Wouter de Vink
By Wouter de Vink

It took a while, but the Dutch cabinet has now given more clarity about the compensation for festivals. Organizations get 80% of the costs back as a gift from the government and they can receive a loan for the rest, which would make it possible to go to festivals again from July.

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State Secretary Mona Keijzer (Economic Affairs) informs Dutch news website NU.nl that she and Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven (Education, Culture and Science) have sent the details of the regulations to the government. Conclusion: sports and entertainment organizations can start in the second half of this year without running great risks. A bit of certainty (and clarity) that the sector has been asking for for so long.

Festivals, concerts, sports and business events between 1 July and 31 December 2021 are entitled to this (unless organizations are setting up an event for the first time this year). It should cover costs for logistics, personnel and security, in case the festival is canceled. A total of € 385 million has been reserved.

‘More visitors with an increase in the number of vaccinations’

The cabinet assumes that from 1 July it will be ‘responsible enough to organize events’. “If it then turns out that, also with the results of Fieldlab Events and the increase in the number of vaccinations, we can organize far-reaching safety, more visitors can come to festivals and events. And enjoy ourselves again with music and all those other forms of culture. which we have to miss now”, Van Engelshoven told NU.nl.

What are the conditions of this guarantee fund?

  • The events will take place between July 1 and December 31, 2021.
  • Previously scheduled events can be rescheduled to July 1 or later in the year.
  • Events must have had cancellation insurance with the previous two editions.
  • Events are entitled to the scheme when it is prohibited by the national government in the context of the epidemiological situation.

Keijzer: “Due to the current coronacrisis, it is not only difficult to plan, but also bearing the costs creates uncertainty. We want to remove that uncertainty with the guarantee provided by this scheme. So that the organizers and all those entrepreneurs behind it will be able to get back to work and hopefully we can all enjoy an event together again in the summer.”

Footage taken from Facebook page Mysteryland

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