This year’s edition of EXIT Festival will be its last in Serbia.
The festival confirmed the news yesterday (June 12) via Instagram, citing “financial and political pressures” as the reasons for the decision. These pressures, the team behind the event said, have arisen after they supported student-led protests against the government earlier this year.
“Public funding has been completely cut at all levels,” EXIT’s organisers said. “Under fierce government pressure, even some long-time sponsors were forced to end their cooperation.”
Festival director Dušan Kovačević added: “This is the hardest decision in our 25-year history, but we believe that freedom has no price. With this act, we are defending not only EXIT, but the fundamental right to free expression for all cultural actors around the world. We invite them to stand with us in this fight.”
The student-led protests in the country this year saw thousands of people take to the streets in January in response to the November 2024 collapse of Novi Sad Train Station’s roof, which left 15 people dead and two more injured. Protestors argued that the incident was the result of widespread government corruption, and called for the removal of President Aleksandar Vučić.
EXIT was launched in 2000 by student activists and has since grown to become one of Europe’s largest music festival. This year’s event will mark its 25th edition, and it will take place from July 10 to 13. The Prodigy, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter and Nina Kraviz are among the acts booked to play at the 2025 festival.
