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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2024, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, was published in December.
In this excerpt from this indispensable guide, Black Deer Festival founder Gill Tee discusses how the festival scene is evolving and expanding, changes in audience expectations, and how financial pressures are impacting the sector. Black Deer Festival will not take place this year, but it is hoped the event will return in 2026.
How was the festival season for you?
It’s been an interesting journey. This year’s festival had some personal challenges for me, as I let go of my active role as festival director and handed the production of Black Deer to an external agency. It was an emotional experience, because I’ve been so deeply involved since the festival’s inception.
Walking onto the site and seeing things differently organised, like “my child dressed in the wrong clothes,” was tough. But ultimately, I was free to enjoy the festival and chat to our community, which was a unique experience. The event still carried the DNA of Black Deer, with amazing artists, a great community vibe, and a warm reception from attendees.
Tell us about the new one-day shows and Black Deer Radio.
Working alongside our MD, Chris Russell-Fish, Black Deer Radio and the one-day shows have been my big focus and part of our commitment to build Black Deer as more than just a festival – it’s a brand with year-round engagement.
Black Deer Radio has already attracted about 5,500 listeners a month since it launched in June, and it gives grassroots Americana artists a platform alongside legends like Neil Young and Sheryl Crow.
We are currently hosting our one-day shows (45 in total) in grassroots venues across the UK, which supports local music scenes and provides exposure for emerging artists. This approach allows us to reach new audiences while still promoting the genre that Black Deer represents, with plans to expand capacities next year.
“It’s no longer just about the music and drinking as much as possible — they’re looking for a wider experience”
What challenges does the festival industry face, and how are you aiming to address them?
The financial aspect is the biggest challenge for independent festivals. While Black Deer’s been running for years, with high production values, it’s yet to break even, and without steady investment, it’s hard for any independent festival to thrive. Funding is crucial – not just from sponsorships but from people who genuinely want to support the industry’s growth. Black Deer has been fortunate to retain passionate investors who see our long-term vision and have supported us even through financial losses and challenges like the Covid-19 lockdowns.
We continue to expand the brand’s year-round activities to maintain momentum and stay relevant.
What trends do you think we will see play out in the next few years at festivals?
I’m noticing that younger audiences have a more mature approach to festivals; it’s no longer just about the music and drinking as much as possible. They’re looking for a wider experience. There’s a need for festivals to incorporate more activities that appeal to this mindset. I believe we’ll see more festivals providing diverse, alcohol-free options, and broader entertainment outside of music.
Additionally, the financial pressures of large-scale festivals might lead to more one-day events and smaller, more affordable options that families can enjoy without the high cost of multiday festivals – certainly something we are looking at.
“Our mission has always been to foster a sense of community, particularly around Americana and country music”
Can you share the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) measures you have in place at the festival to ensure it’s a welcoming place for everyone?
Inclusivity is a key part of Black Deer’s ethos. Our SupaJam Stage has been part of Black Deer since year one, is very personal to me, and is one way we embrace diversity.
It’s organised with neurodiverse students from three SupaJam colleges, who come from diverse backgrounds and have overcome significant personal challenges. These students gain hands-on experience in all aspects of production, and it’s become part of their curriculum. Black Deer strives to be welcoming for everyone, and we’re committed to creating more opportunities for young people who may not have access to traditional avenues in the industry.
What role do festivals play in the cultural landscape?
Festivals like Black Deer are cultural touchstones. They offer a shared space for people to come together around music, heritage, and a sense of belonging. Our mission has always been to foster a sense of community, particularly around Americana and country music, which isn’t always as visible in the mainstream. Festivals allow people to explore different genres, meet like-minded folks, and experience art in an immersive way. They’re critical to nurturing emerging artists and keeping these cultural traditions alive for new generations.
The third edition of the European Festival Report, from IQ and festival association Yourope, is available to read online for free.
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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2024, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, was published in December.
In this excerpt from this indispensable guide, EXIT Festival founder & director Dušan Kovačević discusses the festival’s independent status, the impact of rising costs, and the value of face-to-face gatherings for young populations.
How did things go at EXIT this summer?
The 2024 edition was a resounding success, filled with unforgettable moments and unmatched energy from everyone involved. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, reaffirming the unique spirit of EXIT.
This year’s event was packed with unforgettable moments. For me, seeing Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine performing live was a surreal experience. Their DNA is so closely aligned with EXIT’s spirit, and they’ve been on our wish list since the foundation of the festival. I even dove into the mosh pit during Killing in the Name – it was a moment I had been waiting for for 24 years!
Our legendary Dance Arena also lived up to its reputation, with electrifying performances from Carl Cox, Bonobo, and Black Coffee that kept the energy high all night. It was truly an amazing edition, and we’re excited to carry this momentum into our 25th anniversary next year.
“EXIT has been a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of their nationality, race, religion, or background”
What challenges does the festival industry face and how are you overcoming them?
The biggest challenge is undoubtedly the galloping inflation impacting every aspect of festival production. From artist fees and logistics to infrastructure and operational costs, prices have been rising sharply year after year, making it increasingly difficult to balance quality and sustainability.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an independent festival in the current landscape?
Being an independent festival gives us the creative freedom to design EXIT exactly as we envision it, without the pressure of reporting to investment funds or large corporations that now own most major festivals. This autonomy allows us to innovate, take risks, and focus on what truly matters, and not just Excel sheets. For example, had we not been independent, we would never have managed to become the first major festival in the world to take place after the pandemic in 2021.
However, operating as an independent also means navigating the complexities of the industry without the financial backing or infrastructure that larger corporate entities enjoy. In today’s landscape – marked by rising costs and increased competition – it can be challenging to maintain sustainability while continuing to grow.
That said, our independence allows us to stay agile and connect more authentically with our audience, which we believe is one of EXIT’s greatest strengths. It’s a balancing act, but our independence is also our identity – something we deeply cherish and will continue to embrace. I truly believe that independence will become one of the greatest advantages for festivals in the years to come, especially as younger generations increasingly value it.
“In an era dominated by digital interactions, festivals provide a rare space for people to engage face-to-face”
Can you share some of the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) measures or initiatives you have in place to ensure EXIT is welcoming for everyone?
Since its inception, EXIT has been a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of their nationality, race, religion, or background. EXIT played a pivotal role in the early 2000s, bringing together young people from the war-torn Balkan States for the first time in over a decade. This made EXIT a symbol of reconciliation, unity, and hope for a brighter future.
Mental health initiatives have been a core focus for years, as we firmly believe that festivals are vital for the mental well-being of young people – a fact that became especially evident during their absence throughout the pandemic.
We are particularly proud of the Life is Live campaign, launched in partnership with UNICEF in 2023. This initiative addresses mental health by identifying digital dependency as one of the most dangerous addictions facing today’s youth. It highlights the irreplaceable value of real live experiences and the importance of human connection.
In 2024, the campaign evolved to focus on the paradox of our hyperconnected yet increasingly lonely digital lives.
“Festivals like EXIT remain vital cultural touchstones”
What role do festivals play in people’s cultural lives?
Festivals play an immense role on many levels in our societies and have become an essential part of the cultural life of young people. However, if I had to highlight one key aspect, it would be their role as one of the few remaining massive social gatherings for young people. In an era dominated by digital interactions, festivals provide a rare space for people to engage in real, face-to-face experiences. These kinds of experiences are becoming increasingly rare, which is why festivals are more important than ever. They offer a space where people step away from their screens and immerse themselves in the present moment.
In a world where digital spaces dominate, festivals like EXIT remain vital cultural touchstones. They remind us of the irreplaceable value of live, human connection and the joy that comes from truly being present with others.
The third edition of the European Festival Report, from IQ and festival association Yourope, is available to read online for free.
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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2024, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, was published last month.
In this excerpt from this indispensable guide, Pukkelpop promoter Chokri Mahassine discusses speedy sell-outs, major challenges, sustainable choices and the integration of technology into the festival experience.
How was the festival season 2024 for you and Pukkelpop?
This year was a special one! Our combi-tickets (for the whole weekend) were sold out in 48 hours. Never in our history has this happened so fast. This led to a further rush on day tickets. We were used to spending months building a beautiful and well-thought-out promotional campaign, but suddenly, we were technically out of work – figuratively speaking. Something I hadn’t considered was that communication about the festival and the lineup would disappoint people who weren’t able to secure a ticket, instead of making those that did get one happy. Adjusting our communication to this conflict of interest was an interesting learning process.
The festival days were some of the best we’ve ever had: the energy of the crowd was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic, the weather was good, and the lineup, with Fred again.., Sam Smith, and Charlotte de Witte, was nearly perfect. It’s always great to see people of all ages coming to Pukkelpop to enjoy music, culture, and adventure together. Next year marks our 40th anniversary, and of course, we’re going to make something special out of that, too.
“Our combi-tickets were sold out in 48 hours… never in our history has this happened so fast”
What are some of the challenges you face as a festival organisation, and how do you try to address them?
Increasing costs, artist fees, production costs, and employment costs remain a major issue in our scene. Additionally, you have to keep evolving in terms of mobility, safety, and impact on the local community. First of all, we try to work more efficiently and to form strategic partnerships. We also frequently consult with other Belgian [competitor-colleagues] both large and small.
In addition, we continue to programme new and emerging artists to offer an adventurous lineup without being entirely dependent on the most expensive headliners. However, even starting bands nowadays cost a fortune. It’s a delicate balance, especially since this directly affects ticket prices.
What measures are you taking to promote sustainability at Pukkelpop, and why is this important to you?
Sustainability is embedded in Pukkelpop’s DNA. For years, we’ve been working on initiatives such as reducing waste and using green energy. This year, we became the first major festival in Belgium to run all generators, forklifts, and site buggies entirely on Blue Diesel 100. We introduced a new project focused on recycling party tents, and for many years, public transportation has been included in our tickets. This is something we are fully committed to.
As a festival, we want to have a positive impact not only on our visitors but also on the environment and the local community. Festivals have a responsibility to raise awareness and encourage sustainable choices. It’s essential that we take the lead and continue investing in sustainability.
“I see a further integration of technology into the festival experience, such as AI, augmented reality, and interactive elements”
What role do you think festivals play in the cultural landscape of Europe?
Festivals are more than just places to experience music; they are meeting points for different cultures, generations, and beliefs. Pukkelpop has always aimed for diversity and inclusivity, both on stage and in the audience. We want to inspire and connect people, and we try to do this by providing a diverse lineup that goes beyond just music. There is no shortage of good food and drinks; Pukkelpop is also a culinary experience. The cultural and economic impact of festivals is significant, and we are happy to contribute to strengthening that cultural dynamic in Belgium and in Europe.
What are the biggest changes you have observed in the festival world since the pandemic?
The pandemic has shocked the industry into action. There has been a shift in the behaviour of the audience: people, especially the younger generation, have become more selective about the events they attend. They want value for their money and are looking for unique experiences. For us, this means that we must remain creative and keep innovative, in terms of experience, sustainability, and of course regarding the lineup.
What trends do you think will be decisive for festivals in the coming years?
I see a further integration of technology into the festival experience, such as AI, augmented reality, and interactive elements that make the experience even more intense. Additionally, sustainability will be more important. Festivals that do not evolve will face difficulties. The focus on health and safety remains important; people want to feel safe at an event, and we should take care of that. Pukkelpop consolidates all support related to well-being and safety in a separate zone. We are available day and night for festivalgoers, crew, and artists. Finally, I believe that festivals will focus on inclusivity and diversity, both in the lineup and the audience.
The third edition of the European Festival Report, from IQ and festival association Yourope, is available to read online for free.
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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2024, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, was published last month.
In this excerpt from this indispensable guide, FKP Scorpio Germany team leads Janina Zeller and Karen Jessen review the 2024 summer season and discuss prevailing challenges, sustainability measures and DEI initiatives…
How was last summer’s festival season for you?
Speaking for the company, this season has been highly successful. On a personal level, it was filled with great memories and remarkable shows, both big and small. All but one of our summer open-air festivals sold out, which is quite an achievement considering the challenging times our industry is currently facing. The reactions from the crowds on-site, our post-festival surveys, and a record-breaking presale all indicate that our guests were very pleased with this year’s lineups.
On a more personal note, we’d like to emphasise that, beyond being a great place to spend time with our team, artists, and other partners, a festival also offers an opportunity for personal growth. You simply cannot anticipate every little detail; something always requires immediate attention, improvisation, and problem-solving skills. Still, after two challenging post-pandemic years, we consider ourselves fortunate to once again find enough time to observe how our guests were receiving the acts we curated. This reality check is always an integral part of our work.
Lastly, it’s noticeable that everyone we work with has regained the confidence we were used to seeing before the pandemic. After the turbulent 2022 season, filled with uncertainties, the industry has found its rhythm again. That’s great to see and very much needed for the trials ahead.
“We’re constantly striving to improve the gender balance of our lineups and have successfully increased female representation year after year”
What challenges does the festival industry face? And how are you aiming to address them?
The rising costs for virtually everything is a well-known issue across the industry, putting pressure on festival promoters because it’s no longer enough to simply be successful – you need to sell out to achieve any kind of margin.
In addition, we’re constantly striving to improve the gender balance of our lineups and have successfully increased female representation year after year. While we’re very happy with showcasing a not only musically diverse lineup, finding headline acts that fit our musical identity and play festivals in general, remains a challenge. That’s why we’re firm proponents of fostering female talent in all our business areas.
What trends do you think we will see play out in the next few years at festivals?
It doesn’t feel right to call sustainability a trend, but we’re glad to see that this topic has moved from the fringes of society to centre stage. When we started our sustainability programme for festivals in 2013, we were more or less alone. Today, our guests actively demand progress in this field, which more and more people finally recognise as the most vital challenge of our time. While any real impact on global climate change won’t be decided on in the live sector, our industry has the power to spark awareness. That’s why we’re giving NGOs a lot of space at our festivals, while also leading by example through the combined sustainability measures across all our events.
We also observe ongoing advancements in stage production. Many artists aim to enhance their music with art, effects, or a cohesive narrative, resulting in a more immersive concert experience for their fans. This is no small feat considering the short set-up times at festivals.
“Festivals remain crucial for a vibrant and diverse music scene”
Can you share some of the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) measures or initiatives you have in place to ensure the festival is a welcoming place for everyone?
As mentioned, more diversity on our stages is a vital measure in this regard, flanked by promotion of young talent through
our band contest Gamechanger. In regard to our guests, our Panama initiative makes festivals more accessible and welcoming for everyone. The core idea is that people who are feeling unwell or uncomfortable get immediate help without having to explain themselves. Furthermore, measures to improve accessibility are constantly being reviewed and developed.
What role do festivals play in the cultural landscape?
Festivals remain crucial for a vibrant and diverse music scene. For artists, they offer a chance to perform in front of large audiences who might not otherwise attend their concerts – yet. For fans, a well-curated festival is a great place to discover their next favourite band. As places for joyful discovery and open-mindedness, festivals play a pivotal role in the cultural landscape.
And speaking of open-mindedness, not only are festivals ideal places to leave worries and day-to-day life behind but they also constitute a unique forum for togetherness, which is sorely needed in a time that sees societies across the world becoming increasingly divided. We use this very consciously. For example, at this year’s instalment of Highfield Festival, we reminded attendees through various means that they should vote for democratic parties in the state election.
The third edition of the European Festival Report, from IQ and festival association Yourope, is available to read online for free.
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European festival organisers have named the continued rise in production costs their top concern for 2025 in the new European Festival Survey.
The third annual survey was included in the recently published European Festival Report 2024, the annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the festival scene.
More than 220 festivals have taken part in this latest European Festival Survey – the majority of which are multi-day festivals and more than 10 years old.
Of these respondents, the majority (67%) said they believe a ‘rise in production costs’ will be their biggest challenge in 2025, while just over half of respondents (55%) predicted that ‘booking artists’ will be their second-biggest challenge this year, and 40% named ‘selling tickets/attendance’ as the third.
The fourth-biggest concern among festival organisers was ‘extreme weather conditions’ (33%) and the fifth was sponsorship (21%).
According to the survey, these were also the three top concerns in 2024: rising production costs (71%), booking artists (49%), and selling tickets (35%).
Gadget Entertainment festival director Christof Huber used to book big acts like Muse and Depeche Mode for his events but told delegates at the European Festival Summit that “I think these times are over for us”, due to the rise in artist fees. Instead, he’s now targeting more affordable acts – in particular, mainland European acts, as UK and US artists are often too expensive and/or unavailable.
The majority of respondents said they believe a ‘rise in production costs’ will be their biggest challenge in 2025
Alter Art CEO Mikołaj Ziółkowski, who is behind major Polish festival Open’er, agreed. He said that because artists are getting so much from headline stadium and arena shows – and that the pricey tickets are dominating people’s leisure spend – festivals are having to compete.
“One of our biggest challenges is that it seems Gen Z likes stadium shows more than festivals, because they like the comforts available at concerts. But we’re also facing the fact that most of the big acts want to do shows with huge production, and often festivals can’t accommodate that. Plus, artists at headliner level want to have control over their own show, make more money, and have their own audience in front of them.”
Indeed, at IFF in London last September, agent Matt Bates of Primary Talent International said: “When you’re a huge artist nowadays, there’s a tendency to do your own thing, rather than performing at a festival, which would’ve been the norm ten to 15 years ago.”
What could give some comfort to promoters looking at their artist budget with trepidation is that according to a survey of over 7,000 fans carried out by festival platform Höme and YOUROPE, people prefer atmosphere over headliners. Some 85% said this was their primary reason for going to a festival, while 54% said that headliners were the main reason.
The fourth-biggest concern among festival organisers was weather. The increasing frequency of extreme events, such as the microburst that hit Slovakia’s Pohoda festival this year, means this is very much at the front of people’s minds.
Political issues were a key concern for 27% of people in 2022, 36% in 2023, and just 8% this year, while staffing was the main concern for 74% in 2022, 46% last year, and 4% in 2024. This
reflects the major challenges faced by festivals immediately after the pandemic, when thousands of experienced professionals left the industry, resulting in a staffing crisis.
Just over half of respondents predicted that ‘booking artists’ will be their second-biggest challenge this year
This has improved over time, as more people entered the business. Equally, supply chain issues were a concern for 55% immediately after Covid, 41% in 2023, and 3% in 2024, mirroring the improvement in this situation over time.
Tackling challenges
When it comes to overcoming challenges, just under half of events (46%) made changes last year. Many festivals sought to enhance their offerings by increasing capacity or introducing additional stages. One added a dedicated electronic music stage, catering to a younger demographic and attracting new sponsors. Another added an extra day.
On the flipside, some festivals had to make difficult cutbacks. For instance, one reduced the number of headline acts, opting for regional talent instead. By doing so, they not only lowered artist fees but also appealed to local audiences
Another festival removed its late-night programming to save on staffing and energy costs, with organisers noting that this change surprisingly did not affect overall satisfaction scores. Quite a few events reduced the number of days from three to two in order to reduce costs, although others decided to invest in more programming and additional stages. Many festivals said they proactively sought to book more of a gender-balanced lineup.
When it comes to 2025, fewer festivals (42%) said they planned to make changes. While many said the exact nature of these changes would depend on the situation this year, those that had specific plans included shifting programming focus to appeal to broader or more diverse audiences, such as expanding genres from niche styles to more mainstream music to drive ticket sales; introducing new ticketing models, such as discounted youth tickets to attract younger audiences; and plans to add stages or improve stage layouts for a better audience experience.
When it comes to 2025, 42% of festivals said they planned to make changes including shifting programming focus to appeal to broader
Volunteers are the lifeblood of many festivals, with 76% saying they are able to engage such workers. Volunteers often exchange their time for free festival passes, making it an attractive option for many people. However, 24% of festivals are not allowed to have volunteers on-site – a significant number when you consider the cost of staffing.
When it comes to the environment, 77% of festivals said they plan to become climate-neutral in the future.
The full European Festival Survey can be read here.
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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2024, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, is out now.
The third edition of the annual publication from IQ and festival association Yourope, the EFR is available to read online for free.
This indispensable guide to the European festival business includes discussion of the most pressing issues, analysis of challenges for 2024, priorities for the future, and key information on health, safety and sustainability.
With insights from promoters of festivals of all sizes and across the sector, this is the most up-to-date guide to a fundamental part of European cultural life.
“We are in the midst of a period of significant change for festivals,” says European Festival Report editor James Drury. “Audience behaviour and demands, especially among younger attendees, are changing rapidly; the continuing rise of stadium shows; inflation across the board while ticket prices have to be kept under control; headliner fees rising to near unaffordable levels – are all signs that this is a time of transition. Yet, as futurologist Max Thinius told the European Festival Summit (EFS) in Karlsruhe this November: ‘The future doesn’t just happen – we shape it’.
“We are in the midst of a period of significant change for festivals”
“So, this third edition of the European Festival Report will again share information and inspiration that will demonstrate the power of working together in these changing times. This year, we have a special focus on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). There are pages packed with information about how you can ensure your events are welcoming to everyone, plus links to even more advice online. Attracting more diverse audiences and broader lineups is not only commercially sensible but also the right thing to do. As Thinius advised the EFC delegation, ‘Don’t just think, ‘How can I make my festival future-proof?’ also think, ‘How can I positively shape the future for others with my festival?’”
The European Festival Report 2024 contains:
The European Festival Report is a project of Future Fit Festivals, co-funded by the EU.
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With Covid in the rear-view mirror, the festival season 2023 was looked forward to with excitement. The European summer saw millions of fans create lifelong memories in fields, but numerous challenges remained. In this opening chapter from the latest European Festival Report, we analyse how the year shaped up…
The 2023 festival season was a massive improvement on 2022’s post-Covid rush when some markets still fell foul of lingering restrictions. As we’ll see later, 64% of festivals sold more than 80% of their tickets, with 21% of festivals telling us their ticket sales were “much better” than last year.
Many events saw record ticket sales. Promoted by Live Nation-owned Luger, Swedish festival Way Out West reported its highest attendance yet, with 55,000 fans flocking to this year’s edition. Luger’s Natalie Ryan-Williams said: “This edition was really special to us, and we ended up with a new attendance record, having the most attended day in the history of the festival on the final day.
“We are very happy to find that even in a time of financial difficulty, the audience – which includes a younger generation finding their way to us – seems to want to prioritise coming to the festival, and for that, we are very thankful.”
And in France, 126,000 people flocked to Arras for Live Nation’s Main Square Festival. “If it took more than a year of hard work, we are happy and grateful to have been able to live these moments with you,” organisers of the event – which marks its 20th anniversary in 2024 – told fans. Dutch festivals Down The Rabbit Hole and Lowlands sold out at impressive speeds.
Fellow French festival Lollapalooza Paris extended to three days in July and celebrated with Stray Kids, one of the first K-pop bands to headline a major European festival.
Norway’s Tons of Rock sold a record-breaking 100,000 tickets in 2023 and won an industry award for Best Commercial Partnership for its collaboration with the Norwegian postal service, which enabled festivalgoers to mail home all the merch they bought at the festival instead of carrying it with them. Lollapalooza Berlin became the first German festival to get accredited to sustainability standard ISO 20121, delivering a lineup with more than 50% female acts. And the company launched a new two-day electronic music event, U Nation, during Pride Week in Helsinki. The festival promotes diversity, inclusion, environmental sustainability, unity, and responsibility.
“DEAG’s festival segment is showing fantastic growth across all genres of music in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland”
As Europe’s second-largest festival promoter after Live Nation, Superstruct also saw its share of successes. Among them were Sziget, which marked its 30th anniversary this year with another sold-out event, including welcoming its 10 millionth visitor. Sónar in Barcelona marked its 30th anniversary with more than 120,000 attendees, 32% of whom came from 100 countries outside of Spain; and Germany’s largest dance festival, Parookaville, sold out all 225,000 tickets to its seventh edition. The company’s ID&T brand marked the third decade of Dutch dance event Mysteryland with the announcement that 80% of the festival’s power consumption came from green grid power, with the remaining 20% from other sustainably produced sources.
Germany-based multinational DEAG expected to notch up a record number of visitors to its festivals this summer, with crowds expected to pass 800,000 across its core markets of Germany, the UK & Ireland, and Switzerland.
“DEAG’s festival segment is showing fantastic growth across all genres of music in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland,” said DEAG CEO Peter Schwenkow. “The outstanding response from audiences points the way for us to new formats, new locations, and a gratifying further development of this extremely interesting music festival field.”
In the UK, AEG Presents-promoted BST Hyde Park’s tenth anniversary edition saw its biggest ticket sales ever. Headlined by Guns N’ Roses, Take That, Blackpink, Billy Joel, and Lana Del Rey – plus two nights each from P!nk, and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, the event sold around 550,000 tickets, topping the previous record of 530,000 set in 2022.
“I never thought I’d be able to say we sold more tickets than last year, but we sold more tickets than we’ve ever sold before. It’s incredible, everybody sold out,” said AEG Presents CEO of European festivals, Jim King.
And it wasn’t just the big festivals that saw success. In August, a string of Spanish festivals reported very positive attendance figures for 2023, including boutique event Festival Jardins Terramar, which welcomed 24,220 spectators across 12 days; Cap Roig Festival attracted 53,025 attendees across 23 dates for an overall occupancy rate of 94%; Mallorca Live’s Es Jardí concert series, staged from 16 June to 6 August, brought together 60,000 people over 23 nights; and the historic Porta Ferrada Festival in Sant Feliu de Guíxols celebrated its 61st edition on the Costa Brava with 73 concerts and close to 60,000 attendees from 30 June to 20 August. “We started […] with 11,000 spectators, and now, ten editions later, we are close to 60,000,” said executive director Sergi Roselló.
“We are still feeling the after-effects of the two pandemic years in many areas, especially in terms of price increases”
Italy’s Roma Summer Fest at the 3,000-cap Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone achieved record ticket sales and saw revenue increase 28% year-on-year to more than €8.5m from 153,000 ticket sales.
As well as record-breaking ticket sales, staff and crew are more experienced than last year and, at least in the main, back to their usual efficiencies. Logistics are not as complicated, and global headliners are combining tours with festival appearances once again. According to FKP Scorpio co-CEO Stephan Thanscheidt at the International Festival Forum in London in September, he’s relieved that people are having fun again after a hellish 2022. “Nobody had fun last year, so seeing people having fun organising such immense projects has been great.”
The CTS Eventim-owned company welcomed 35,000 people to its Highfield Festival, 25,000 to M’era Luna, 50,000 each to Hurricane and Southside, and 60,000 to Deichbrand.
“The enormous popularity is the nicest confirmation for us,” fellow co-CEO Folkert Koopmans told IQ Magazine. “We are still feeling the after-effects of the two pandemic years in many areas, especially in terms of price increases. And part of these costs, unfortunately, we have to pass on to the guests, even if we try to reduce this burden to a minimum. The fact that we have now organised successful festivals all around in the second year after the pandemic and that people have had a good time and trust us to offer them very special festival experiences again in 2024 makes us very happy.”
Yet, it was a year of mixed emotions. The industry is not yet “back to normal,” and while some festivals saw their best event ever as fans flocked to see their favourite artists, others had a torrid time.
So, what pressures does this vibrant summer business still face? We dug behind the numbers to look at some of the challenges that remain.
“We’re monitoring further developments very closely in view of the growing demands everywhere”
Production costs vs ticket prices
The most significant challenge facing festivals in 2023 was the massive rise in costs caused by issues relating to Covid and artists taking huge productions on the road.
As far back as May, FKP Scorpio co-CEO Koopmans warned of the impact of this issue and estimated that only 20% of events were profitable.
“The fact that we didn’t make any money with a sold-out Hurricane in 2022, but actually lost it, was also due to the fact that we had basically sold the tickets three years earlier,” he told German publication Kreiszeitung.de. “But since all festivals are now being overwhelmed by the costs, I believe that in the end, only 20% of them will still be making money. This problem was already indicated in 2016/17, but after corona it got particularly bad.
“Of course, like our other festivals, we don’t want to give up Hurricane because, ultimately, they are [all] important, they’re part of the portfolio and, in addition, they’re building up a lot of bands. But as I said, it’s a problem, and we’re monitoring further developments very closely in view of the growing demands everywhere.
“We’re struggling with it, trying to keep the costs under control. But it’s incredibly difficult. Of course, we also have an extremely high break-even point. And my company now earns money primarily from the big concerts, for example, from the Rolling Stones or Ed Sheeran.”
Fellow German promoter DreamHaus (Rock am Ring/Rock im Park) also said production costs were increasing in the region of 25-30% for this year’s festival season.
“We could lower the cost of the whole festival experience, but this would have a significant impact on the whole quality of it”
“There are not that many suppliers that can supply festivals of our size, so we’re also in a corner where we can take it or leave it,” said the company’s head of festival experience, Catharine Krämer. “We could lower the cost of the whole festival experience, but this would have a significant impact on the whole quality of it.”
At the IFF, which took place in September as the season closed, Thanscheidt reflected on his colleague’s earlier statement, noting that while the company had seen a successful year for festivals, “there’s a limit that a lot of fans would pay to attend festivals nowadays, so we’ve had to advertise better camping and VIP experiences to entice more people into coming.
“Keeping ticket prices under control while maintaining profit margins at the same time is proving extremely difficult right now.”
But what can be done about this rise in costs? At a time when people’s pockets are being hit by inflation, significant rises in ticket prices are not really an option for most events, whose audiences tend to be younger and therefore less able to afford 30% hikes in prices.
Interestingly, some festivals are finding ways to reduce ticket prices for those least able to afford them. At YOUROPE’s fifth European Festival Conference in Croatia in November, Artur Mendes from Portugal’s Boom festival shared that since 2002, his event has had a 10% allocation of “friendly price” or “guest country” tickets out of its total of 40,000 tickets.
A total of 500 tickets are given free to people from the guest country – which changes each edition and is selected based on places where income is significantly lower than average, while friendly price passes are for people on low incomes. The results of these initiatives mean that Boom’s audience comes from 169 countries, and only 20% of attendees are Portuguese. “Interestingly, we see that every time we have a guest country, the following edition there is more interest from those territories to buy tickets and work at the festival.”
“The massive number of open-air events made organisation and implementation considerably more difficult this summer”
Cancellations
This year saw a significant increase in the number of festival cancellations as rising costs and an audience struggling with inflation combined with disastrous effects.
In the UK, a study by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) in the first half of 2023 showed there were 600 music festivals held in the UK in 2019, but only 482 took place in 2023.
The organisation said the 19.7% decline included festivals that disappeared during the pandemic and those that tried to return in 2022 but either failed or took place but did not make it through to 2023.
Among the high-profile casualties across the continent this year was Download Germany, which was due to take place for the first time, featuring headliners Slipknot, Parkway Drive, Volbeat, and The Prodigy on 23 and 24 June.
“Despite the first-class lineup, the massive number of open-air events made organisation and implementation considerably more difficult this summer,” a statement from organisers, Live Nation GSA, said. “Unfortunately, the associated technical production obstacles proved to be insurmountable.”
In the Netherlands, what would have been the sixth edition of hip-hop festival Oh My! was called off in July, with organisers blaming “the cost-of-living crisis, increased production costs in general, and last-minute safety and crowd regulations we need to implement due to recent events in our industry.”
“After difficult years of pandemic and war in Europe, our festival concept, the public’s buying habits, and the industry in general have changed significantly”
Langelandsfestival, one of Denmark’s largest and longest-standing festivals, filed for bankruptcy in June after racking up debt in the millions. The event has taken place since 1991, but this year’s event was cancelled at the end of 2022 as organisers explained that they had made a huge investment in talent for that year’s 30th-anniversary event. The festival was subsequently unable to “sell the number of festival tickets that was crucial to ensure an acceptable festival economy.”
“After all the bills for 2022 are paid, the result is a large deficit in the millions,” read a statement.
And in August, Poland’s Fest Festival filed for bankruptcy after selling just 50% of the tickets available for its fourth edition.
Several mid-sized Norwegian festivals cancelled due to “skyrocketing” costs, including Beitostølen Live, a two-day festival in the south of the country. “After difficult years of pandemic and war in Europe, our festival concept, the public’s buying habits, and the industry in general have changed significantly,” said a statement. “With increasing competition, rising prices, demands for advance payment at all stages, failing ticket sales both this year and last year, less sponsorship income, and the absence of public financial support, the math, unfortunately, does not add up.”
Kadetten – a hip-hop festival launched in 2022 that featured Megan Thee Stallion, Central Cee, and Burna Boy – cancelled its 2023 edition earlier this year. “The cancellation comes solely from the costs of the artists and availability in 2023,” wrote Kadetten organisers. “The prices of everything have skyrocketed; in addition, the predictability for American artists has become a logistical nightmare with flights etc.”
Other festivals that cancelled include the 19-year-old Skral in Grimstad, Oslo Americana (and its sister events in Sweden), and Festival Imperium.
What effect will these cancellations have on consumer confidence? It’s yet to be seen whether the 2023 trend of buying tickets later than usual will continue into 2024, as some people wait to see whether an event will go ahead or not before committing.
“We’ll have normal summers in the future, but the probability of normal summers is decreasing”
Artist fees
One issue that will be familiar to many festival organisers this year is the rise in artist fees. Acts are facing the same rise in production costs as everyone else, meaning they have to increase fees to balance the tour books. There’s also a suspicion among some in the industry that after years of no live income due to Covid, some are seeking to make up lost revenue.
Adding to this, the strength of the dollar makes artists coming from the USA more expensive to book. Some American acts are deciding that it makes more financial sense to stay at home than come to Europe.
This all combines to make the job of a booker harder than ever. As Walter Hoeijmakers from Dutch festival Roadburn tells us: “We’ve seen the main bands or the headliners are asking for way more money, to the point that we can’t afford certain bands.”
Weather
At the European Festival Conference, a presentation by professor Robert Lončarić of Zadar University threw into sharp focus the challenges climate change is bringing to festivals across Europe.
One slide showed the huge rise in the number of “extreme weather events” in 2010 compared with 2023, and it drew gasps from the audience.
“We’ll have normal summers in the future, but the probability of normal summers is decreasing. And continental areas of Europe are in the most danger of extreme hazard events,” Lončarić said, advising organisers to “have a meteorologist on speed dial.”
One of the most prominent festivals affected by the weather in 2023 was Germany’s Wacken Open Air, which was forced to deny entry to around 25,000 ticketholders after adverse weather conditions left the site “looking like Mordor from the Lord of the Rings movies,” Wacken’s head booker Jan Quiel told the IFF in London. “It was heart-breaking having to send so many people home. That was even worse than having to cancel due to Covid. We also incurred a heavy financial loss due to the additional costs we paid to have an extra campground to host more shows.”
“Of the 40 days of pre-production, it rained on 35, which caused all the bus and car spaces to be flooded, and the mobility plan was not what we originally planned”
The Superstruct-backed festival’s co-founder, Thomas Jensen, estimated the revenue shortfall caused by the capacity reduction to be in excess of €7m. The event subsequently rebounded and sold all 85,000 tickets for next year’s event in a record- breaking four-and-a-half hours.
The final day of Slovenia’s MetalDays was scrapped due to torrential rain and flash flooding in the area, and the 25,000-capacity, Superstruct-backed, UK festival Bluedot was forced to cancel its final day due to unprecedented rainfall. It has axed its 2024 edition to enable the ground to recover, say organisers.
The first day of Primavera Sound Madrid was cancelled due to persistent severe weather, while in July, Dutch festivals Awakenings, Bospop, and Wildeburg were cut short due to warnings of severe thunderstorms and hail. Primavera Sound director Alfonso Lanza told Spanish daily El Pais: “Of the 40 days of pre-production, it rained on 35, which caused all the bus and car spaces to be flooded, and the mobility plan was not what we originally planned.” There are no plans for the event to return to Madrid in 2024.
And it’s not just torrential rain festival organisers have to deal with. Last year, France’s Villa Pop Festival was cancelled due to fears over wildfires.
Festivals are turning to expensive measures to prevent weather from becoming an issue in the future. After seeing more rain in the three days leading up to the June 2022 edition of Austria’s Nova Rock than in the previous six months, this year, promoter Nova Music Entertainment (part of CTS Eventim’s Barracuda Music) spent €300,000 on renewed lawns and drainage, plus a new network of paths for arrival and departure. A new shuttle service was also in operation.
Attendance
Many people attend their first festival as a teenager – it is a rite of passage for young people across Europe and often the start of a long relationship with these events. But the Covid lockdowns meant many did not get to have this experience, and there is
concern among some organisers that there could be a “lost generation” of people who never get into the festival habit.
“Excel sheets are not the ultimate god of the festival; creativity and artistic expression are”
“Though 2022 brought about a lot of excitement with everything coming back to a semblance of normality, I’d say that there’s been a gap where we’ve seen a generation not accustomed to attending festivals due to the pandemic,” Pavla Slivova of Czech festival Colours of Ostrava told IFF. “In my opinion, there needs to be a change in marketing. What worked in 2019 or 2022 isn’t working this year, so we need to refocus our attention on what Gen Z finds attractive these days.”
Agent Alex Bruford of ATC agreed when it comes to thinking about what would appeal more to that particular demographic. “There were a number of festivals that struggled with attracting the Gen Z crowd, who aren’t gravitating towards more hedonistic activities than previous generations,” he said. “We need to have a collective think about what an actual festival means to them and what’s appealing and appropriate to today’s young people.”
Independents
In recent years, there have been many headlines about huge private equity-backed companies buying up festivals as consolidation in the industry grows. But there are still plenty of independents.
Among them is Serbia’s EXIT Festival, which started in 2000. EXIT boss Dušan Kovačević said: “The biggest challenge of remaining independent in 2023 is the increasing costs in the festival industry. Corporate-backed festivals often have substantial financial resources, more marketing power, and established connections that allow them to gain needed funding more easily in moments of crisis.
“Without the backing of major sponsors or investors, it can be challenging to maintain a sustainable business model and deliver a high-quality experience while keeping ticket prices fair.”
Nevertheless, Kovačević says the main benefit of remaining independent is “freedom.” “Independence allows us to think and grow beyond financial reports. Excel sheets are not the ultimate god of the festival; creativity and artistic expression are. This way, we get to cultivate the spirit of the festival that made it so magical in the first place.”
“Remaining an independent entity offers us the freedom to execute our creative vision without constraints”
In Belgium, promoter Greenhouse Talent bought Gent Jazz Festival after previous organiser – the non-profit Jazz en Muziek – went bankrupt at the end of 2022.
“Whenever festivals are taken over by bigger machines, they start to get streamlined and become a little bit samey. That is something we would like to avoid,” says Greenhouse boss Pascal Van De Velde. “We’re a very independent company. We don’t like to rely on bosses or structures that have goals not directly connected to promoting shows. We are concerts and festival-driven and to keep that purity is very important.”
Czechia’s Rock For People was founded in 1995 and has been independent ever since. “Remaining an independent entity offers us the freedom to execute our creative vision without constraints, enabling us to curate a unique and authentic experience for our attendees,” says co-founder of the 40,000-capacity event, David Nguyen.
Click here to read IQ Magazine’s article on ten key independent festivals in Europe.
War in Ukraine
Festivals across Europe continued to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, which started in February last year.
Music Saves UA is a fundraising initiative created by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events to provide humanitarian help in the country. This year, the organisation toured 20 festivals, 12 of which are YOUROPE members, raising money and awareness of the plight of residents and the live music industry in the war-torn country.
“We should use the power of our events, the power of our art, the power of anything to try to change the approach to Ukraine”
The festivals donated money to the cause by collecting deposit cups, recycling cans or bottles, selling charity merchandise, booking Ukrainian artists, asking for donations from guest list members, and more.
Festivals’ efforts raised €91,000 for the charity (74% of which came from YOUROPE members) this summer.
A particularly strong supporter of the plight of the Ukrainian people is Slovak promoter Michal Kaščák, who organises the 30,000-capacity Pohoda festival. He first visited his neighbouring country in December last year and said it was a transformative experience. Since then, he has integrated multiple Ukrainian elements into his festival; helped Ukrainian crew, artists, and musicians secure work at festivals and events around Europe; and performed with his band Bez Ladu A Skladu in the country.
And he urged festivals across Europe to do everything they can to help. “We should all speak more about it; we should use the power of our events, the power of our art, the power of anything to try to change the approach to Ukraine,” he told IQ Magazine.
“I’m afraid that people will come to the stage where we will think that the war is a normal part of our lives, as it’s not in our countries, it’s not so painful, and it’s not so horrible. But people in Ukraine dream about freedom. They can see absolutely clearly that it’s not a special war operation: it’s genocide – one country trying to destroy another nation.”
Making a positive impact
As well as creating marvellous memories for fans and bringing in millions of euros in investment to regions and countries, festivals do a significant amount of social good.
“Ruisrock exists to make the world a happier and a more joyful place, and we hope that our mission has been successful”
Whether through educating audiences about important issues such as equity, sustainability, or human rights; helping develop eco-friendly measures and technology; or investing in local communities, festivals make a major contribution to the planet. Hungary’s Sziget runs a scheme called the Love Revolution, which this year returned to the Main Stage to provide a ten-minute programme of presentations and short speeches during the breaks between changeovers, to raise awareness of social issues.
Since it was founded over two decades ago, Serbia’s EXIT has been behind many important projects, including Life Stream, in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme, the mass reforestation scheme Green R:Evolution, and a pioneering mental health programme.
Many festivals raised large sums of money for charity. Among them is Denmark’s Roskilde, which this year will distribute DK10m to associations and organisations that work with children and young people. Glastonbury famously gives £1m a year to charity shared between organisations including Oxfam, Greenpeace, and WaterAid, while for over 25 years, Festival Republic has supported the likes of Action Aid, Oxfam, and Child.org.
In summing up this year’s Ruisrock festival in Finland, head promoter Mikko Niemelä seemed to speak for all festivals: “Ruisrock exists to make the world a happier and a more joyful place, and we hope that our mission has been successful. This year, our festival was the most beautiful it has ever been, and for this, I want to thank our wonderful audience, artists, partners, and the whole festival team.”
The European Festival Report, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, is a project of Future Fit Festivals, co-funded by the EU. Read the second edition of the annual publication in full below.
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The European Festival Report (EFR) 2023, a packed annual summary of the biggest trends, happenings, and initiatives on the continent’s festival scene, is out now.
The second edition of the annual publication from IQ and festival association Yourope, the EFR is available to read online for free. This indispensable guide to the European festival business includes discussion of the most pressing issues, analysis of challenges for 2023, priorities for the future, and key information on health and safety and sustainability.
With insights from promoters of festivals of all sizes and across the sector, this is the most up-to-date guide to a fundamental part of European cultural life.
“Compared to the difficulties of 2022, when teams were rusty and the rush to bring this vital part of people’s cultural lives back put a huge strain on everyone involved, 2023 was massively improved,” says EFR editor James Drury. “Many promoters saw record ticket sales, staffing challenges were greatly reduced, bands were touring more widely, and travel and logistical problems had been solved. But there were still challenges.”
“Booking artists, selling tickets, and supply chain issues remain concerning”
The EFR contains:
“As we discover in the European Festival Survey, production costs have risen sharply, and at a time when audiences are struggling with inflation, passing all these costs on wasn’t feasible. Booking artists, selling tickets, and supply chain issues remain concerning,” adds Drury. “We’re not quite ‘back to normal’ just yet.
“In this edition, we have a particular focus on environmental sustainability, including a nine- page section packed with tips from festivals that are well-advanced on the journey to reduce their carbon footprints, advice from experts, practical examples, and links to a treasure trove of free resources.”
The European Festival Report is a project of Future Fit Festivals, co-funded by the EU. Read the report below.
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WE LOVE GREEN is a great example of what happens when a festival starts thinking about sustainability from the outset. As a self-proclaimed “laboratory for sustainable development solutions in the live entertainment and events industries,” everyone involved in the festival develops and tests eco-friendly solutions.
YOUROPE’s Katharina Weber talked to the festival’s head of sustainability Marianne Hocquard and head of engaged content Marie de La Giraudière to find out how WE LOVE GREEN successfully integrates all people involved with bringing the event to life, why it’s important to consider impacts beyond carbon emissions, and the advice they can give people who are new to sustainability.
How is WE LOVE GREEN’s ‘living laboratory’ approach incorporated into your everyday production life?
Marianne Hocquard: Sustainability is at the heart of our production. The sustainability work at WE LOVE GREEN is a collective effort, running through each department: management, production, partnerships, communication, artistic programming, and content management. It’s overseen by a dedicated team, which grows stronger every year. Starting with a sustainability coordinator at the festival’s creation in 2011, the sustainability department now has four people working year-round. This substantial payroll represents the festival’s primary expense related to sustainability and is the foremost indicator of its commitment. This is a significant specificity, particularly for a festival that is independent and associative.
What was the idea behind creating charters for all the different participant groups in your festival?
Marie de La Giraudière: Charters are essential: the production of the event involves a wide variety of stakeholders who are responsible for the setup, operation, and life of the festival. Organising and producing an event is a collective adventure. Since 2011, these charters have evolved to become more specific and suitable to the activities of each part of the festival. Today, there are charters for suppliers, artists, restaurants, volunteers, partners, and even festival-goers, who are required to sign their charter when buying tickets.
What’s in the charters?
MH: They contain the principles behind the festival’s policies, such as no single-use plastics, eco-certified products, waste sorting, water conservation, vegetarian catering, encouraging collaboration with local organisations, and so on. Beyond the charters, in 2023, we integrated binding sustainable development clauses directly into contracts: for example, clauses in artist contracts specifying maximum electrical power consumption in kWh per stage; and clauses in service provider contracts requiring them to complete the carbon assessment questionnaire to receive payment for their services after the festival.
How hard is it to get people to sign these requirements?
MH: Signing the charters happens quite naturally, primarily because our stakeholders are familiar with our festival and its commitments. Moreover, a charter remains a rather indicative document, without real contractual value, constraints, or obligations. However, the addition of contractual clauses led to more discussions; for example, the transition to 100% vegetarian artist catering, and the stipulations on maximum electrical power consumption or sound levels. But we are taking things gradually and provide comprehensive support, for example, by proposing production alternatives with less energy-intensive equipment and by developing vegetarian menus for restaurants with the creation of a specific recipe creation tool.
“Our carbon footprint has increased over the years due to the festival’s growth and the expansion of our calculation scope”
How has your carbon footprint developed over the years?
MH: Our carbon footprint has increased over the years due to the festival’s growth and the expansion of our calculation scope; for example, since 2022, we’ve been including festivalgoers’ accommodation in the calculation. A lack of complete data is also a critical factor because it leads to extrapolations, which can result in overestimations or underestimations of results. However, with comparable scopes in 2022 and 2023, the festival’s carbon footprint has decreased from 1,690 tonnes to approximately 800 tonnes CO2e, although the 2023 number isn’t final yet.
What led to this significant reduction?
MH: Primarily, it was about improved data collection. For example, in inputs, service providers’ freight, and artist travel, which limited extrapolations and overestimation, along with the shift to 100% vegetarian catering and a more domestic lineup attracting local audiences.
Why is it important to measure your carbon footprint?
MH: The carbon footprint is an accessible and proven monitoring tool for quantifying our carbon footprint, understanding it, and identifying areas for reduction. It allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of our actions by comparing results year-on-year. It’s a complex and time-consuming exercise as it requires collecting data from artists, suppliers, audience, and team, but this also means that it engages everyone in reducing their carbon impact. Still, it’s important to remember that a carbon footprint it is not comprehensive in assessing a festival’s total environmental impact. There is a need to complement it with other impact measurement tools.
One such complement would be the impact study on local biodiversity you did in 2022. What was the result?
MH: We conducted a preliminary small-scale study on our impact on biodiversity by targeting three bird species in collaboration with the League for the Protection of Birds. We found that the impact during the setup, which is related to the transport of materials, is just as significant as the impact during the event itself, which is related to sound and light peaks.
Are you planning any follow-up research to expand on this?
MH: Yes, we are planning an impact study that is unprecedented for an outdoor event and whose results we will turn into a practical guide for the industry. In partnership with the National Museum of Natural History, we will measure and objectively assess WE LOVE GREEN’s impact on the site’s wildlife and flora biodiversity and its surroundings over three years from autumn 2023. Protocols will be established to measure pressures and impacts on several animal and plant species, including counts, sound recordings, and GPS tracking. The project will also consider the positive impact of an outdoor event on reconnecting with nature.
“We collaborate with other European festivals to pool offers thereby creating a coherent tour routing while minimising distances between dates”
Do you have a no-fly policy or a no-private-jet policy for your acts?
MH: At the moment, it’s challenging for a festival of our size to mandate such requirements. However, we do a number of things to reduce artists’ travel footprint. We collaborate with other European festivals to pool offers thereby creating a coherent tour routing while minimising distances between dates. This year, we helped production teams to avoid air travel by proposing train alternatives, and we covered the costs of these journeys. Two artistic teams – a total of 20 people – chose the train over flying to or from the festival (one from Biarritz, the other to London). It’s a small victory that demonstrates that with guidance and explanation, we can achieve results and gradually change the habits of certain productions and artists.
How does your sustainability work affect your finances?
MdLG: We’ve calculated that sustainable energy, water, and dry-toilet choices in eco-responsible production cost the festival approximately 30% more than conventional providers and sometimes up to six times more for certain actions such as hosting committed associations and companies, supplying reusable tableware, diversifying the energy mix with solar panels and green hydrogen, having a year-round sustainability team, and so on.
Looking back at all the things you’ve tested over the years, what’s the craziest thing you’ve tried that still worked?
MdLG: The transition to 100% vegetarian this year, as the first major French festival to do so, was a challenge. We had to support the restaurants to offer a varied menu that might differ from their usual practices, and we also needed to ensure it was well-received by our diverse audience, artists, and teams. In the end, it went very well on both fronts, thanks to the dedication of our teams and the openness of festivalgoers to this topic. The operation was a success and will certainly be continued. This transition reduced the festival’s carbon food footprint by a factor of six compared to 2022, from 301 to 48 tonnes CO2e.
You also somehow manage to store the food of all 50 festival restaurants in only five refrigerated trucks…
MdGL: The logistics of that are definitely a challenge, but we have met it each year since 2017. This involves coordinating pickups from 50 different restaurants, managing the storage of their supplies while meeting operational requirements for speed, traceability, and security onsite. It’s a success that allows us to keep the impact of transportation and energy consumption in check in this aspect of production.
Was there anything you’ve tried that didn’t work at all?
MH: The adoption of compostable tableware for our public food court. These containers are meant to be composted or digested into methane. However, following an in-depth study involving the local authorities and several waste management providers, the festival’s teams realised that this wasn’t necessarily the case. The problem was that much so-called “compostable” tableware contains a layer of bioplastic (PLA) that degrades only over a very long time, hindering the compostability of the entire waste stream, so waste-processing platforms reject these containers. Also, most providers couldn’t handle the high volumes of waste produced at a large-scale festival. This is why we decided to supply reusable tableware instead.
“Don’t view sustainability as a constraint but as an opportunity to foster creativity and engagement for everyone”
Starting to work on sustainability can be hard because it’s such a huge field (if you’ll pardon the pun). What advice would you give festivals that don’t know where to start?
MH: 1. Start by making a ‘state of play’ of your festival, its practices, and note what could be considered an initiative related to sustainability. 2. Identify initiatives to enhance the festival’s sustainability and prioritise them. Keep in mind that you can’t do everything all at once; take a gradual approach by focusing on one or two areas and one or two actions each year. 3. Implement performance tracking and monitoring indicators for these actions. 4. Establish a dialogue process among the different festival teams to address sticking points and potential areas for improvement. 5. Above all, don’t view sustainability as a constraint but as an opportunity to foster creativity and engagement for everyone.
How can the small number of sustainability trailblazers in Europe help reach the large majority of festivals?
MdLG: By establishing methods, guidelines, and sharing acquired information and experiences, all while being supported by public authorities. This collaborative approach is at the forefront of sustainable festival development. At every opportunity, we share our experiences during conferences and professional events, both in France and internationally. Naturally, we respond to direct requests for information and guidance. Due to the increasing demand, we are currently developing specialised training modules for festivals and events looking to embark on the path of sustainability.
Would more regulations help or hinder sustainable development?
MdLG: We believe it is crucial for public authorities to take a proactive stance on this issue by implementing incentive mechanisms and even introducing eco-conditionality for financial support.
What’s WE LOVE GREEN’s next big target in sustainability?
MH: We already mentioned the biodiversity study, which will be the central focus of our eco-responsibility efforts for our next edition. In parallel, we will measure our festival’s impact on biodiversity at a global level. Just as we translate our impacts into CO2e emissions, we aim to provide translations in terms of biodiversity. For example, the shift to 100% vegetarian food has implications not only in terms of reducing CO2 emissions but also in preserving wildlife and flora, as well as preventing soil degradation. To date, these calculations do not exist in the event industry, and we aim to develop them.
This interview appears in the European Festival Report 2023, out this month.
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Last year saw the return of festivals across Europe after the pandemic break. And it was a comeback full of excitement and joy – but also many challenges in what some are describing as the toughest year to date. In this feature from the European Festival Report, we look back at some of the themes that dominated summer 2022.
When live concerts returned after the lockdowns, there were predictions of “the roaring twenties,” as music-starved fans flocked to see their favourite artists once more. But by the beginning of the festival season this year, that bullishness was being tempered by loud notes of caution.
At May’s ILMC in London, DF Concerts CEO Geoff Ellis, whose company runs Scotland’s TRNSMT festival, correctly predicted some of the themes that would come to dominate the summer: increasing costs, exacerbated by supply chain and staffing issues.
“In the UK, costs are going up at least 25% from 2019 prices, which is really difficult,” he said. “And it’s the scarcity of kit as well, so stages, barriers – we’re having to beg, borrow, and steal barriers from different arenas because there are so many shows on. There are shows that have moved from 2020 and didn’t happen in ’21, all happening, plus the festivals, plus the outdoor business that would have taken place in ’22.
“Also, staff – lots of stewards left the industry during the pandemic. Lots of sporting events are taking certainly the high-end toilets, maybe not the actual Portaloos but the flushable toilets and trailers, so that’s a real challenge.”
And he noted that simply putting up prices to cover these additional costs this year wasn’t an option, coming off the back of the loyalty of people who held their tickets for years and with a cost-of-living crisis already biting.
So, here’s a round-up of how things worked out this year.
High production costs, low staff availability
One of the most significant challenges of 2022 was the massive increase in costs for production. Issues associated with Covid and Brexit and longstanding problems of low pay and long hours, finally came home to roost. There just weren’t enough crew, security, drivers, trucks, staging, toilets, and everything else needed to fulfil all the concerts that were held over during the lockdowns as well as fulfil the festival season.
One of the earliest casualties was Belgium’s 25,000-capacity Rock Werchter Encore, which was called off just a month after being launched, due to “high production costs, staff shortages, and low consumer confidence.”
Typically, festival companies reacted with pragmatism. As an example, Mojo Concerts in the Netherlands launched a new website to advertise the hundreds of festival jobs available, in a collaboration with partner companies operating within the sector. The platform included full-time, part-time, and flexible posts in roles such as security, medical services, production, office, hospitality, cleaning, and tech.
Many of the employers listed on the website worked with festivals including Lowlands, Pinkpop, NN North Sea Jazz, Down The Rabbit Hole, and WOO HAH! x Rolling Loud.
“We’ve all been hit with price increases, with logistical problems, with lack of security, lack of stagehands, lack of riggers, lack of materials”
The severity of the crisis was seen across Europe, including at one French festival where it was reported that a headliner almost pulled out because the staging equipment was delivered so late that it almost wasn’t complete by the time the event was due to open.
As the season drew to a close, Detlef Kornett of Germany-based, Europe-wide promoter DEAG, reflected: “We’ve all been hit with price increases, with logistical problems, with lack of security, lack of stagehands, lack of riggers, lack of materials,” he told the International Festival Forum conference in September. “But I found this year particularly challenging, hearing and experiencing all the stories of our long-term suppliers being in the dark.
“For some of the festivals, the price increases could not be captured because we’d already sold the tickets [in 2020]. So, our results have not been as we wanted them to be, but generally, we felt lucky because we could stage our events. We were not hit by weather; we didn’t have to shut down because we couldn’t get security. Our long-term suppliers across the group worked with us. So, we somehow got there but how, at times, you can only talk about at night when nobody’s listening.”
The problems were Europe-wide, as Federico Rasetti from Italian live music industry association KeepOn Live explains: “As well as the staff shortages, we saw a significant growth in the number of festivals – there were a lot of independent festivals in Italy, some of them less than 50 kilometres away from each other, which increased competition for artists on line-ups.
“We saw a great return to live events as people wanted to go out again, but there were too many events.”
He adds that worries about inflation meant that spend at festivals was down this summer.
The spectre of Covid
While 2022 was the first year back for most festivals, any notion of the world being “post-Covid” was quickly disavowed as many festivals saw artists being forced to pull out due to illness. Spain’s Primavera is one of the first major events of the season, and although it was a resounding success – seeing more than 400 artists perform across two weekends in June and attracting nearly half a million people – The Strokes, Bleachers, Bikini Kill, Clairo, Holly Humberstone, Pink Pantheress, and Massive Attack were among the acts forced to pull out due to health issues. Covid also hit a significant number of the event’s hospitality team, leading to problems in the first weekend, including large queues for bars. However, as the company’s Marta Pallarès reflected afterwards:
“I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed so much love from the artists – everyone was thrilled [to be back]. Everyone was saying this was the best show they’ve played.”
“Like many other businesses in our industry, due to Covid our landscape has changed, and to stay ahead we have had to adapt and be agile. It’s been a very tough few years”
Issues caused by Covid continued to have an impact on many company finances. The UK’s largest independent festival, Boomtown (76,999-cap), sold a 45% stake to Live Nation, Gaiety, and SJM Concerts. “Like many other businesses in our industry, due to Covid our landscape has changed, and to stay ahead we have had to adapt and be agile. It’s been a very tough few years,” said the festival founders in a statement. “One of the decisions we came to in the last few months, as a direct result of the rising costs in staging such an epic and complex show, was to seek investment.”
There was also consolidation across Europe.
Live Nation GSA acquired a majority stake in Berlin-headquartered festival, booking, and services agency Goodlive, which runs festivals including Melt!, Splash!, Full Force, Heroes, and Superbloom. Backed by venture capital money, live giant Superstruct Entertainment bought stakes in professional action sport and music festival Nass (30,000-cap), run by Vision Nine, and Blue Dot (25,000-cap), both in the UK. And Warner Music Poland bought a minority stake in Big Idea, one of Poland’s leading concert and festival promoters.
Event discovery and booking platform Festicket collapsed in September, owing more than £22.5m. Many festivals were among the creditors, some of whom were owed millions. While the assets were bought by ticket exchange Lyte, so the businesses continued, many events remain uncertain about the cash they’re owed.
UK-based music, travel, and experiences start-up Pollen also went into administration, citing “turbulent trading conditions of the company’s subsidiaries as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.” It owed £75m to investors.
The European music industry stood in solidarity with the people of Ukraine when Putin’s Russia invaded in February 2022
War in Ukraine
The European music industry stood in solidarity with the people of Ukraine when Putin’s Russia invaded in February 2022.
Among the support from festival organisers was Czech Republic’s Rock for People, which built a small village for refugees on its site, aided by donations. And the festival site where Dutch festivals Lowlands and Defqon. 1 are held each year was turned into a shelter for more than 1,000 refugees.
Many other events helped by raising money for Music Saves UA, a fundraising initiative created by the Ukrainian Association of Music Events to provide humanitarian help in the country. The European Metal Festival Alliance, made up of 13 festivals from across the continent, created a “Metal United” charity shirt, with all proceeds bring donated to the non-profit organisation. Contributing events were Bloodstock (UK), Alcatraz (Belgium), Art Mania (Romania), Brutal Assault (Czech Republic), Dynamo (Netherlands), Into The Grave (Netherlands), Leyendas del Rock (Spain), Metal Days (Slovenia), Midgardsblot (Norway), Motocultor (France), Party.San (Germany), Resurrection (Spain), and Summer Breeze (Germany).
Barracuda Music, the organiser of Austrian festivals Frequency and Nova Rock, ran a 40,000-capacity charity concert in Vienna, raising €1m, which was matched by the Austrian government. The money was donated to charities Volkshilfe and Nachbar in Not.
Romanian festivals Electric Castle, Jazz in the Park, and Untold supported the humanitarian movement Un Singur Cluj to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees by selling solidarity tickets.
Having a border with Ukraine, Slovakian festival Pohoda organised a charity concert on Bratislava’s main square, which was streamed on YouTube, with recommendations for charities to support. Festival CEO Michal Kaščák also called for a Ukrainian music quota in Slovakia, to support musicians.
And YOUROPE members including Finland’s Ilosaarirock and Flow festivals, OpenAir St. Gallen (Switzerland), Off Festival (Poland) and Way Out West (Sweden) supported a variety of charities working in Ukraine by donating a share of their ticket sales.
The weather (of course!)
Taking place mainly outdoors, a key talking point is always the weather. As Europe saw record-breaking heatwaves and severe weather incidents, our events are among those at the sharp end of climate change.
In June, 40,000 people were evacuated from French festival We Love Green after violent storms forced organisers to cancel its Saturday evening programme. The same month, Eurockéennes de Belfort cancelled its Thursday and Friday evenings following a major storm, which saw seven people injured, according to French daily Le Figaro. The following two days went ahead as planned, with 60,000 people in total.
The heatwave across Europe led to local government officials in France banning outdoor events over one particularly hot weekend. Among those affected was the 10,000-capacity Freemusic Festival, which was forced to cancel at the last minute.
“We are so happy to be back doing what we love and seeing music fans experiencing these great shows”
It’s not all doom and gloom
Despite the issues above, there was also much to smile about this summer. Anyone attending a festival this year couldn’t have failed to notice the sheer joy and exuberance of everyone involved. Performers enthused from stages across Europe at how happy they were to be back, and audiences roared their agreement. Plenty of festivals sold out, including BST Hyde Park in London, from where AEG European Festivals CEO Jim King said: “Like everyone in the festival business and across live music, we are so happy to be back doing what we love and seeing music fans experiencing these great shows. The calibre of artists we have had in Hyde Park was incredible, with so many outstanding performances. The demand for tickets was huge, and we are very proud to have sold out the series.”
And Live Nation Belgium CEO and Rock Werchter founder Herman Schueremans said this summer was a “happy rebirth of festivals after two years of Covid,” describing this year as “even better than 2019,” with his flagship event selling all 66,000 combi-tickets and 80,000 one-day tickets by early February – months earlier than usual. Fellow festivals Werchter Boutique and TW Classic also sold out at 60,000-capacity each, and after increasing capacity by 2,000 to 52,000, Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel also was fully booked.
Selling 20,000 tickets, Latvian festival Positivus saw its largest audience “in years,” after relocating from a small beach town to the capital Riga, said CEO Girts Majors.
And the positive experience this year has led to record-breaking sales for 2023 at events such as Wacken Open Air (Germany), Glastonbury (UK), and others.
“Independent festivals are a key part of the music landscape. The economic sustainability of these kinds of events is really important because they bring culture and freedom of expression”
Independent festivals also were delighted to be back. As Rasetti from KeepOn Live notes: “Independent festivals are a key part of the music landscape because they not only are an opportunity for the local area, as many people don’t travel far to see artists, but the economic sustainability of these kinds of events is really important because they bring culture and freedom of expression across Italy. It means they bring music to rural areas not just the big cities. They’re also key for artist development.”
New festivals launched, too – demonstrating a level of confidence in this dynamic sector. Among them was Superbloom in Munich, Tempelhof Sounds in Berlin , and dance music brand Ultra Worldwide, which opened an edition in Spain – Ultra Beach Costa del Sol. Tomorrowland and Rock Werchter partnered for Core – a two-day boutique event in Brussels, while House of Fun and Last Tour – the company behind events such as Bilbao BBK Live, Azkena Rock Festival, Cala Mijas, and BIME Live – launched MEO Kalorama (cap. 40,000) in Lisbon.
Farewell to a godfather of the festival industry
Just before headliner Pearl Jam took to the stage at Pinkpop – one of the longest-running festivals in the world – 60,000 fans witnessed a historic moment. Jan Smeets, godfather of the European festival scene and founder of Pinkpop in 1970, said goodbye – or, more accurately for this Dutch stalwart – tot ziens. His team arranged a heart-warming farewell on the main stage of the festival, and the crowd waved “Mr Pinkpop” off into retirement with cheers after he’d spent more than five decades as head of the festival.
The work of the 77-year-old is undisputedly trendsetting, has inspired countless festivals, and was celebrated with numerous awards, including the first Lifetime Achievement Award at the European Festival Awards 2009 and the Dutch Order of Orange- Nassau. His legacy will undoubtedly remain in the future, while Smeets lives up to his long-time motto: “Keep on rocking in the free world.”
“Why shouldn’t we use this crisis as an opportunity to fix systemic issues – that are more deep-rooted and insidious than a virus – instead of as an excuse?”
Diversity
The enforced hiatus could have seen a slowdown in progress being made on diversifying line-ups. And it remains a mixed picture. While some festivals are achieving gender balance on their bills, the European Festival Survey (see pages 15-22) indicates that the average proportion of female artists performing at festivals this year was 32%. However, addressing this remains a high priority – coming in as the third most important pressing issue in our survey. As Primavera’s Marta Pallarès wrote in IQ last year: “Why shouldn’t we use this crisis as an opportunity to fix systemic issues – that are more deep-rooted and insidious than a virus – instead of as an excuse?”
Ensuring the future of festivals – and the planet
In other good news, the challenges of 2022 didn’t dampen festivals’ resolve to become climate neutral. As we see from the European Festival Survey 2022, 86% of events who responded said they plan to reach this goal. Many have made significant reductions in their fuel usage, shifted to environmentally friendly power options, or are using energy-efficient technologies, plus there have been big changes to food and drink offers, leaning towards plant-based produce and locally sourced ingredients.
So, how did it end up?
The first ‘proper’ year back after Covid-19 was a story of stormy challenges and bright, shining joy. Many teams will be left feeling exhausted but delighted to be back doing what they love after the enforced break.
Many will share the sentiments of Martin Wacker, managing director of KME, which produces DAS FEST in Germany, who summed up the experience this year: “We are proud and grateful that we were able to break even despite the adverse circumstances. DAS FEST 2022 cost around €4m. That’s a good 30% more than before Corona. We could only break even with great efforts and savings from everyone. The great solidarity of the DAS FEST family and the good beverage sales also played a part in this. A big thank you also goes to our long-standing sponsors, service providers, and partners, who have supported beyond the usual and made some things possible at short notice.”
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