The BBC have released renderings of the Eurovision 2023 stage design. It’s been dreamed up by Julio Himede and his design studio, Yellow Studio, based in New York and Sydney.
“The architecture takes inspiration from a wide hug, opening its arms to Ukraine, the show’s performers and guests from across the world,” he told the official EBU-run Eurovision web site. “I focused on the cultural aspects and similarities between Ukraine, the UK and specifically Liverpool. From music, dance and art to architecture and poetry.”
YellowStudio are highly experienced in designing stages for international TV events. Their work has included the Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and MTV EMAs. They are no stranger to the world of Eurovision having designed the stage for the first edition of NBC’s American Song Contest.
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“It is our duty as designers to enhance performances through a compelling visual landscape, while capturing the heart and soul of the Eurovision Song Contest.”
“It’s a thrill to know that such a diverse group of talented musicians will be performing on my stage. I’ve had a long history of being a fan of the show and as a young adult, I used to take notice of the impressive stage designs. I am excited to celebrate the future winner and to pass the creative baton to the next country.”
What do you think? Are you loving it? Do you like the ideas behind it? Let us know down below!
It’s indeed basic, but I guess it’ll do.
There’s one thing that I loved in the two past editions and that I’ll miss here though: no audience between the stage and the “green room”. I’m part of the people who don’t like seeing flags all over the scene/artists + I enjoy little moments when we could see the other artists cheering for each other, Blind Channel (Finland 2021) cheering to Måneskin was for instance incredible. Also this is just asking for stage invasion I feel…
OMG, stage is disgusting, americanized, globalized, noneuropean design. Honestly disgusting. What u said that it looks like MTV music awards makes this stage dusgusting. The guy with glasses that comments it reallllly has no taste whatsoever.
Love this! For an organisation that has shown a distinct lack of enthusiasm in Eurovision over the last 20 years, the BBC are nailing their turn as host broadcaster so far.
One imagines that host annoucements aren’t far off. Surely Rylan for the green room?
I love that they kept it simple, yet professional and elegant. I can see the hug and their vision, which is cute imo, but that catwalk looks… suggestive XD
Sorry, I don’t see the hug. I just see another soulless LED stage.
It reminds me of a mix between an Oscars stage and a VMA stage.
It’s elegant, functional, sleek & modern. I also love that we have a big fat LED screen behind the stage, it means we’re in for some cool stage designs like we had in Rotterdam. The BBC is proving that the logo, stage & artwork doesn’t need to be too complicated and over the top, simplicity & functionality is key!
It’s a simple base that you can build on. The focus should be on the artists.
Love the design and the curves, BBC plays no games when it comes to production quality, no broken cameras and fake sun black backgrounds this year
I like the “hug” design of the stage. Yeah, I can see the “arms” and the round “head” in the ceiling.. and the “belly” in the big screen.. BUT the catwalk in the middle looks like… 0_0
I like the hug concept. The stage is empty, because Eurovision doesn’t want to have problems like last year. So it is better to have a plain and basic screen and the different delegation will fill with their props. In the years to come, this will be the norm. lucky the stage designer. Lots of money to earn and basically create an empty basic stage!
Love it, very simple yet absolutely beautiful.
Phenomenal!
I like the Star Trek vibe going on here, quite futuristic, perhaps a bit cold, or hot like a gas hob. I’m sure it will pop into life when everything is ready.
I really like this. Simple and functional. We don’t need anything more than that
Does Ukraine pay for the production of the show?
No. the BBC (and in turn the UK public through their licence fee) are covering most of the costs apparently.
Ukrainian 2022 only won the contest because of the war
I’ll take this over the “black sun of death” any day
Maybe not as creative as last years, but I think it will turn out much better. It looks a bit small, like an nf stage, but it has great lighting and an option for both LEDs and Lights as a background which I am satisfied with. I’m just a little concerned because I may be wrong but is there an LED floor?
In theory worse than last years but I think it will end up much better.
Yes, there is an LED floor.
Torino has taught us quality over quantity. It looks basic at the moment but maybe it’s going to be very universal and easily adjustable to any entry’s needs. That might be a brilliant idea at the end of the day. Fingers crossed!
Considering that Lithuania was one of the most affected countries with the dysfunctional sun, it’s probably better to keep the physical stage simple and not get over complicated to avoid disasters like that. It also helps to keep the focus on the singers.
I like it, it’s fine. I just wish some more imagination could be shown, instead of using a blueprint from other years.
Okay, I like it better after seeing the video.
Basically another just place some LEDs and a stage and we’re ready. Not saying i dont like it, but i miss the special stages we used to have like in 2000 (bring back a white stage!), 2002, 2003, 2006.
Though im sure i will start to love it more when i see it in action. Good luck to TeamUK!
Yes fully agree on 2000! Simple and so effective! (You see my Swedish friends, I can also compliment you!)
its certainly on the simpler side which is perhaps disappointing. It has some similarities to Kiev 2017 but look it, if it means acts will have a stage with little to no technical difficulties then ig its for the good.
Neither fancy nor elegant. This design unfortunately is as basic as it gets.
Exactly but our point of viev is invisible beacuse of huge amout tasteless mediocree which rule, coz we all know that averige minds make absolute majority,do for them this is amazing, and the fact is that it is not. xD
Just coz it is BBC it diesnt mean it is perfect. Just coz UK says something it doesnt qualufy the statement as absopute truth ;).
If the same stage design was presented by any non west European country, most people here would declare it to be small and basic/cheap. But because it’s in the UK so it’s magnificent and beautiful.
Exactly. I love your conclusion. It means that, our mind is independent. Most comments here show how people can be easily biased and how their mind is under average. The youtube comment by wiwi guys is shocking, are u guys serious? Is guy with glasses bling or is he stage designer, or expert in it to say that last years stage was bad? We all swe it funcioning (without kinetic sun in songs but with in in Cinquettis act) and it was far from being bad. 2023 stage is dizaster. Those side parts and closed side surfaces on the actual… Read more »
Who erased my comment on agreeing with you and explaining why in deeper way? Freedom of speech and opinion or dictatorship?
Looks a lot like Kiev 2017. Except no interesting chandelier
Screaming at Italians downvoting everyone who likes the stage. Maybe if y’all put this energy last year into constructing a working stage…
it’s ok. i expected a lot more though… it feels very corporate and dull. on the bright side at least (hopefully) we wont have a massive segment of it that is unusable unlike last year
my favorite stages in the past have been lisbon 2018 and belgrade 2008 because i think its nice when the stage gives a nod to the country that’s hosting. the hug idea is cute, but i think some more thought could have been put into it
Agree that stages work best when they celebrate the host country’s identity. I guess the issue with this year’s contest is that it represents two cultures, so harder to encapsulates in a single design. Personally I like it, the unity theme runs through it, it feels intimate and the video really brings it to life. I think it will look great live.
It’s cute but looks a tad small.
Seems like “small” is the general feedback people make upon seeing the stage design on paper for the first time.
Every year people say this… it’s not small, just not in action.
Before Turin, everyone was asking every year for something fancy and groundbreaking. After Turin we are satisfied with functional…..It looks very good. Looking forward for Liverpool!!!
This is a solid and classic design and will get a great lightplan. Very beautiful, sober and spacious. Well done!
While I’m sure we can all appreciate the fact that we won’t be having any major screw ups with the stage, this design is painfully boring. You can see the similarities between this and the ASC stage as they both look designed for TV studios – it looks small and it’s in this weird box that makes it look more like an expensive national finals stage than an actual ESC one. 2021, 2019, 2016 and 2014 are all great examples of how you don’t have to forego all creativity and you can still have moving stages and water features while… Read more »
I agree. 2014 was my fav one!
2014 went way over budget, mainly because of the conversion of the shipyard that was way more expensive than planned.
Sanremo 2023, stage:
the ceiling is inspired by a dome, the Pantheon in Rome. The central part of the dome is mobile, it rises and falls together with the projectors according to the performances. From what the set designer said The basic color will be white, while it will color and transform according to the performances
This stage would not work for a contest like Eurovision.
mine is a comparison of aesthetics and manufacturing, not of functionality.
Beginning to like our esc stage a lot less
Stairs, stairs and a dome. Lol
I have a feeling they drew inspiration from Yerevan’s recent JESC hosting. It looks good! I’ll assume it works properly too so I’m really looking forward to seeing how the acts will come to live on this stage!
It’s pretty simple. Some will probably even say it’s basic. But I actually think it is a good thing.
The stage looks lovely and the UK seems to be a great host. Looking forward to what’s coming in May!
I was expecting more from the guy that designed so many MTV Music Awards shows. It’s plenty serviceable and it looks like there’s 2 performing areas with plenty lights. But doesn’t look like this is revolutionary in any way.
Sorry for being off topic BUT, BUT, BUT, Serbian songs are out!
It is a quality selection, great variety of genres. Well done, Serbia!
No one cares.
Well, I do. So I want to share the news everywhere and with everyone. If you do not care, please, just downvote me and move on!
I just think that terrorist supporting country has no place in Eurovision. That’s it. If your values are that low, sure… support them.
OMG. Another request for you. If you do not like Serbia in Eurovision, please, boycott Eurovision by not watching the event. Until EBU decides to disqualify a country for whatever reason – I am going to get excited about their songs. Just as any other national final. As this competition is not about how amazing the country is, but about the songs. And as long as Serbia is competing, I am 100% sure that 99.99% of fans will look forward to Serbia’s song.
More like 30%. Stop pretending like it’s the powerhouse of ESC lmao
Hopefully fans waving flags on the standing area won’t block the camera, like they have previously. It’s been nice two years without that happening.
Woooow I really like the look of this!! I especially like the inclusion of the walk out bit which sort of spills into the audience like in 2017. It looks like LEDs will be a big feature which I’m very interested about too.
The BBC really has taken the bull by the horns so far with Eurovision, first the really professional allocation draw, and now this really cool-looking concept art, what’s going on?!?! My preconceptions about my own country are being destroyed in the best way possible.
Seemingly we’re rubbish at managing everything else – except for Eurovision!
Woah – who are the active comment dislikers? Nearly every comment on this post has dislikes.
Besides Gill and Ritoli.. hmm…that’s interesting isn’t it?
Someone’s having a lot of fun
Honestly the ratings on the comments don’t matter at all. If someone has an issue with what I say they should tell me instead of downvoting with their multiple accounts. Pathetic xD
The rating of the comments have the same value as most of the comments here.
Everyone is downvoted to hell right now for some reason lmao! Especially me xD
Sol, I appreciate your comments! I’d never downvote you!! (Unless necessary! Lol)
Oh thank you I appreciate that!
Yeah I get bored really easily and dismiss most entries every year lol
Why are people downvoting to the positive comments about the stage? I think it looks great.
I swear there is someone who made 20 accounts just to downvote stuff they don’t like lmao
It’s bots
Bitter Italians in denial that BBC will make a show 10 times better than RAI
It looks like a science fiction movie from the 1970’s:)
Joke aside,it is one of the better stages I have seen. So far BBC has done everything right
Wonderful! Expected nothing less – with the BBC and Britain in charge we know that Eurovision is in safe hands! Very exciting!
looks like a giant box. very versatile at the cost of showing personality. it’s very spacious, which will make staging intimate songs harder.
I really like box stages because of what you just said; Everyone can do what they want and give their own feel for it : )
At least it’s gonna work girlie
Very simple and modern, I like it.
The stage is immaculate, I got it so entirely wrong about the BBC and the UK and their ability to host the contest. I got so messed up on my own narratives and pride that I couldn’t take no for an answer and as a result, I now have egg on my face. Apologies.
No need to apologize, it’s okay to be wrong sometimes! It happens to everyone.
Still, though, I acted a real jerk about it and went and took it WAY too far, thinking I had all the answers when I didn’t know anything. There are things I will stand on like Coventry as a potential ESC host city in the future perhaps, but 90% of it at least I got dead wrong, and when you get it wrong you apologise, especially after the offense I caused.
BTW William confirmed the Edgar Allen Poe entry is real. He said he was on the jury panel that picked the song and that the entry is crazy but he actually has some faith in it especially in SF2.
Just stop with the false posts now… first you are falsely claiming the Estonian Unicorn-song to be Israels entry this year – and now this… you are not credible.
What…? William literally said this in his reaction to the semi draw video lmao.
Me posting the fake Unicorn snippet was just to troll Ritoli specifically cus they won’t shut up about it.
It looks stupid.
I’m sorry, but i can predict the upcoming Italy comments. I need to say that Italy’s design was great and looked elegant. it was a creative idea (sun,garden etc.). An engineering mistake ruined it. But nothing was wrong with that design. Plus , it was more creative then this. Also the logo and artwork was better imo
Still #Rotterdam2021 ate both
I kinda like a simple stage ya know?
What if I liked all three? I quite liked 2019’s design more. I think a water feature though should be a staple.
no engineering errors, the ebu has banned the rotation of the kinetic sun to save a few seconds on the event lineup.
The sun rotated perfectly.
I quite like this. It reminds me somewhat of 2017, but also looks quite futuristic. (And ever so slightly 1998) The boxed-in stage is something we’ve never really seen before, so I’m curious to see how that works. But it certainly helps create the intimate, hug vibe that’s apparently behind the concept. The LED wall is basically a replica of 2019, just with fewer panels, but at least we know it shoyld work. Also really glad that fans will be in front of the stage again. I was worried that since Liverpool Arena is relatively small compared to some of… Read more »
I think in Stockholm in 2016 we also had a boxed-in stage and it worked out quite good imo
I have had my opinions of the UK hosting this contest in Liverpool or even in the UK at all however, I do have to give credit where credit is due. The stage looks phenomenal and well beyond my expectations for what I initially expected from the BBC. From my perspective “How could a country and its broadcaster which until very recently, took and treated the contest with such disdain, contempt, ridicule, mockery and general apathy towards the contest produce such an incredible stage?” I know that the Beeb is an excellent broadcaster, give it a drama series, an Attenborough… Read more »