ILMC panel preview: The Campfire – CEE Europe

For decades, the music industry has clung to a narrative about Central and Southeast Europe – too risky, too complicated, not enough money. Meanwhile, fans in the region have been proving that wrong, showing up in record numbers, packing stadiums, and treating live music like a religion. If last year’s massive festival turnouts and stadium shows from Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Rammstein weren’t enough to shake off the scepticism, this year’s stadium and arena shows should be a final wake-up call: the game has changed.

The numbers speak for themselves. Poland’s Open’er Festival brings in 110,000+ attendees, Serbia’s EXIT draws 200,000, Hungary’s Sziget sees 530,000+ in peak years, while Romania’s UNTOLD hits 427,000. Boutique festivals like Electric Castle (231,000) are proving there’s still plenty of space for creativity, while Croatia’s INmusic remains a must-hit stop for alternative and indie acts.

This is exactly what The Campfire: Central & Eastern Europe panel at ILMC 2025 will explore. Bringing together industry key players, festival bookers, and promoters, the session will examine both the growing opportunities and key challenges that still need to be addressed for Central and Southeast Europe to take a more prominent place on the global touring map.

While the region offers strong audience demand, expanding festival markets, and lower touring costs, there are still hurdles to overcome – from booking perceptions and infrastructure gaps to local economic factors and industry coordination. With post-pandemic shifts in the live music market, and rising costs prompting artists to rethink their touring strategies, now is the time to reassess the potential of CEE and SEE and discuss what steps need to be taken to strengthen its role in the global live industry.

“Touring here means stretching your budget further while still giving your crew a solid experience”

The stadiums are filling up – so why aren’t more agents paying attention?
While much of the West is facing saturation and stagnation, Central and Southeast Europe are in full-on expansion mode. More stadium and arena shows are happening than ever before. Last year, Rammstein lit up Belgrade, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran sold out Bucharest and Sofia, and this year, Guns N’ Roses and Robbie Williams are taking over Vasil Levski Stadium in Bulgaria. Promoters are evolving, new players are entering the market, and the infrastructure to support large-scale tours is getting better by the day. So why are so many tours still skipping the region?

A secret weapon for touring artists: profitability
Let’s talk about money. Touring in Western Europe is expensive, and with skyrocketing production costs, even mid-level artists are finding it harder to break even. But here’s the trick: Central and Southeast Europe offer a cheaper, logistically smarter alternative, without the downside. Gasoline is up to 40% cheaper than in major Western European markets. Hotels, food, and per diems? A fraction of the price. Touring here means stretching your budget further while still giving your crew a solid experience.

Mobility is better than ever – improved road infrastructure and the Schengen expansion to Bulgaria and Romania means touring across borders is easier and cheaper.

The demand is real. Unlike many oversaturated Western markets, artists playing here can pull in bigger audiences, headline festival slots, and turn a bigger profit – especially if they’re in that sweet spot between established indie and major-label pop.
And who wouldn’t want an excuse to spend a few extra days in the Adriatic Riviera or winter havens of the Bulgarian mountains?

“This isn’t an emerging market – it’s an untapped goldmine”

The booking bias: why is SEE still underrepresented?
For all the growth, there’s still a major imbalance in representation. Central and Southeast European artists remain wildly underbooked at major European festivals. ESNS 2025 featured nine acts from all of Southeast Europe combined—a region that covers 55m people and a music scene that’s just as diverse and innovative as any other.

Even for promoters, it’s not always a fair game. Many SEE-based bookers are forced to pay 100% upfront deposits for artists that their Western European counterparts can secure with more flexible terms. Then there are performance copyright fees (PRO tariffs), which can be disproportionately high in the region – some reaching as much as 8–9% of the total economic value of an event.

A new era of live music In CEE & SEE
Despite the obstacles, the industry is shifting. Live Nation and AEG are expanding their presence, betting big on the region’s long-term potential. Streaming numbers are rising, international festivals are slowly opening their doors to more SEE artists, and independent promoters are breaking old monopolies.

With massive fan demand; cheaper touring, promotion, and rental costs; and a festival scene that’s only getting bigger, this isn’t an emerging market – it’s an untapped goldmine. So which artists and agencies will claim their space before the rest of the industry catches on?

Ruth Koleva is the founder of SoAlive Music Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria. She will chair The Campfire: Central & Eastern Europe at ILMC on 27 February from 14:00-15:00.

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