On 5 August 2024, Prof. Dr. Beate Flath was a guest on the SWR Kultur Forum podcast. Together with concert and festival organiser Bernhard Chapligin and music journalist Daniel Koch, she discussed the difficult situation in which many music festivals currently find themselves under the moderation of Eva Röder.
The starting point for the programme was the observation that more than 60 pop, rock and electro festivals in the UK and the Netherlands have had to be cancelled this year. The situation is also tense in Germany, albeit less drastic. Numerous event organisers are struggling, with some even giving up their work altogether.
The coronavirus pandemic has left deep scars on the industry: Cost increases, the loss of qualified professionals and changes in the general conditions are putting festival organisers under pressure. However, the panellists emphasised that the crisis cannot be explained by economic problems alone. Rather, it is also about cultural and social issues: What expectations do young festival fans have today? Do they want the same experiences as previous generations, or are they looking for new ways of celebrating, meeting people and listening to music?
