At least 50 festivals in the Netherlands have been cancelled in 2025 so far in another tough year for the Dutch sector.

More than 100 festivals – mostly those up to 10,000-cap – also disappeared from the scene in 2024 due to being either cancelled or discontinued, with 46 new events starting up.

Recent casualties include Mojo Concerts-operated indoor rock festival The Rock Circus, which was due to be held from 17-19 October at the Brabanthallen in Den Bosch. Artists booked to perform included Dropkick Murphys, Alestorm, As December Falls, Enter Shikari, Apocalyptica and Battle Beast.

“While we’ve put so much passion into the festival, we unfortunately could not meet the expectations or requirements for the festival to continue,” reads a statement from organisers.

The second edition of Supercharged Festival, set for this Saturday (17 May) at the Balkenhaven in Amsterdam, was also called off early last month.

“With rising production costs, continued inflation, and increasing pressure on the festival market, we simply cannot deliver the level of quality and experience you deserve and expect from us without compromise,” says promoter Gearbox Digital. “And that’s not a compromise we’re willing to make.”

“We had hoped for a turnaround until the very last moment, but unfortunately, it did not happen”

Friendly Fire announced last December that it was pausing Langedijk’s Indian Summer event as cost increases had rendered it “unfeasible” for the event to carry on in its current form.

In addition, multi-city electronic music festival The Flying Dutch will no longer take place as a result of “rising production costs, continuing inflation and the pressure on the festival market”, while Vorden’s Mañana Mañana will also not go ahead this year.

Organisers of Hoogeveen’s Graveland pulled the plug on the 30-31 May festival 10 weeks out, saying it had “become clear that the festival is not financially viable”.

“Despite our extensive efforts to promote the event, ticket sales have fallen short of the necessary threshold to cover the substantial costs,” said promoter Ronny Fidom. “We had hoped for a turnaround until the very last moment, but unfortunately, it did not happen.

“Rising costs in recent years have made it increasingly difficult to sustain the event, and regrettably, this year it has proven impossible to bridge the financial gap.”

“Festivals and events are risky enterprises with often small margins, where the costs far exceed the benefits”

Lex Kruijver tells AD that although so far, fewer festivals have been cancelled than last year that is partly because many of those nixed in 2024 have disappeared permanently. Organisers of several of 2025’s cancelled festivals have stated their intention to bring their events back in future years.

Berend Schans, director of trade association VNPF, tells the publication the cancellations are not indicative of a “sudden crisis”, but rather “a sum of developments that make organising festivals more challenging than ever”. Another issue, he adds, is that festivalgoers are increasingly buying tickets late in the day.

“This makes it difficult for organisers to have certainty about income in advance,” he continues. “Festivals and events are risky enterprises with often small margins, where the costs far exceed the benefits. It is therefore a combination of factors that causes organisers to decide to skip an edition, or even stop altogether.”

Conversely, the 2025 edition of Lowlands (15-17 August) sold out in less than half an hour back in February, shifting 65,000 three-day passes in 23 minutes, with promoter Mojo remarking that the tickets “flew off the shelf like hotcakes”. Techno festival Awakenings has also sold out of regular tickets for its 11-13 July edition in Hilvarenbeek. The Netherlands is home to around 1,200 arts and cultural festivals overall.

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The Association of Dutch Pop Venues and Festivals (VNPF) has revealed there was an upturn in the number of concerts taking place in the Netherlands last year.

The organisation compared the data from 56 pop venues, which showed concerts were up 4.9% year-on-year from 7,534 in 2023 to 7,903 in 2024.

It also reported a marginal 1.6% decrease in the number of club nights from 2,911 to 2,863 in the same period.

Venues organised 29,043 activities last year (+0.5% y-o-y) in total, with 28,852 performances by artists (+2.8%). Almost half of the programming consisted of non-music activities such as theatre and film, with concerts making up more than a quarter of the output and club nights accounting for almost 10%.

Including support acts, an average of 1.9 performances took place during concerts.  However, the number of performing artists per gig declined for the second year in a row – a downward trend the association had flagged up in the past.

“Venues may have to cut back on more risky programmes due to cost increases”

“The VNPF previously expressed its concerns about this development, in which pop venues may have to cut back on more risky programmes due to cost increases, putting increasing pressure on diversity and talent development,” says the association.

The VNPF plans to share more detailed figures in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed last month that a proposed tax hike for the Dutch cultural and creative market will definitely not go ahead. The government had planned to raise the VAT rate for the sector by 9% to 21% from 2026 as part of broader austerity measures designed to save €2.3 billion.

Industry groups had warned the increase would have a “negative domino effect” on the Dutch business and add more than 10% to the price of tickets.

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The Netherlands’ events industry has claimed a partial victory after a proposed tax hike for the cultural and creative market was shelved for the time being.

A coalition of organisations, including trade bodies Kunsten ’92 and Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF), launched a joint campaign against the government’s plans earlier this year.

Kunsten ’92 had warned the government’s plan to raise the VAT rate for the sector by 9% to 21% from 2026 would lead to a €350 million annual loss in income and have a “negative domino effect” on the Dutch business.

The government said the increase would have generated €1.2 billon for the treasury, but campaigners argued it would add more than 10% to the price of tickets.

However, during this week’s debate on the Tax Plan 2025, finance minister Eelco Heinen committed to working with the coalition and opposition to find an alternative to the proposal.

“Kunsten ’92 is pleased that the VAT on art and culture is being reconsidered”

“Kunsten ’92 is pleased that the VAT on art and culture is being reconsidered by the cabinet and the House of Representatives,” says Astrid Weij, director of Kunsten ’92. “They have worked very hard to show that the measure has major negative consequences for the cultural and creative sector. That has worked.”

The VNPF explains the cabinet was forced to scrap the measure by opposition parties in the House of Representatives, as the proposal would not have gained a majority in the senate without their support, although a tax rise for hotels and other lodging accommodation will still go ahead.

A full-page advert appeared in every national and regional newspaper on 3 June with the message #nohigherebtw (nohigherVAT) on behalf of the cultural alliance.

“Every Dutch citizen will feel the VAT increase in their wallet,” cautioned Weij at a rally in September. “Whether you like museums, visit concerts, play sports, read books or have a newspaper subscription: everything will become more expensive. This will lead to people being forced to drop out, while these things actually contribute to our well-being.

“In the long term, this will cost society much more than it yields. With this campaign, we want to show how big the impact of this measure can be for all of us.”

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The live music business in the Netherlands achieved increases in revenue and visitor numbers last year, but costs increased “sharply” and “worryingly”, according to the sector’s latest annual report.

Published this week, the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF) Pop Stages and Festivals in Figures 2023 study paints a mixed picture of the market, which could yet face further hardship via a proposed tax rate hike from 9% to 21%.

“While the sector report shows some positive developments, such as increasing revenues and visits, there are several concerns and some other risks that emerge from the figures,” concludes the organisation.

Due to the effects of the strict Covid-measures imposed on the industry during 2020-22, the report compares the latest figures with those from 2019. The VNPF, which represents 120 members, says income generated last year by its 70 venues amounted to €199.9 million in 2023 – an increase of 25%. Box office takings soared by 30%, while hospitality revenues and subsidies both rose by 27%.

However, expenditure was up 24% to €198.5m for an overall net positive of just 0.7%. What’s more, 38% of those venues recorded a loss over the 12-month period.

“The continuous passing on of higher costs in ticket prices can lead to negative price elasticity, with higher prices resulting in a decrease in the number of visits”

“This was the result of a general increase in the prices of goods and services, while there were fewer performances by artists,” notes the trade body. “The continuous passing on of higher costs in ticket prices can lead to negative price elasticity, with higher prices resulting in a decrease in the number of visits.”

VNPF venue members staged a total of 25,341 performances last year – down 5% compared to 2019, while the share of international artists declined from 41% to 32%.

“The 2023 data show a decrease in the number of artist performances, especially by international artists,” says the study. “Venues with smaller programme budgets sometimes have to be more cautious with financially uncertain or unprofitable programmes, such as programming artists at the beginning of their careers.

“Additionally, concerts, club nights, and festivals are becoming less accessible to large parts of the public due to higher ticket and catering prices.”

Nevertheless, visitor numbers jumped 11% to 5.8 million, with paid attendance increasing by 18% and the number of sold-out concerts and club nights “significantly higher” than in 2019, while employment sprung 7% to 8,372. In addition, festivals attracted 2.6m attendees in 2023, bringing the total number of visits to VNPF venues and festivals to 8.4m.

The report goes on to address the government’s controversial proposals to increase the VAT rate for concert, festival, sports and museum tickets (as well as books, hotels and newspapers) by 12 percentage points from 2026.

“Higher VAT rates will lead to higher prices, which will put pressure on the accessibility and affordability of culture”

“Higher VAT rates will lead to higher prices, which will put pressure on the accessibility and affordability of culture, events, books and media for the public,” states the report. “This increase will be at the expense of supply, especially in peripheral regions, and will reduce the earning capacity of self-employed people and institutions. Moreover, it will jeopardise the livelihood of artists and performers.”

The VNPF is part of a coalition of Dutch organisations to launch a joint campaign against the plans, which it warns will have a “significant impact” on the country’s cultural and creative sector. A full-page advert appeared in every national and regional newspaper on 3 June with the message #nohigherebtw (nohigherVAT) on behalf of the alliance.

The sector currently contributes €26 billion (3.4%) annually to the Netherlands’ GDP and accounts for almost one in 20 jobs in the Netherlands.

“The VAT increase will have negative economic consequences,” it adds. “For example, it is expected that this measure will lead to 1.5 million fewer visits to festivals and 900,000 fewer visits to performing arts – including pop culture. This will put further pressure on the financial position of the pop sector, which could lead to a loss of employment and a decrease in the number of available pop cultural programmes and events.

“This will mainly affect the middle class and people with a small wallet, which is at odds with the government’s goals of improving subsistence and stimulating entrepreneurship.”

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A coalition of organisations in the Netherlands have launched a joint campaign against the government’s plans to raise the tax rate for the cultural and creative sector from 9% to 21%.

A full-page advert appeared in every national and regional newspaper today (3 June) with the message #nohigherebtw (nohigherVAT) on behalf of the alliance, which includes the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF), as well as other groups across culture, media, catering, books and sports.

It follows proposals unveiled by the country’s new right-wing government to increase the VAT rate for concert, festival, sports and museum tickets, as well as books, hotels and newspapers, by 12 percentage points from 2026. The sector contributes €26 billion (3.4%) annually to the Netherlands’ GDP and accounts for almost one in 20 jobs in the Netherlands.

A statement from the coalition reads: “The proposed increase in the VAT rate will inevitably lead to higher prices, which will put pressure on the accessibility and affordability of sports, media, books, culture and catering for the public. It affects everyone in the Netherlands in daily life and in several areas. It is an additional burden on the valuable free time, club life, curiosity and (mental) health of every Dutch person.”

The government says the increase will generate €2.2bn a year for the treasury, but campaigners say it will add 11% to the price of tickets. According to Dutch News, the measure is also the least popular of all the plans unveiled by the new coalition, with just over half of those polled opposed to the move and only 28% supporting it.

A total of 96% of respondents to a poll conducted by trade bodies Arts ’92 and The Creative Coalition said ticket prices will have to increase if the lower VAT rate is abolished, while research by economist René Goudriaan suggested the subsequent drop in visitors would most severely impact festivals (1.5 million fewer annual visits), resulting in €62.5 million less income.

“This increase in tax burden affects everyone: readers, festivalgoers, museum visitors, artists, musical fans, people who sing in choirs and play in brass bands,” says Arts ’92 director Astrid Weij. “In this way, what gives life colour and meaning takes a hit. The economy behind the creative sector is going to shrink. The effects on our prosperity, well-being and employment are negative.”

“The VAT increase is a serious setback for self-employed people and employees. Many fear forced layoffs”

“The proposed VAT increase is a blow to self-employed people and employees in the sector,” adds Thomas Drissen, director of The Creative Coalition. “It puts further pressure on the income of the makers. Many have not yet recovered from the corona years, when there was actually a professional ban. The VAT increase is a serious setback for self-employed people and employees. Many fear forced layoffs.”

Dutch live music association the VNPF has previously called on the authorities to reconsider the tax hike, warning it could have grave consequences for the domestic live music business.

“This measure makes ticket sales uncertain, leading to less investment in a sector that has already been hit disproportionately hard in recent years,” it said. “The jobs of more than 100,000 people working in this industry are also threatened.

“In addition, this VAT increase weakens the competitive position of the Dutch live music sector compared to neighbouring countries where low rates are still charged. Stages and festivals lose their offer to neighbouring countries, with all the financial consequences that entails. This policy puts the Dutch world-leading live sector at a great disadvantage.”

It continued: “Pop culture in the Netherlands is becoming less accessible, causing a broad audience to be excluded from cultural events. This makes the Netherlands less attractive for international artists, which has a negative impact on the business climate in this industry.

“The consequences extend beyond just the visitors – up-and-coming pop talent will find it even more difficult to break through and generate a sustainable income.”

Other groups to have signed up to the coalition include Dutch football association KNVB, the country’s top professional football league the Eredivisie, the Association of Theater and Concert Hall Directors (VSCD), Association of Event Makers (VVEM), the Alliance of Event Builders, the Association of Dutch Orchestras (VvNO), the Creative Industry Federation, the Culture Federation, the Pop Coalition and the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ).

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The Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF) is calling on the government to reconsider its plans to raise the VAT rate for concert and festival tickets by 12 percentage points.

The increase from 9% to 21%, which is set to come into effect from 2026, was announced this week in the new coalition agreement between the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB parties.

But the national live music trade body is warning the move could have dire consequences for the domestic business, and is appealing for talks with the powers that be.

“This measure makes ticket sales uncertain, leading to less investment in a sector that has already been hit disproportionately hard in recent years,” it says. “The jobs of more than 100,000 people working in this industry are also threatened.

“In addition, this VAT increase weakens the competitive position of the Dutch live music sector compared to neighbouring countries where low rates are still charged. Stages and festivals lose their offer to neighbouring countries, with all the financial consequences that entails. This policy puts the Dutch world-leading live sector at a great disadvantage.”

Stressing that a healthy cultural sector is “essential” for the country’s economy, the VNPF says the impact on the tax hike would be felt on and off the stage.

“The consequences extend beyond just the visitors – up-and-coming pop talent will find it even more difficult to break through and generate a sustainable income”

“Pop culture in the Netherlands is becoming less accessible, causing a broad audience to be excluded from cultural events,” it continues. “This makes the Netherlands less attractive for international artists, which has a negative impact on the business climate in this industry.

“The consequences extend beyond just the visitors – up-and-coming pop talent will find it even more difficult to break through and generate a sustainable income.”

The Association of Event Makers (VVEM) has also shared its “major concerns” at the proposal.

“This increase is bad news for consumers,” says the group. “A decision like this also has far-reaching consequences for Dutch artists, who see the gap with their audience growing, but also for entrepreneurs in the events industry.”

A four-party coalition deal was provisionally struck this week to form a right-wing government, almost six months after PVV leader Geert Wilders won the Dutch election.

“The VVEM suspects that the new government has not realised that a measure like this will hit ordinary Dutch people who like to go to events hard,” it adds. “The flywheel effect is that the business climate in the industry is also hit hard. We would like to enter into discussions with a new government to convince them not to take this measure.”

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The co-founder of the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals (VNPF) has passed away aged 72.

Fons van Iersel, who also co-founded 3,000-cap Tilburg venue 013 in the late 1990s, died at the weekend following an accident, reports BD.

The Dutch live veteran was the first winner at the VNPF’s IJzeren Podiumdier awards in 1997 and was later recognised with the association’s lifetime achievement award in 1999.

“Fons left us at much too young an age,” says the trade body in a statement. “VNPF members, VNPF board and VNPF office employees are more than grateful to Fons as an energetic source of inspiration for his positive involvement in the pop sector.”

“A striking man is gone who has meant a lot to the culture”

Van Iersel was passionate about talent development in the Netherlands, launching the Rock Academy, which helped nurture domestic stars such as Krezip, Danny Vera, Floor Jansen and Duncan Laurence, and had recently set up Tilburg production house Het Pophuis.

“From the realisation of 013 (Tilburg) to co-initiator and talent developer of Het Pophuis; from driving force at Noorderligt (predecessor 013) to founder of the Fontys Rock Academy, its significance cannot be underestimated.

“We wish family, friends, former colleagues a lot of strength with this loss.”

Speaking to BD, Van Iersel’s friend Chris Leenaars adds: “We are all shocked. A striking man is gone who has meant a lot to the culture.”

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The concert business in the Netherlands has reported a post-pandemic resurgence, but concerns over rising costs remain, according to the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF).

The newly published Poppodia and Festivals in Figures 2022 report shows venues and festivals received a total of 7.6 million visits in 2022, compared to 883,000 in 2021 and 8.6m in the last pre-Covid year of 2019, despite an “abnormal” year for the business, with corona restrictions not lifted until three months in.

Employment in the industry was also up, with music venues employing more than 8,000 staff last year – approximately 3% more than in 2019 – with more paid working hours and less voluntary work.

The statistics are based on figures from 48 music venues and 55 festivals. However, the report notes that the total expenditure of those venues increased by 8% in 2022 compared to 2019, even though fewer activities were organised in Q1 2022 due to the strict Covid measures.

Chief among its stated concerns are high cost increases for venues, including for personnel, housing, catering and programme, while municipal subsidies “were not increased proportionally”.

“The costs for energy, personnel, catering purchasing and artists rose sharply, and will still do so in 2023”

“In addition to the aftermath of the pandemic, VNPF members also faced high inflation in 2022,” it adds. “Among other things, the costs for energy, personnel, catering purchasing and artists rose sharply, and will still do so in 2023.”

VNPF stages received €36.1 million in Covid intervention in 2021, with the vast majority of that amount coming from the national government and the organisation stresses the need for further support from the authorities.

“The figures for 2022 show that the municipal subsidy is increasing, but not enough to cope with autonomous cost increases,” it says. “This is particularly worrying for the longer term. This means that talent development of both artists and staff and the retention of good staff will come under further pressure.

“Adequate and appropriate subsidies for the subsidised part of our sector remain of vital importance. Organisations that are not subsidised also need the government as a cooperation partner and facilitator.”

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The Dutch live sector is still feeling the “disastrous” effects of the Covid pandemic, according to the Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals’ (VNPF).

Stark figures in the organisation’s newly published Pop Stages and Festivals in Figures 2021 report show that 883,000 visits were made to VNPF stages last year, down 16% on 2020 and 83% from 5.2 million recorded in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.

And with Covid restrictions not fully lifted until March 2022, the market is a long way from recovering.

“The negative effects of the pandemic are still present in the autumn of 2022”

“The negative effects of the pandemic are still present in the autumn of 2022,” says the report. “There is a high workload due to staff shortages and higher absenteeism due to illness from Covid. There are many rescheduled concerts where part of the audience does not show up. This has negative consequences for, for example, the catering income.

“In addition, stages are now faced with high inflation, with costs for personnel, housing and energy, in particular, rising sharply.

“The public is buying fewer tickets due to inflation. In this situation, stages are more or less forced to cut back on staff and programme.”

The report notes that club evenings, night programming and festivals were completely banned by the government for all but a few weeks of 2021. While describing the closing of music venues as “disastrous” for the industry, the VNPF acknowledges that government support measures in 2020 and 2021 enabled venues to survive financially.

“This was very damaging to the entire infrastructure of the live music sector”

VNPF stages received €36.1m in Covid intervention in 2021, with most support coming from the national government (96%), but says continued assistance is “still very necessary”.

“The financial outlook is bleak,” it warns. “Many [businesses] indicate there is likely to be a need to cut back on talent development and personnel in the near future.”

The total income of the VNPF stages was €107m last year compared to €160m in 2019.

“Municipal subsidies and Covid support measures from the central government accounted for almost three quarters of the income in 2021,” it adds. “Income from ticket sales and catering is normally the most important source of income for pop venues and festivals, but in 2021 there was hardly any public income due to the restrictive measures.

“Revenues realised from ticket sales decreased by 81% compared to 2019 and that from catering sales decreased by 82%. Sponsorship and private rental income also decreased by approximately 50% compared to 2019.

“Programme and staff costs decreased in 2021. This was very damaging to the entire infrastructure of the live music sector and is one of the reasons for the current staff shortages and high workload in the industry.”

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Dutch trade body VNPF says the country’s music scene is recovering well since Covid measures were lifted last month – but no-shows at gigs remain a problem.

The government removed all remaining restrictions – most notably pre-admission testing for indoor events – on 23 March following tireless lobbying from the Netherlands’ live sector.

And despite ticket sales for cultural institutions such as museums and theatres struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, the appetite for live music events has proved more resilient.

“It is going quite well at the music venues,” VNPF director Berend Schans tells NRC. “All programmes that would normally run well before the pandemic are now running well.”

Schans points out that shows by emerging acts are proving a harder sell than established artists, while customer demand has shown to be age-dependent.

“A relatively unknown band that plays post-punk with ’80s references, where more people my age would go, has a harder time than a hip new band that my daughter goes to,” he says.

The no-show rate at concerts has ballooned from 10% to up to 40% in the Netherlands since touring resumed

As has been reported in other territories, Schans adds that major issues have emerged around audience no-shows by ticket-buyers at concerts. The average 10% pre-Covid no-show rate has ballooned to up to 40% since touring resumed, he says, leading to knock-on effects for venues.

“The pop venues have to earn their money with the average €12 that people spend during a concert,” he says. “And they also need that money to buy new programmes.”

Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ taskforce for the cultural and creative sector has written to the government to call for “bridging measures” following the expiration of emergency aid, reiterating that visitor numbers were still below 2019 levels for large parts of the industry.

Jeroen Bartelse, director of TivoliVredenburg, tells the publication that theatres and classical music have averaged 60% of normal numbers since reopening, while Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw reports 65% occupancy, down from 85% in the same period in 2019.

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