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In a very short space of time, the spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19 has put
the whole world in an extraordinary and worrisome situation. A situation that we
handle best by not doing what would otherwise seem like the most human thing
to do when the world is against us – getting together. Instead, we must now
keep our distance to each other. We must take care of our community by not
being together.
As festivals we know what community means to people. We are behind events
that, if anything, are a celebration of life and togetherness. Every summer, we
stand face to face with the difference that the community does for the individual
and for all people. And we see the importance of music, art and culture in this
context.
As festival organizers we take the current situation very seriously.
We are monitoring the situation closely, and we are all, as always, cooperating
closely with the authorities and the emergency services to ensure the best
and safest environment for the festival community. We share experiences and
knowledge with each other. We stand united.
Viewed in the light of these facts and with the knowledge that we have, we
shall continue monitoring the current global health situation throughout next
weeks, and we shall together inform about any further decisions in this matter.
Nevertheless, we all expect to carry through our festivals this summer. We will
stand united to make it a safe and sound experience for our participants and the
outside world. It’s about taking responsibility for the events – and it’s about taking
responsibility for the industry we’re part of.
It’s an industry in which we, as major festivals, are the final part of a food chain
where the smaller players – the artists, the venues, sound and light production
and many more – are already suffering from the serious situation we are in. They
suffer so much that they may not be able to recover if they are not given the
opportunity to be a part of festivals like ours.
By carrying through our festivals this summer, we can be a crucial part of the
survival of this industry.
We owe it to the community, the music, the art and the culture to assume
responsibility together!
