The Hangfoglaló Program (previously: Cseh Tamás Program, CSTP) is run by the National Cultural Fund with the aim of promoting Hungarian pop music. Upcoming bands, small-town clubs and media outlets, Hungarian bands going on international tours are among those who may apply for financial support. The program also supports musical management trainings and the preservation of pop music heritage. In 2017 and 2018 we organized some of the events within the program.
Among these was the NKA25 – Hangfoglaló club tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the National Cultural Fund, which entailed the organization, coordination and management of events in eight Hungarian towns (Szolnok, Veszprém, Gödöllő, Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged, Győr, Pécs) and one abroad (Oradea), including concerts, roundtable discussions, book launches and film clubs.
In June 2017 we organized the CSTP Festival, which aimed to introduce the CSTP sub-programs and the bands it supported to the audience and to music professionals. During the four-day festival held at the Castle Bazaar and at the A38 Ship almost 50 bands/performers gave a concert. The event also included a conference focusing on how pop music and film influenced each other during the Kádár era, and the festival was also the last stop of the national “Hangszert a kézbe” (“Hold an Instrument”) tour.
We also organized some events in the Backstage lecture and Q&A series supporting pop music management. The two-day Backstage Extra conference during the CSTP Festival focused on how Hungarian performers couls achieve success abroad and how Hungarian clubs might join in organizing international concerts.