Aurora was the most-booked act overall in a year that saw 402 confirmed shows by European Talent Exchange Programme artists
promoted
EXIT optimistic for ’23 after record-breaking year
EXIT events were visited by around half a million people in 2022, making it the largest number in the festival's history
By IQ on 09 Jan 2023
After a record breaking year with 26 events in 10 countries, EXIT is optimistically walking towards 2023!
After EXIT gave new life to the festival industry in 2021 by being the first major event to happen since the beginning of the pandemic, it was fairly optimistic to hope for a record-breaking year in 2022. However, the year turned out to be even bigger for the Serbian landmark festival.
With eight festivals, a virtual reality showcase at Expo Dubai, partnership with one of the largest metaverse conferences in Europe, 18 various music events, and sold-out NFT collections with world famous superstars, EXIT single handedly became one of the largest independently owned festival organisations in the world.
EXIT events in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, UAE, Netherlands, Turkey, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Slovenia were visited by around half a million people, making it the largest number in the festival’s history. EXIT also grew its trophy cabinet by two international and regional accolades. Shortlists for three European Festival Awards, already won by Exit’s festivals four times in the past, also arrived to close off the year.
EXIT, Sea Dance, Sea Star, Ada Divine Awakening, two editions of No Sleep festival, WOMBA and Get Excited marked a true comeback of the event industry in Balkans with headliners such as Calvin Harris, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Iggy Azalea, Amelie Lens, ARTBAT, Boris Brejcha, Maceo Plex, Nina Kraviz, Honey Dijon, Monolink, Satori and Sepultura, just to name a few.
“Innovation in today’s world is the main parameter for success of any organisation”
Exit’s year was also marked by its entry into the Metaverse and the creation of one of the first NFT collections in the festival world, as well as NFT festival tickets. Well known for being creative and innovative, this venture was fortunate to say the least, as all collections were sold out, and EXIT together with NFT-Tix won Best Innovation at UK Festival Awards. Moreover, EXIT delivered a premium VR festival experience, first presented at EXPO 2020 Dubai, and later in the EXITVERSE zone on EXIT and Sea Dance festivals.
“Innovation in today’s world is the main parameter for success of any organisation. We are proud to continuously expand the boundaries of the festival experience and provide fans with not only top-class entertainment, but also the opportunity for education and personal growth of each individual,” says the founder and CEO of the festival, Dusan Kovacevic.
EXIT was born out of social activism and would not exist without its Foundation work which is as important as the festival itself. After a devastating effect the pandemic had on the world, EXIT Foundation’s imperative in 2022 was to support mental health both of the audience and young people in general, as well as its employees with two mental health specialists being employed by the organisation.
“In 2023, we will continue to prioritise improving the mental health of young people as one of the main challenges of today, and we are also planning the return of our environmental project Life Stream, which we launched in 2020 with the United Nations World Food Program, the largest humanitarian organisation in the world,” adds Kovacevic.
With a strong attitude, and an inventive spirit the festival’s organisation has, it is more than ready to walk into another promising year. Headliners such as The Prodigy, Skrillex, Viagra boys, Camelphat and Keinemusik are already announced for EXIT 2023 with many more to come.
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