After the announcement of an event cancellation fund by the Dutch government in late January, festivals are gearing up to make their return this summer. With a commencement date of July 1, the €300 million guarantee fund will insure events cancelled due to COVID-19, allowing organizers to plan for the second half of 2021 without financial risk.
Similar to those announced in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the government reserve will cover musical festivals, business fairs, and sports competitions that attract over 3000 attendees. Netherlands festivals have already followed suit to prepare for programming later this year. Some such as Awakenings and DGTL—both of which are now slated to take place September 11-12—have pivoted to reschedule their customary event dates to the fall in order to receive insurance from the fund.
Drum ‘n’ bass festival Liquicity has also communicated the good news to its ticketholders and prospective attendees, reflected in a risk-free ticket policy. The fund has driven an optimistic outlook for the impending festival season, as echoed by Liquicity organizers who state,
“Festivals in The Netherlands are currently selling out in record pace due to this new government announcement.”
Via: Mixmag
Featured image: Awakenings
