In an interview with Italian fan site Eurofestival News, Interkultur’s project manager Ilda Memaj finally announced what most Eurovision Choir fans had feared but expected: that Eurovision Choir of the Year 2021 is cancelled, and that the competition in general is postponed indefinitely.
“Unfortunately, the third edition of Eurovision Choir will no longer take place in 2021,” said Memaj. “As soon as we are able to announce more details on a future edition of the event, you will find the information on our website and social media accounts.”
Interkultur, alongside the European Broadcasting Union, co-organized the two Eurovision Choir of the Year contests held thus far in Riga (2017) and Gothenburg (2019). Since 1988 Interkultur has organized many international choral contests, with the next one on their calendar being the 11th World Choir Games to be held on October 31, 2021 through November 7, 2021, in Flanders.
The cancellation of Eurovision Choir of 2021 was viewed as likely as the only news in the build up to the event was Wales’s Côr Cymru 2021 being announced in mid-2020. Unfortunately, that event, which is how Wales have selected its choir for Eurovision Choir 2017 and 2019, to be held in January 2021 was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions making the auditioning of large choirs from various parts of Wales logistically impossible.
Slovenia’s Carmen Manet choir won the inaugural competition in 2017, while Denmark’s Vocal Line win in 2019.
Eurovision Choir is not the only current Eurovision contest in limbo – Eurovision Young Dancers was indefinitely postponed in 2018 due to there being no willing host broadcaster, and Eurovision Young Musicians 2020 was postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19. There has be no comment thus far from the European Broadcasting Union on bringing any of these three back at any time in the near future.
Due to Eurovision Choir being more reliant on commercial sponsorship than other Eurovision contests, the funding formula for participants and the cost to participate, as well as the minimum viewership required to sustain the contest, are not clear. At present, neither Interkultur nor the EBU’s Eurovision Choir page have been updated to show information about a future installment.
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