The Polar Music Prize proudly presents Polar Talks, an international conference joining forces between music, creativity, tech and impact. Artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians and innovators are brought together for talks, lectures and master classes to connect the creative strengths in music with the impact of technical and social opportunities.

Polar Talks aims to find solutions to tomorrow’s social and creative challenges. How can we drive positive change faster? What if creativity is the catalyst to the change needed for a better world? How do we create impact through the power of music?

Polar Talks 2020

Due to the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Polar Talks 2020 have unfortunately been cancelled.

watch previous polar talks

POLAR TALKS
STOCKHOLM 2019

The Polar Music Prize presents Polar Talks 2019, an international conference joining forces between music, creativity, tech and impact. Artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians and innovators are brought together for talks, lectures and master classes to connect the creative strengths in music with the impact of technical and social opportunities.

Polar Talks 2019 aims to find solutions to tomorrow’s social and creative challenges. How can we drive positive change faster? What if creativity is the catalyst to the change needed to meet the UN Global Goals for a better world? How do we make more impact through the power of music?

Polar Talks also feature exclusive on stage interviews with this year’s Laureates: Anne-Sophie Mutter, Grandmaster Flash and the Playing for Change Foundation.

The Polar Talks program was curated and presented by Lisa Lindström and Anna Ryott.

WATCH POLAR TALKS ON YOUTUBE
(Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
(Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
The Polar Effect: Dr Ahmad Sarmast (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Anne-Sophie Mutter (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Amie Bramme Sey, Whitney Kroenke & Mark Johnson (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Jan Gradvall & Grandmaster Flash (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
New paths towards better health: Janice, Claire Rosvall & Estelle Joubert Westling. (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Quincy D Jones III, Anik Devaughn & Lisa Lindström (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Anja Frey (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)

Polar Talks
Paris 2019

Inspirational talks: Creativity and Impact 12.03.2019

The first Polar Talk in France will address how strategic investments and creativity can act as vital agents of change within society.

Marie Ledin, kicks off the evening by presenting the Polar Music Prize. She then invites some of Sweden’s most influential voices onto the stage to share their views on how to address societal challenges through creativity and contemporary entrepreneurship. They all share the belief that we can all make a difference and that innovative and transdisciplinary co-creation is necessary to contribute to positive solutions.

• Lisa Lindström, co-founder and director of the Doberman Design Group
• Anna Ryott, chairwoman of Summa Equity and board member of the international group Axel Johnson AB, the Norrsken Foundation and UNF Global Entrepreneurs Council
• Sophia Bendtz, brand & marketing strategist, well known for her instrumental role in the development of Spotify
• Carolina Corsello, Head of Business Intelligence and Analytics at Deezer, shares her experience in France on these issues.

With support from the Swedish Embassy in France.

Lisa Lindström, Anna Ryott, Marie Ledin & Sophia Bendtz (Photo: Vinciane Lebrun)
Lisa Lindström, Anna Ryott & Sophia Bendtz (Photo: Vinciane Lebrun)
Lisa Lindström & Carolina Corsello (Photo: Vinciane Lebrun)

Previous years

Lisa Lindström, Anna Ryott & Loreen, Polar Talks 2018 at KMH (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Sofia Alexandersson, Peter Larsson and Jesper Nordin, Polar Talks 2018 at KMH (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Josephine Forsman and Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, Polar Talks 2018 at KMH (Photo: Annika Berglund/Polar Music Prize)
Browse previous episodes

Watch the Talks

Polar Talks 2019: Janice – Answer

grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 4:10

Polar Talks 2019: Connecting the world through Urban Culture with Quincy D Jones III.

Turning No Go Zones into opportunity zones. Crafting an eco-system that connects underserved communities and talent with the world stage, with Quincy D Jones III.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 44:35

Polar Talks 2019: Polar Music Prize Laureates from the Playing for Change Foundation.

An interview with Whitney Kroenke and Mark Johnson, founders of the Playing for Change Foundation, Laureate of 2019.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 27:41

Polar Talks 2019: New paths towards better health

New paths towards better health: Janice, Claire Rosvall & Estelle Joubert Westling.

A trio that uses creativity and co-creation to help solve some of our most important health issues.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 30:06

Polar Talks 2019: exclusive interview with Laureate Grandmaster Flash

The Polar Music Prize presents an exclusive interview with Laureate of 2019 Grandmaster Flash by Jan Gradvall at the Polar Talks conference in June 2019.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 32:28

Polar Talks 2019: interview with Laureate Anne-Sophie Mutter

The Polar Music Prize presents an exclusive interview with Laureate of 2019 Anne-Sophie Mutter by Sofia Nyblom at the Polar Talks conference.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 42:37

Polar Talks 2019: Mary N’diaye – Dare to dream

grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 4:37

Polar Talks 2019: Intro & The Polar Effect: Dr Ahmad Sarmast

The Polar Effect: Dr Ahmad Sarmast
How receiving the Polar Music Prize has contributed to the inclusive music education in Afghanistan.
grand-hotel-stockholm
| 10 Jun 2019 | 27:21

Meet the Laureates: Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

Exclusive on stage interview with Lars Ulrich from Metallica, by music journalist Jan Gradvall.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 1:08:03

Meet the Laureates 2018: Dr Ahmad Sarmast (ANIM)

Exclusive on stage interview with Dr Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, by journalist Lasse Bengtsson.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 44:31

How entrepreneurs can prevent future refugee crises and boost integration

Keynote at Polar Tech 2018 by Ashish J Thakkar, serial entrepreneur, founder and chairman of Mara Group and philanthropist.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 15:58

Polar Tech panel 2018: Three perspectives on new solutions for integration

Loreen, Ashish J Thakkar and Emma Rosman. Moderators: Anna Ryott and Lisa Lindström.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 13:34

Polar Tech 2018: Songlines live

A presentation of the Songlines organisation and live music: Ehsan Yaghoobi (piano) & Mohammad Zare (spoken word).
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 11:30

Polar Tech keynote 2018: How ANIM provides inclusive music education in Afghanistan

A keynote speech from Dr Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, on ANIM's educational methods.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 20:15

Polar Tech panel 2018: Re-thinking and re-doing the learning landscape

Sophia Bendz (Executive in Residence at Atomico and former Global Marketing Manager at Spotify), Fares Hamed (founder of Changers Hub) and Joel Hellermark (founder Sana Labs). Moderators: Lisa Lindström and Anna Ryott.
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 24:41

Polar Talks panel 2018: The Band

Moderators: Josephine Forsman (drummer, Sahara Hotnights, The Loud Program) and Alfons Karabuda (Chairman of the Polar Music Prize Award Committee and of SKAP).
Panelists: Robert Eriksson (The Hellacopters), Sofia Lilja (artist coach), Jack Jönsson (Jönssonligan), Linn Persson (saxophonist), Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist (The Hives)
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 32:56

Polar Talks panel 2018: The Variation

Moderator: Sofia Alexandersson from Share Music & Performing Arts
Panelists: Jesper Nordin (composer), Peter Larsson (musician) and Petra Assio (president of the students’ union at the Royal College of Music).
the-royal-college-of-music
| 13 Jun 2018 | 33:49

Polar Talks 2017: Back to the future

Lisa Lindström, Gunnar Bjursell, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 23:32

Polar Talks 2017: Calling the world, a global search for Laureates

Silja Fischer, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 20:38

Polar Talks 2017: a roadmap for gender diversity

Claire Singers, Aniela Unguresan, Ulrika Biesèrt, Katarina Berg
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 50:40

Polar Talks 2017: PSYCHOACOUSTICS: THE POWER OF SOUND TO CONTROL OUR MINDS

John Groves
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 38:29

Polar Talks 2017: The brave new world of music technology

Frederick Rousseau
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 27:54

Polar Talks 2017: Meet Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter interviewed by Miriam Aïda. Live music by Sirintip.
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 14 Jun 2017 | 55:30

Polar Talks 2016 – Alive Inside

Dan Cohen, Michael Rossato-Bennett, Itaal Shur. Moderator: Martin Ingvar
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 31:22

Polar Talks 2016 – Is the lecture room inhibiting creativity?

Örjan Strandberg, Adam Baptiste, Andrea Dankić, Peder Hofmann, Alfons Karabuda
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:37

Polar Talks 2016 – Is music education for all a right or a privilege?

Emily Achieng’ Akuno, Sir Roger Gifford, Ian Smith
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:27

Polar Talks 2016 – HOW IS MODERN LEADERSHIP CONNECTED TO MUSICALITY?

Hélène Barnekow, Eva Hillered, Lisa Lindström
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 25:18

Polar Talks 2016 – From hip hop to pop: A talk with songwriter Ali Payami

Ali Payami
Interview by: Ametist Azordegan
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 19:20

Polar Talks 2016 – Creating a Swedish superstar

Helienne Lindvall, Michelle Kadir, Benji Rogers
kulturhuset-stadsteatern
| 15 Jun 2016 | 30:43

Lighting Design

"An hour before the show only three of the Olympic rings were working" - Patrick Woodroffe
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 5:48

X-system

"Unexpected events stimulates us" - Nigel Osborne
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 2:57

The Legacy of Chuck Berry

"Who said a white man can't play the blues?" - Dave Edmunds
rigoletto
| 25 Aug 2014 | 4:24

Afrofuturism

"The main misconception is that African music isn't viable anywhere until it makes it overseas" - Adam Tensta
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:28

Compassion

"Let's learn the lessons from the past and have compassion" - Bianca Jagger
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:48

Female Leadership

"The potential of women is enormous" - Margot Wallström
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:15

Studio Timbuktu

"Giving of your time is more important than donating money" - Jason Timbuktu Diakité
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:23

Meet the Laureates

"My imagination is very visual" - Kaija Saariaho
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 43:21

The frontrunner of change

"I think the change we have seen is just the beginning" - Martin Lorentzon
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:55

Metamorphosis

"I decided to turn my eyes towards the Asian market" - Carl Utbult
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 3:18

New Music in New Places

"To me everything begins with a song" - Seymour Stein
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 1:48

International Music Industry

"Songwriting and technology are two elements of a success" - Tomas Ericsson
rigoletto
| 26 Aug 2013 | 2:48

Voices from Polar Music Talks

rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 2:57

Interview with Paul Simon

Paul Simon interviewed by music journalist Jan Gradvall.
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 52:31

Interview with Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma interviewed by Camilla Lundberg.
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 54:27

Interview with Loreen

"I try to be as honest as I can be so that people can relate to it"
rigoletto
| 27 Aug 2012 | 21:19

Interview with Patti Smith

"We all have the right to express ourselves" - Patti Smith. Short version interview.
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 11:23

Interview with Kronos Quartet and Patti Smith

"Music happens in individual notes" - David Harrington, Kronos Quartet
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 14:13

Interview with Patti Smith

"We all possess the creative impulse" - Patti Smith. Full version interview.
nalen
| 29 Aug 2011 | 39:58