Alternative Eurovision Song Contest 30

## Participation map

The **Alternative Eurovision Song Contest 30** was the 30th edition of the Alternative Eurovision Song Contest. The contest was held in  Lithuania after **Paula** won the last edition with her song **"Like Me"**, with a total of 491 points. It was the first time that Lithuania hosted the contest. Three live shows took place in Avia Solutions Group Arena, hosted by Vaidas Baumila and Monique Liu, together with co-host Lolita Zero.

## Location - Vilnius, Lithuania

**Lithuania**, officially the **Republic of Lithuania**, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania shares land borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Russia to the southwest. It has a maritime border with Sweden to the west on the Baltic Sea. Lithuania covers an area of 65,300 km2 (25,200 sq mi), with a population of 2.8 million. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius; other major cities are Kaunas and Klaipėda. Lithuanians belong to the ethno-linguistic group of the Balts and speak Lithuanian, one of only a few living Baltic languages.

**Vilnius** is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 as of 2022 (according to the state register) or 622,737 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urban area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 718,507 (as of 2020), while according to the Vilnius territorial health insurance fund, there were 732,421 permanent inhabitants as of October 2020 in Vilnius city and Vilnius district municipalities combined. Vilnius is situated in southeastern Lithuania and is the second-largest city in the Baltic states, but according to the Bank of Latvia is expected to become the largest before 2025. It is the seat of Lithuania's national government and the Vilnius District Municipality.

## Venue - Avia Solutions Group Arena

On November 11, LRT officially announced a list of four candidate cities to host the event; Kaunas, Klaipeda, Panevezys and Vilnius were in a race to host event, together with their arenas, and week after with majority of votes it was revealed, that **Vilnius** and **Avia Solution Group Arena** will be the host city and arena.

 Klaipėda | Švyturys Arena
 Panevėžys | Cido Arena
 Vilnius | Avia Solutions Group Arena

**Avia Solutions Group Arena**, located in southern part of Verkiai elderate of Vilnius, is the second largest arena in Lithuania. It generally hosts basketball games as well as concerts. The arena opened on October 30, 2004. The basketball club Rytas Vilnius, which currently competes in the domestic LKL, and in FIBA Champions League, uses the facility for all of its European home fixtures. Avia Solutions Group Arena also hosts Rytas' home fixtures of the Lithuanian "national derby" against its archrival Žalgiris Kaunas in both the LKL and BBL. The rest of the games are played in the adjacent Jeep Arena.

## Format

### Design

This edition was hosted in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, which is located on the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers, the former giving it its name. Vilnia is derived from the Lithuania word for ripple or wave, and this inspired the theme for this edition. **"Ripple Effect"** is an expression referring to a situation in which one event produces effects which spread and produce further effects. We can see an example for this in our last winner, "Like Me", in which the singer talks about how unhappy she was in her relationship which caused her to seek solution at others. But a ripple effects is also the perfect theme to celebrate the monumental 30th edition. The first edition of the contest took place 4 years ago, and the small decision to start it or join to it made a great effects on each of every one of our lives. Be it discovering new songs and artists, developing technical abilities, forming friendships and relationships - every step and day spent in the contest made our lives grow Thus, the design this edition is depicting various water-related elements, from abstract water droplets as the facet, glowing and interacting waves and the sun reflecting over a river surface.

### Presenters

**Monika Liubinaitė** (born 9 February 1988), known professionally as **Monika Liu**, is a Lithuanian singer-songwriter. She represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy with the song "Sentimentai". She was announced as one of the qualifiers and took 14th place at the Grand Final.

**Vaidotas Jacob Baumila** (born 28 March 1987) is a Lithuanian singer and actor. He represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 along with Monika Linkytė with the song "This Time". He became known after finishing third in the TV3 music reality show *Dangus*. In 2014 he reached the final of Lithuanian Eurovision selection where he finished in third place.

**Gytis Ivanauskas** (born 1 June 1980 in Ukmergė), also known as **Lolita Zero**, is a Lithuanian actor, dancer and choreographer. In 2005, he established his own theatre, called Gytis Ivanauskas Theatre).

## Other Countries

* Andorra - The broadcaster did not confirm or deny the country's participation in the contest within the prescribed period and for this reason was withdrawn from the contest, and due to the lack of communication punished financially. The return of the country in the further edition is likely

* France - Despite earlier confirmation of participation, France once again announced its withdrawal from the competition shortly before the deadline. Not very satisfying results and too small interest in the competition in the country leands that the return of the country in the next edition is not certain