Yourope has secured EU funding for a follow-up initiative after wrapping up its Future-Fit Festivals (3F) project after three years.

Via the 3F scheme, the European festival association has advocated for the sector while releasing free guides and toolkits such as the European Green Festival Roadmap 2030, the Diversity & Inclusion Toolset, the Festivals for Ukraine Toolkit and the 3F Safety Report. It has also delivered training events and other activities.

Its most important work is highlighted in its summary publication, which has been translated into Spanish, French, Chinese and Arabic to make 3F’s learnings accessible to festival promoters far and wide.

“3F marked a turning point for Yourope,” says the organisation’s general secretary Holger Jan Schmidt. “After more than 20 years of existence and groundbreaking achievements, we applied for European funding in the middle of the pandemic for the first time.

“The Network Support of the Creative Europe Program offered the opportunity to expand on what had been achieved so far, to put it on a more solid foundation and, in addition, to supplement it with new, complementary activities in order to consolidate and strengthen the scope of the association.

“Let’s not kid ourselves: no two festivals are the same, and in many areas, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We cannot credibly set a standard for future-fitness. What we can do, however, is provide the thousands upon thousands of brave, creative and enthusiastic festival makers with tools and knowledge that will help them to confidently master the process of moving into the future. After three years, I feel that Yourope has come closer to this goal.”

“The confirmation of the EU funding for 3F’s successor project is a significant recognition of the quality and relevance of the achievements made”

Having secured EU funding for its follow-up project 3F 2.0 for another four years, Yourope plans to continue its regular events such as the European Festival Conference, workshops and seminars, the European Festival Awards, the promoters’ survey, and the European Festival Report.

New publications and activities are also in the offing including the Extreme Weather Toolbox, the Fair Ticketing Guide in collaboration with the Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), the Green Festival Navigator Tool (2027) and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Roadmap.

“We speak for and especially with festivals of all kinds – from boutique to major – in all of Europe,” adds Schmidt. “We help outsiders understand our sometimes crazy industry and we help to ensure that the magical moments that we all love so much can continue to be created!

“The confirmation of the EU funding for 3F’s successor project is a significant recognition of the quality and relevance of the achievements made. Therefore, while wrapping up 3F, we have already started 3F 2.0, continuing the great work and developing new tools and guidance on additional focus topics, such as fair ticketing, extreme weather, and resistance to new threats, be they political, economic, or societal.”

Yourope’s next events are the 11th GO Group workshop in Roskilde, Denmark, from 7-8 April, and the sixth European Festival Conference in Évora, Portugal, from 18-21 November.

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Key challenges facing the European festival industry, the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence (AI), environmental sustainability, Gen Z engagement, and the transformative power of festivals were among the agenda items at the European Festival Summit in Karlsruhe, Germany, this week.

The conference, organised by the European festivals association Yourope in partnership with Karlsruhe Marketing and Event, attracted 200 participants from over 20 countries, including the USA and South Africa.

Futurologist Max Thinius opened the summit by urging festival organisers to think beyond the immediate logistics of staging events and to embrace their power to shape society. “The future doesn’t just happen; we shape it,” he said, encouraging festivals to act as agents of positive change.

The panel, A Wild 60 Minutes On The Future, also heard from Yourope chairman Christof Huber of Swiss promoter Gadget Entertainment, which is behind OpenAir St. Gallen, among others. He emphasised the importance of individuality and cautioned against “copycat” festival formats that fail to connect with audiences. Primavera Sound’s Marta Pallares echoed this, noting that diversity in programming and ethos can re-energise organisers and ensure events remain relevant in a saturated market.

A survey conducted by the festival platform Höme in association with Yourope, presented by Isabel Roudsarabi, revealed key insights from 7,000 respondents across 46 countries. While atmosphere remained the top attraction for festival-goers (85%), sustainability and accessibility were highlighted as areas requiring improvement. Although 87% of fans supported sustainable initiatives, only 29% expressed willingness to take personal responsibility for greener practices.

The survey also revealed accessibility shortcomings, with satisfaction rates ranging from just 5-16% for services aimed at disabled and neurodivergent attendees. The full results of Höme’s survey will be published in the forthcoming European Festival Report.

“We are at a paradigm shift in terms of festival economics, the type of workers we have and the people who come”

In a session focused on marketing to younger audiences, Julius Lutz of Promoplug explored the preferences of Gen Z, highlighting their dual online and offline lifestyles. He stressed the need for festivals to create “bold and real” narratives to engage this demographic effectively. Strategies such as working with micro-influencers, hosting creative online campaigns, and providing interactive content year-round were identified as critical for maintaining relevance.

According to Lutz, authenticity is key to success: “Festivals must offer genuine experiences while leveraging digital tools to amplify their message.” He encouraged organisers to embrace smaller creators, highlighting their ability to produce relatable content that resonates more deeply than slick, commercial campaigns.

In a panel moderated by IQ Magazine’s special projects editor James Drury, rising costs and other challenges were discussed. Arnaud Mersseman of Rock en Seine described the increasing complexity of securing headline acts due to escalating artist fees and production demands. “Our multi-stage, multi-genre model is in trouble,” he said, noting a growing audience preference for stadium and arena headline shows, which offer more home comforts. Mad Cool’s Cindy Castillo shared that her team doubled their marketing budget to sustain ticket sales. Meanwhile, Open’er Festival’s Mikolaj Ziolkowski said this was the time for promoters to invest and spend more on their festivals, in order to see them through the more difficult period, until brighter times returned.

EJ Encalarde, of New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in the USA summed up the challenges facing the business perfectly, saying: “We are at a paradigm shift in terms of festival economics, the type of workers we have and the people who come. We have to be the disruptors, to find a way to strip down the model we had for many years and go back to the meaning of why we’re producing the festivals.”

Environmental responsibility was another central theme. Mariana Macedo of Boom Festival showcased the event’s commitment to sustainability, which is underpinned by permaculture principles such as land regeneration and biodiversity preservation. “Festivals are a tool for human transformation and land regeneration,” she said, sharing examples of upcycling initiatives and eco-conscious infrastructure at Boom.

Elsewhere, Lowlands Festival director Eric van Eerdenburg reflected on 25 years at the helm of the Dutch event, sharing strategies for maintaining a festival’s unique identity amid industry shifts. He warned against the “McDonaldisation” of festivals, emphasising the importance of preserving local connections and individuality as key to long-term success.

“Anything that relies on IT can be attacked”

Denmark’s Roskilde Festival takes inspiration from the concept of “utopia” across its infrastructure and programming, according to the festival’s head of philanthropy, Kara Djurhuus. She described Roskilde as a place where trust, inclusion, and creativity converge.

With festivals increasingly reliant on digital systems, cybersecurity was another topic addressed at the summit. Experts from the German Federal Office for Information Security outlined threats such as ransomware attacks, data breaches, and technical sabotage. Organisers were urged to integrate cybersecurity measures into their operational plans and to prepare response strategies for potential incidents.

“Anything that relies on IT can be attacked,” warned cybersecurity expert Maike Vossen, highlighting the vulnerabilities of ticketing systems, payment platforms, and even social media accounts. Recommendations included regular software updates, staff training, and robust contingency plans.

In a session addressing extreme weather, Pohoda Festival manager Barbora Bodnárová shared how the Slovakian festival responded to a microburst storm earlier this year that forced the event to end a day early. Despite significant damage and cancellations, the team’s preparedness and the audience’s cooperation meant very few people were injured.

Meteorologist Professor Dr Michael Kunz highlighted the increasing frequency of severe convective storms due to climate change and urged organisers to implement robust weather plans. Insurance expert Tobias Grimm of Munich Re stressed the financial risks posed by extreme weather, noting that 2023 saw over $100bn in global natural disaster losses. He advocated for proactive risk management to safeguard the future of outdoor events.

“I am convinced that by tackling these challenges collectively rather than individually, we are far better equipped to succeed”

In a panel about the independent sector, IQ’s James Drury discussed the benefits and unique challenges facing this lively part of the industry with Achim Ostertag of Summer Breeze Open Air, Marie Sabot of We Love Green, Mikko Niemelä of Ruisrock, Pavla Slivova of Colours of Ostrava and Martin Wacker of Karlsruhe Marketing & Event and DAS FEST.

They covered issues such as why the festival organisers enjoy being independent – mainly the fact they can make their own decisions and are in control of their own destiny with no “big boss” above them; plus co-operating with multinationals; the different models of being independent; and the future of indies.

The European Festival Summit concluded with calls for innovation, collaboration, and a return to core values. “We need to stand together and support each other to create the change we need to see,” said Go Group’s Linnéa Svensson. Festival organisers were encouraged to prioritise unique identities, sustainable practices, and meaningful audience engagement to navigate the challenging times ahead.

“I am extremely pleased with how the European Festival Summit unfolded,” Yourope general secretary Holger Jan Schmidt told IQ afterwards. “In a time when festivals face immense challenges, we managed to bring 200 people together in Karlsruhe to discuss the future of our industry and to outline pathways for navigating it. We knew we had put together a strong programme, but from my personal experience and the outstanding feedback we received, I cannot praise our speakers enough for their brilliance.

“Together, we succeeded in reflecting on ourselves while also thinking beyond our own horizons – exploring what drives us, motivates us, holds us back, and what we fear. I am convinced that by tackling these challenges collectively rather than individually, we are far better equipped to succeed. This spirit of collaboration was palpable throughout the entire summit.

“A special thanks goes to the fantastic team in Karlsruhe, who not only created a wonderful setting for the Summit in their hometown but also continue to be the strong support ensuring the facilitation of our European project 3F – Future-Fit Festivals.”

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A range of industry figures have shared their sustainability priorities for the live music business to mark Earth Day 2024 – an annual event highlighting the importance of environmental protection.

While the sector continues to raise its game on green issues, there remains plenty of room for improvement. It was announced earlier this year that a comprehensive study of the live music industry’s carbon footprint is being conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and co-funded by Coldplay, Live Nation and Warner Music Group.

The report will suggest practical solutions to reduce the environmental impact of live music events “at every level,” from pubs and clubs to stadiums.

Last week, meanwhile, The O2 in London revealed that more than 545.9 tonnes of carbon were extracted across The 1975’s four headline concerts in February. The shows marked the world’s first carbon-removed arena events and took place in collaboration with carbon removal experts CUR8 and sustainable event specialists A Greener Future (AGF).

“This year is all about firming up our path to net zero,” AEG Europe director of sustainability Sam Booth tells IQ. “After the success of our recent pilot series of carbon removed arena events at The O2, we now need to undertake some detailed work around our general gas usage, as well as figuring out our approach to dealing with fan travel and continue working with brand partners to address the emissions of the products we sell in the arena.

“Education is also an incredibly important area of focus, so we’re rolling out training to all our employees to ensure they know how to make more sustainable choices in their day-to-day roles.”

“How sustainable we can be with our power, transport, water, food, etc, all depends on policies, legislation, taxes and subsidies that make better choices possible”

Elsewhere, in January, sustainability initiative Vision:2025 and Julie’s Bicycle launched a 12-month pilot with 10 local authorities to test how the Green Events Code of Practice (GECOP) can be used to embed sustainability within local authority processes.

“We’re all looking for a simple answer to the question: What does good look like?” Vision:2025 chair Chris Johnson, co-founder of the UK’s Shambala Festival, tells IQ. “Our priority for 2024 is to test the new Green Events Code of Practice with local authorities, and take steps toward establishing an acceptable minimum best practice for sustainability across the UK that promoters, supply chain and local authorities understand.”

AGF (A Greener Future) recently hailed “significant areas of improvement” in festival sustainability after surveying more than 40 European events. The sustainability not-for-profit released its Festival Sustainability Report, comprising data analysis on mobility, food & drink, water & sanitation, power & fuel use, waste & recycling, and carbon emissions at events on the continent.

“In 2024 the largest number of the global population will be called to vote,” says AGF co-founder Claire O’Neill, who organises the Green Events & Innovations Conference (GEI). “How sustainable we can be with our power, transport, water, food, etc, all depends on policies, legislation, taxes and subsidies that make better choices possible. We need to have governments in power who will understand and support a just transition to a green economy.

“In the UK, voters now have to use photo ID to vote, which is a hurdle for many. We’re supporting #JustVote24 to help young and disadvantaged people to get their voter ID if they don’t have a passport/driving license or old persons bus pass, and to then get them to vote. The music campaign is called #crashtheparty and we urge everyone in live music to get behind this and local equivalents.”

Germany-based Holger Jan Schmidt, who heads up pan-European think-tank GO Group (Green Operations Europe) and is  general secretary of the European festival association Yourope, points out the latter organisation has adapted its approach a little of late.

“The focus today is less on honouring the spearheads of sustainable festivals and more on making the sector future-proof at large”

“Although we continue to present the Green Operations Award, the focus today is less on honouring the spearheads of sustainable festivals and more on making the sector future-proof at large,” says Schmidt, speaking to IQ. “Yourope today offers freely usable tools that enable every festival out there to position itself accordingly, train the team and benefit from the great expertise of the frontrunners. Examples of this are our European Green festival Roadmap 2030 and the Future Festival Tools with self-assessment tool, e-learning course and best practice guide.

“For this purpose, our association works with both the expert organisations in the live entertainment industry and with the festivals directly in order to identify their needs and develop tailor-made measures.”

In a further notable development, six Spanish music promoters – Advanced Music, Bring The Noise, Centris, elrow, The Music Republic and Sharemusic! – have inked strategic sponsorship agreements with Madrid-based global energy company Repsol to jointly promote the use of different multi-energy solutions and reduce their CO2 footprint.

The agreement initially covers 77 events managed by the firms in Spain and Portugal, rising to 89. Festivals such as the FIB, Arenal Sound, Sonar Lisbon and O son de Camiño will use 100% renewable fuels, among other solutions, to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Meanwhile, venue management company ASM Global, which operates more than 50 green certified venues, has marked Earth Month 2024 by naming Lindsay Arell as chief sustainability officer as it ramps up its efforts to convert its 400-strong venue portfolio to “the most sustainable on earth”.

After founding her own company, Honeycomb Strategies, Arell led the development of the ASM Global ACTS sustainability plan and is a past chair of both the Events Industry Council Sustainability Committee (EIC) and ASTM Venue Sustainability Standard. Arell’s new role forms part of ASM’s sustainability goals, announced in 2023, which include the elimination of single use plastic.

“Sustainability should be the cause of our lifetime in our industry”

“I’m thrilled at the chance to spearhead ASM’s sustainability initiatives working alongside our teams and communities across our over 400 global venues.” says Arell. “By providing our venue teams with the necessary knowledge and resources, we can accelerate the progress of our programme significantly.”

Just last week plans were announced for ASM to join with reuse platform r.World to rapidly introduce reusable service ware in venues throughout ASM’s portfolio.

Fellow venue giant Oak View Group (OVG) welcomes the world’s second carbon-neutral arena this month in Manchester’s Co-op Live, following the firm’s Climate Pledge Arena, with UBS Arena slated to follow. Speaking at ILMC 36 in London, OVG chief Tim Leiweke said: “Climate Pledge can’t be the only carbon-neutral arena in the world or else [the industry] has failed. We as an industry should lead this charge… sustainability should be the cause of our lifetime in our industry.”

He added: “We as a company are going to continue to build these arenas and make sustainability a priority and a way of life in our culture and then hopefully, it will inspire our industry to come along with us.”

OVG COO Francesca Bodie agreed: “Sustainability is part of our core DNA and we want to make sure that we’re not only championing but challenging our industry to get better.”

In addition, REVERB, which partners with artists, festivals, and venues to reduce their environmental footprint, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Working with artist partners like Billie Eilish, The 1975, Odesza, Harry Styles, Dave Matthews Band, Boygenius, Jack Johnson, The Lumineers, Dead & Company, Tame Impala, and many more, REVERB has created and executed comprehensive sustainability and fan engagement programmes on over 350 tours, 60 festivals, and 7,000 concerts.

Positive impacts to date include neutralising 375,000+ tons of CO2e, raising over $12m for environmental causes, hosting over 5,000 NGOs in fan-facing Action Villages, and preventing the use of over 4m single-use plastic bottles at concerts.

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European festival association Yourope, which represents 108 festivals including Sziget and Primavera Sound, is restructuring and relocating.

Founded in 1988, the association has ties with London, Roskilde and St.Gallen but as of April 2021, the organisation is based in Bonn, Germany.

The move comes as Christof Huber, director of festivals at the Swiss Gadget ABC Entertainment Group who is also responsible for Yourope member festivals OpenAir St.Gallen and SummerDays, moves from general secretary to working chairman.

Huber will chair Yourope’s executive board and continue to ‘actively steer the association’s fortunes from the top’.

“The importance of our organisation became more obvious than ever last year, because especially in times when major events are impossible due to the pandemic, the need of the actors in this cultural field for exchange, international cooperation and speaking with a common voice grew once again,” says Huber.

“And despite these challenging times we succeeded in restructuring our organisation, expanding the network and securing even closer relationships with valued associates.”

“The importance of our organisation became more obvious than ever last year”

“I look forward to continuing to use my strength and experience for this purpose – together with our members and the new Yourope team.”

Assuming Huber’s former role as general secretary is Holger Jan Schmidt, who was previously anchorman and coordinator of Yourope’s sustainability-related working group Go Group (Green Operations Europe) and Take a Stand, the association’s social engagement initiative.

He will also run Yourope’s new office in Bonn, which will become part of the Bonn-based Compentence Network along with Schmidt’s Bonn Promotion Dept (BN*PD) and the IBIT (International Training Centre for Event Safety), which has been a key contributor to the steering committee of the Yes Group (Yourope Event Safety Group) for years.

“We have been a member of Yourope for almost twenty years – first with our festival, Rheinkultur, and for 10 years as an associated member with the Competence Network here in Bonn,” says Schmidt.

“I have identified with this institution from the beginning and travelled all over Europe with and for Yourope. To talk about festivals, to give festivals the opportunity to exchange, and above all to get to know and experience festivals and their philosophy.

“I couldn’t be prouder and happier to be trusted to take on this new role for Yourope and to continue to work on those issues that are close to my heart. And to do so from my hometown, which means a lot to me.”

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