the Danish Arts Foundation here: https://www.kunst.dk/for-ansoegere/soeg-tilskud/nye-formater-til-livescenen-2025-2028
Simultaneously, and as part of the same grant from the Danish Arts Foundation, Kulturværftet in Helsingør will work on a related development project, and we hope that Godset together with the other venues can create a wave of new inspiration and cross-pollination across venues and artistic environments. By sharing knowledge, experiences, and formats across the country, we can hopefully explore new possibilities for what live concerts can be.
