43% “were in deficit in 2023” and 2024 “looks even more complex”, warns the director of the current music union

She points in particular to inflation and its consequences on the cost of security, artistic fees, transport and salaries.

“43% of our member festivals were in deficit in 2023 and in 2024, unfortunately, it promises to be even more complex”said Aurélie Hannedouche, director of the contemporary music union, on franceinfo on Thursday June 27, as Hellfest opened in Clisson in Loire-Atlantique, one of the most important festivals in France.

After a record year in terms of attendance in 2023, the landscape of French festivals “is relatively contrasted”, explains Aurélie Hannedouche. These attendance figures must be weighted “in view of a very strong increase in charges due to inflation”. The costs of artistic fees, transport, salaries and security “have increased by around 15 to 20%”she explained.

In 2023, festivals resisted the turbulence thanks to the intervention of the National Music Center which offers an aid system for businesses in difficulty. “Thanks to the CNM, few festivals have finally disappeared in 2023, but I fear that in 2024 this may be the case”, she said. “The year 2024 promises to be difficult for festivals in France. Many of them have postponed their dates to avoid the period of the Olympic Games and so that security personnel remain available. As a result, “we have a huge concentration of festivals over a few weekends in July or at the end of August”she continues. “They compete with each other in the media, in terms of ticketing, etc..”

The big behemoths are not immune to financial difficulties: “They are not necessarily doing well”, explains Aurélie Hannedouche. 2025 is coming “even more complicated”, she assures. Many artists have decided not to tour in 2024. “There will be many dates in 2025” with “lots of Arenas and stadiums” scheduled during the festival period between May and September. “It’s going to be additional competition”, she explains. Small festivals with a unique concept, anchored in the territories, “can do well in the game”according to her.

Aurélie Hannedouche denounced the fees of “headliners” festivals “which will cost several hundred or several million euros”. She hopes that “this speculative bubble of artists’ fees is exploding because it’s becoming absolutely unhealthy”. Aurélie Hannedouche calls into question “these foreign agents who sell artists at a high price”.