Dutch festival sector warns that rising costs and rules are threatening events
The festival sector has warned that action is needed to save it from the current challenges. Festivals are struggling with rising costs, complex regulations, and the large number of permits required to hold an event, the AD reported.
The sector plans to publish a manifesto with almost 30 proposals to the government, aimed at ensuring that festivals can continue to take place through 2040. “We need to make space for this now,” organizers say.
This year, there were 30 fewer festivals in the Netherlands compared to last year. A well-known example of a canceled festival is The Rock Circus, a three-day, heavily promoted event by Mojo, the country’s largest concert organizer. The hardstyle festival Supercharged in Amsterdam, which attracts 7,500 visitors, also did not take place this summer.
In the manifesto, organizers warn that the costs for staff, programming, and venues are rising faster than their income. One major issue is the resale of tickets by companies like Viagogo, Ginsberg, and Topticketshop.
Organizers say that some ticket providers are unreliable in delivering tickets and that the money raised often does not reach the artists or the festival organizers.
“These exploitative websites must be reined in,” said Boris van der Ham, chairman of the Association of Event Organizers (VVEM). “There should be clear rules that resellers must follow. Only the organizer decides how tickets are sold and whether they may be returned or resold.”
Festival organizers also face a high number of regulations. AD reported that around 56 laws are enforced by approximately 35 inspectorates. New rules are added every year, including stricter demands for crowd control, ticket distribution, and mobility plans. Environmental regulations, nitrogen limits, and low-emission zones further increase the risks of organizing events. Van der Ham says, “We are happy to follow the rules, and they are necessary. But it becomes a problem when every municipality has different rules.”
As a result of the high number of permits required, some large multi-day festivals have been canceled, including Flying Dutch, Indian Summer, Mañana Mánana, and Graveland.
The VVEM advocates granting multi-year permits to established festivals and calls for a national guideline to prevent inconsistencies between municipalities.
