Organizing Amsterdam festivals to get easier

Organizing festivals in Amsterdam should be easier, according to political parties D66 and VVD. The parties are aiming to put an end to differences between the districts and authorities by streamlining the process to award permits for city events, Parool reports.

One of the biggest challenges that festival organizers are currently facing is obtaining permission from the city districts that will host there events. The myriad of rules and regulations that the festivals have to adhere to means that in some instances, like the Voltt Festival, permission is only formally granted a day before the event.

This leaves not only the promoters, but also the surrounding area in the dark up to the last minute.

"I spoke to a festival organizer who has one employee whose only function is the management of the authorizations. This has become a necessity because so many different rules apply in different districts," said VVD leader Marja Ruigrok.

"We have applied for a standardization of regulations to be implemented in relation to festivals, " said D66-councillor Reinier van Dantzig. "We have proposed that a standard set of rules should apply to all the separate districts. This should speed up the process of obtaining permission. We will also get a clearer picture of the complaints about festivals in all of Amsterdam".

Larger festivals, that have already proven to be successful, should be eligible to apply for multi-annual permits, the two parties say.