ABOUT US

BABEL MUSIC XP : THE LEADING WORLD MUSIC INDUSTRY ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL EVENT

From 20-22 March 2025, BABEL MUSIC XP will put Marseille at the economic and cultural epicentre of the contemporary world music scene. With a Professional Trade Fair at the Friche la Belle de Mai and world music concerts for the general public at the Dock des Suds, BABEL MUSIC XP is firmly at the heart of the Mediterranean hub on the world music map.

The aim of this international event is to contribute towards the revival of a branch of the music industry which is facing a number of new challenges. BABEL MUSIC XP will bring musicians and audiences together, promote information sharing and the exchange of ideas between major players in the sector, stimulate the economy of an industry undergoing rapid change and provide the opportunity to experience the very latest world music trends.

From 20-22 March 2025, come to Marseille to experience Babel Music XP!

The legacy : Babel Med Music (2005 - 2017)

Babel Med Music ran from 2005 to 2017, and after clocking up 14 editions, the festival became a regular fixture on the international calendar, gaining a reputation as a major forum for world music.

THE FIRST STEPS : BEFORE BABEL (2020)

A pre-cursor to Babel Music XP, Before BMXP took place on the 26-27 November 2020.

Initially intended to be an in-person event, due to COVID 19 restrictions, it moved online to an interactive, digital platform visited by 1000 music industry professionals who took part in and reacted to 13 professional round tables featuring 65 speakers from around the world and 5 pathways to explore.

These round tables dealt with new forms of co-operation, networks, aid, economic recovery, international mobility, regional challenges and societal issues affecting the world of live performance.

This event, which was highly praised by all the professionals who participated, enabled players in the sector to maintain essential links with each other and come together during a very difficult period for the industry.

BEFORE

THE RENEWAL : BABEL MUSIC XP (2023)

Babel Music XP is coming back to life in 2023 in a new guise, but still combining the professional trade fair by day at the Friche Belle de Mai and the showcase festival by night at the Dock des Suds.

It is a landmark event on the world music scene with an emphasis on live performance.

In step with changing audiences and artistic practices, BABEL MUSIC XP is at the heart of an aesthetic crossroads, where genres merge – a vehicle for artistic diversity catering for stakeholders in genres ranging from contemporary world music to traditional music and jazz.