European music festival association Yourope has launched its We Vote for Europe campaign in collaboration with 100 festivals to engage audiences to vote in the upcoming European elections.

The pro-political participation campaign comes as the public prepares to vote in Europe-wide elections, which will take place from May 23 to 26. The campaign is supported by 100 festivals and organisations from all over Europe.

Initiated by Yourope and realised with the support of Volume and Roskilde Festival, the We Vote for Europe campaign is independent and privately funded, and carried out on a voluntary basis by its supporters. With the initiative, Yourope aims to “encourage everyone to vote in the European Election” and “show solidarity across Europe”.

Yourope also thanks festivalgoers for engaging and “celebrating your freedom at our festivals”.

Campaign tools include the hashtag WeVoteForEurope and a video featuring festival representatives from festivals across 12 European countries including Hungary (Sziget), Roskilde (Denmark), Pinkpop (Holland), Way Out West (Sweden), Pukkelpop (Belgium) and Lollapalooza Berlin (Germany).

“We want to show the solidarity across Europe”

The video is being rolled out by participating festivals and events on their own channels today (May 13). See IQ’s contribution here.

“We are the European music family. Together festivals, artists and visitors create spaces in which millions of people experience culture, music and arts every year,” states Yourope.

“We are a great example of international togetherness, solidarity, acceptance, open-mindedness and cultural diversity. Each and every one of us actively contributes to the magical moments of a festival or a concert – before, on and behind the stage.

“We also actively contribute to strengthening our society by making use of our voting rights. Because that is the basic idea of democracy: all of us decide together in what kind of society we want to live.

“That’s why we go to vote. For the future of Europe. For the future generations. For peace and a strong community – not only in the festival sector, but throughout Europe.”

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Various associations related to the music business and wider cultural sectors are urging members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and policy makers to put live music at the core of EU policy.

Live DMA, a network of European music venues, is the latest organisation to call on politicians to place higher value on music and culture in EU policy in the run up to the European elections.

The elections will take place from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 May. The EU budget for the period of 2021 to 2027 will be voted on by a new European Parliament, after the elections have passed.

“It is vital to advocate for culture to be at the core of European policies and to pursue a dialogue between the live music sector and the policy makers,” reads the Live DMA statement.

In the statement, Live DMA says that it commits to representing “a collective voice”, providing “knowledge and expertise to policy makers” and “cooperating with partners to build a coherent cultural sector.” The network does not disclose which partners or organisations it will work with to reach these aims.

“It is vital to pursue a dialogue between the live music sector and the policy makers”

In return, Live DMA asks for the European Union to support the live music sector, to protect the diversity of music organisations – namely smaller companies and non-profits – and to facilitate the access of venues to funding and beneficial tax regimes.

The statement also calls for the renewal of support for Creative Europe, the EU’s programme for the cultural and creative sectors.

The European Music Council (EMC), of which Live DMA is a member, has also taken measures to encourage the prioritising of music- and culture-focused policy in light of the elections.

In March, live industry body Pearle* released a publication entitled On the European Stage, in which it listed priorities for EU policymakers to tackle within the live performance industry in order to improve conditions for the live sector.

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