A new Eurovision season starts today as all songs commercially released from September 1st are eligible to take part at the 2018 song contest. Around 31 countries have already confirmed participation in the upcoming competition, while most of them have already revealed their national selection plans.
The 63rd edition of Europe’s favourite TV show will take place on May 8th, 10th and 12th of May in Lisbon (Portugal). The Lusitanian country will host the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time ever following Salvador Sobral‘s victory in Kyiv. MEO Arena, located in the host area of the Expo ’98, will be the venue for the competition.
About Lisbon:
Lisbon is a historical city full of stories to tell, where the sun shines 290 days a year and the temperature rarely drops below 15oC. A city where you feel safe wandering around day or night, where the cuisine is dedicated to creating over a thousand ways to cook the beloved bacalhau (salted cod), and where you’ll find hotels and restaurants to suit every taste, budget and requirement.
Discover Lisbon, a city full of authenticity where old customs and ancient history intermix with cultural entertainment and hi-tech innovation. Lisbon is ageless, but it loves company, as you’ll find out if you meet someone and ask them to explain, with lots of gestures and repetition, where the best place is to listen to Fado. After all, Lisbon is famous for its hospitality and the family-like way it welcomes visitors.
About MEO Arena:
MEO Arena is a member of EAA – European Arenas Association and of ATL – Associação de Turismo de Lisboa (Lisbon Touring Society) it’s a new stage where music, sports, art and culture come together. It’s the biggest Portuguese showroom where great events get a new lease on life. It’s the Arena where everyone will want to be.
The location, on the northern shore of Lisbon’s Tagus River, is rather privileged and provides great ease of access. It is also very close to Lisbon’s International Airport (only 5 minutes away). MEO Arena’s stunning architectural design features excellent, advanced infrastructure and it is one the most modern event hosting facilities in the world today.
The hallmark feature of MEO Arena is a 5,200 square metre area holding 12,500 seated. MEO Arena Hall’s total capacity is, however, 20,000, counting standing spectators occupying the centre of the arena once the seats have been removed. The design is extremely versatile and the area can be reduced to fit a variety of configurations.
Employing state-of-the-art technical and security equipment, this hall has been designed to afford direct access to the backstage area to TIR trucks via a tunnel that is strategically built to facilitate and speed stage assembling and disassembling operations.
The venue is equipped a full set of theatre infrastructure, including dressing rooms, technical and theatrical fittings and equipment, shower and locker rooms, and underground parking, in compliment to all the essential resources necessary to host an event of whatever nature. The venue’s architecture is rather bold and futuristic, bringing to one’s mind the shape of an inverted hull. This facility has already become a part of the grand event imaginary for the Portuguese public at large.
Stay tuned for information coming from the participating countries! Which artists would you like to see performing on the 2018 Eurovision stage? Let us know in comments!