Red Bull Music Academy.

The Red Bull Music Academy is on again, in Madrid this year. 

Counting among its alumni almost 700 musicians and/or music lovers from all over the world, the RBMA is clearly a strange but welcome intiative, a modern patronage, a disinterested sponsorship. 

It seems to provide a cool environment for developing one's creativity, thanks to a daily collaboration between musicians with various backgrounds, and also thanks to the prestigious lecturers who come to discuss their art, most of the time in front of a worshipping, selected, crowd. 

Just take a look at the alumni list, and be amazed : Aloe Blacc, Baris K, DZA, Débruit, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke, Jneiro Jarel, Kissey Asplund, Mr. Hudson, Onra, Pursuit Grooves, Samiyam, Sammy Bananas, just to name a few I know. 

The rules to get a spot inside the Academy are pretty simple, and everyone gets a chance. But before, during and after the class, one requirement : be creative.

Edit : the videos of the lectures are available to watch online. Lecturers include, so far, people like MF Doom, Erykah Badu and Tom Zé. Needless to say they are very interesting about things like the creative process and the music industry.