EXIT Serbia Launches Crowdfunding Campaign To Secure Its Future

EXIT festival, which celebrated an epic 25th anniversary in July, is launching a global campaign “Save EXIT Freedom” to secure the future of one of the last independent major festivals in the world.

Born from student protests against the regime of Slobodan Milošević back in 2000, EXIT has grown into one of the most popular and respected music festivals in the world. 25 years later, Serbia is once again the epicenter of a student movement protesting government corruption.

After publicly supporting the students, EXIT Festival has been facing fierce government pressure, including the complete withdrawal of over $1.8 million in public co-funding and government-controlled sponsorships.

The festival has also been encountering other serious political and security threats aimed at silencing its voice and financially draining it into shutdown. Read Pollstar’s September issue, out Aug. 8, for a full report on the effort it took to pull of EXIT 25 amidst these pressures.

The festival’s organizers around founder Dušan Kovačević, already announced that this year’s EXIT festival was the last for the time being to take place at Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia, its home of 25 years. It would only return, once freedom, and not autocratic politicians, ruled in Serbia.

‘For Freedom!’: EXIT Festival Announces Final Edition In Serbia Amidst Undemocratic Pressures

And while the team considers it a great success to have celebrated EXIT’s 25th anniversary by sticking to the very same core values that kickstarted it a quarter of a century ago, its uncertain future places a great deal of pressure on the organization.

To ensure “the immediate stability of the festival organization and protect over 100 permanent jobs, to safeguard EXIT’s independence, and the values it fiercely upholds,” the festival launched a global crowdfunding campaign today.

Kovačević’s team is made up of “individuals who, despite unprecedented pressure and financial obstacles, stood united in support of the student movement, fully aware that taking a stand could lead to the shutdown of the organization. At Save.Exitfest.Org, anybody who believes that culture and art should never be controlled can donate directly to the organization or purchase future tickets and digital assets to help secure EXIT’s future.”

“The recent EXIT Festival is of immeasurable importance – a historical moment when one music festival boldly stood up against fierce governmental pressure aimed at silencing our freedom of speech and suppressing our support for Serbia’s brave students. We stood stronger than any attempt at state repression and demonstrated that unity, solidarity and love still triumphs over fear, and that art cannot be silenced,” said Kovačević.

He added: “Through this crowdfunding campaign, we are standing up for the independence of an entire organization and the people behind it. We strongly believe this is a moment for the music industry to unite, protect one of its own, and demonstrate that collectively it is stronger than any government in the world. By defending independence and freedom for EXIT, we defend the freedom of all artists, music professionals, and organizations in the music industry who might face similar pressures anywhere in the world. Because the fight for freedom for one is the fight for freedom for all.”

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