The project “Youth European Success!” (YES) was developed as a response to the significant challenges faced by young artists in the aftermath of the COVID 19 pandemic. The pandemic disrupted the creative and professional development of young musicians, singers and dancers, who lost access to rehearsals, performances, competitions, cultural events and opportunities for public expression. At a stage of life when support, mentoring and practical experience are crucial, many young performers were left without guidance and without a platform to grow. At the same time, the pandemic accelerated digitalisation and transformed the way young artists must present and promote their talent. Online performances became the norm, and self production turned into an essential skill for starting a career. However, many young performers lacked the knowledge, experience and confidence to adapt to this new reality. The YES project was designed to address these needs by supporting young artists in developing skills for stage performance, digital presence, career planning and teamwork, while also providing real opportunities for artistic expression – both live and online. - What did we aim to achieve? The main objective of the project was to create and implement a model for developing the talent and personal growth of young performers, enabling them to reach wider audiences through self production strategies, teamwork and contemporary non formal learning methods. This model was applied in a multicultural creative environment with participants from six countries, supported by young but already established professionals – singers, musicians, choreographers, photographers, videographers and PR specialists. - Specific objectives of the project • Personal, intercultural and social development – fostering tolerance, dialogue and cooperation among young people from six countries. • Teamwork in international and multicultural settings – applying teamwork skills in the creation and promotion of artistic outputs. • Exchange of experience and good practices among participants and partner organisations. • Development of stage and digital skills through work with established young professionals. • Opportunities for artistic expression – concerts, a final performance, and online visibility. • Dissemination of project results – online photo exhibition, short video and an interactive digital publication. • Sustainability and future cooperation – exploring the creation of a long term network supporting young performing artists. - Why is this project important? Since 2008, the YES initiative has successfully implemented 12 international youth exchanges, involving 652 young people from 18 countries. Each project builds on the results of the previous one and aligns with the priorities of the respective European Year. YES’25 continued this tradition and responded directly to the European Year of Skills (2024) by focusing on the development of key competences for young artists in today’s digital environment.