Auf Festivals werden Container zu mehr als nur mobilen Hüllen. Sie werden umfunktioniert zu Bars, Einlasstresen, Bühnen oder Showrooms. Festivals wie Parookaville gestalten damit temporäre Städte, in denen große Marken etwa mit eigenen Container-Supermärkten präsent sind. Dienstleistende wie HKES und JP SPACES entwickeln dafür modulare Eventmodule vom Einzelcontainer bis zur mehrgeschossigen Stahlkonstruktion mit Glasfronten und Aussichtsplattformen. Gleichzeitig werden Container zu Kunstobjekten, wie bei den North West Walls in Belgien oder dem Containbow in Australien.
Moderation: Li Smilgies
Speaker: Jasper Poensgen (JP SPACES), Berend Koll (HKES), Frank Bollwerk (Next Events GmbH / Parookaville)
It doesn’t matter how big your festival is, how much money you’ve spent, or who’s headlining. When the rain comes, when the wind picks up, or when the heat becomes unbearable, there’s only one question that matters: are you prepared?
More and more festivals are being forced to rethink, postpone, or cancel altogether. Because the ground can’t take it. Because safety can’t be guaranteed. Or because no one is willing to take the risk anymore. This panel brings real-world experience to the table. Vivian Belzaguy Hunter, who leads sustainability efforts at Ultra Music Festival and Ascendance Sustainable Events, shares what it means to plan for climate extremes at large-scale events. Oliver Guy Watkins from PMY Group contributes insights from the production and technology side, while Maarten van Denderen of No Risk adds the insurance and risk management perspective — a critical component as weather unpredictability grows.
Moderated by Linnéa Vågen Svensson of Greener Events, the panel explores why a solid safety plan isn’t something you add at the end, but something you build everything else around. Why sustainability and resilience are deeply interconnected. And why asking hard questions early on matters more than ever.
We’ll talk site layout, crisis communication, insurance, and crowd movement. But most of all, we’ll ask: how do we keep making festivals happen in a world where the climate has stopped playing by the rules?
Will booking soon be taken over by algorithms? Are AI systems already filtering out bands in advance – based on sound profiles, reach, or image? And will international touring still be necessary if DJs can perform as holograms on multiple stages at once?
In this panel, Isabel Roudsarabi (Höme) moderates a conversation with Marine Rivollet (2am Music), Alex Stevens (Bookr.fm), and Chang Liu (XR Remote Live), who bring insights from booking, festival strategy, and hologram technology to explore how touring, booking, and live experiences are evolving.
Moderation: Isabel Roudsarabi (Höme)
Speaker:
Marine Rivollet (2am Music)
Alex Stevens (Bookr.fm)
Chang Liu (XR Remote Live)
Festivals are creative spaces, but stage construction consumes enormous resources. With growing pressure to act sustainably, new approaches are needed. Materials like bamboo have already been used at festivals such as Mysteryland, but long-term strategies for reuse and energy efficiency are still rare. Can photovoltaic stage roofs supply power in the future? How can modular systems be designed to make both environmental and economic sense? What influence can architects like Michael Kelm from kpm3 have on more sustainable planning?
This panel discusses how circular thinking, smart materials and renewable energy can shape the future of event infrastructure. Architect Michael Kelm shares how sustainability can be built in from the start, not only in stages but also in expos and brand environments. Alex Prideaux from Special Structures brings insights into scalable structural innovations. Bob van de Pol from Masters of Bamboo adds practical experiences with bamboo construction in the festival context.
Moderation: Antje Osterburg
Speaker:
Michael Mikel Kelm (kpm3)
Alex Prideaux (Special Structures Lab)
Bob van de Pol (Masters of Bamboo B.V.)
Two dynamic global cities, two distinct approaches to festival culture, yet a shared vision: transforming urban spaces into vibrant cultural and economic hubs through innovative festival strategies.
Dubai and Berlin have become international beacons for event-driven tourism and cultural experience but how do these two metropolises shape their festival ecosystems differently, and what can they learn from one another?
In this dynamic Firechat, we explore the future of festivals through the strategic lenses of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and Berlin’s economic development and innovation landscape. Together, our speakers will discuss how festivals drive tourism growth, create economic resilience, foster international partnerships, and position their cities as premier global destinations.
Moderation: Stine Nehrmann
Speaker:
Suhaila Ghubash (Dubai Economy and Tourism Department)
Manuel Wrobel (visitBerlin Berlin Convention Office)
When festivals become an integral part of holiday planning, they generate a strong boost for regional economies.
This panel explores the intersection of tourism and festival attendance – for example, a two-week summer vacation in the sun combined with a music festival.
What effects does this have on local businesses, accommodations, gastronomy, and transport providers? How do service providers from across Europe contribute to the efficient implementation of temporary festival infrastructure – from travel to accommodation? And how can organizers bring festival formats to new regions and inspire their loyal communities to follow?
Moderation: Mia Heresch
Speaker:
Oszkó-Jakab Natália (Valley of Arts Festival, Hungary)
Benjamin Besselsen (Liffin)
Greta Hoffmann (ICS / Wacken)
Festivals act as cultural anchors, economic drivers, and social gathering spaces – but rising costs are putting increasing pressure on their financial sustainability. While EU programs like Creative Europe promote cultural funding across Europe, national initiatives like Initiative Musik (Germany) provide targeted support.
What structures are needed to develop long-term, forward-thinking funding models for festivals?
This panel explores the key factors that contribute to successful festival funding, the strategic planning and political decisions required, and how decision-makers can be urged to secure festivals as an essential part of cultural heritage.
Moderation: Pamela Owusu Brenyah (Musicboard Berlin)
Speaker:
John Rostron (Association of Independent Festivals)
Anna van Nunen (ESNS)
Tatjana Kaube (Initiative Musik gGmbH)
Ein Festival international bekannt zu machen bedeutet, es als Marke zu etablieren, die über Landesgrenzen hinweg Strahlkraft entwickelt.
Doch wie baut man eine Identität auf, die Fans weltweit begeistert? Wacken Open Air oder Sziget haben es geschafft, nicht nur durch ihre Line-ups, sondern durch gezielte Partnerschaften, Medienkooperationen und ein klares Profil, das sich über Jahre hinweg gefestigt hat.
Dennoch spielt auch das Booking eine zentrale Rolle: Durch gezielte Künstlerauswahl und Marketingstrategien lassen sich neue Märkte erschließen und internationale Ticketverkäufe steigern.
Moderation: Katrin Fuhrmann (DJ Mag)
Speaker*innen:
Tomasz Loeffen (Sziget Festival)
Salman U Syed (Wacken Open Air, Bangalore Open Air)
Stephan Witzovsky (3000Grad Festival)
Making a festival internationally known means establishing it as a brand that develops appeal beyond national borders.
But how do you build an identity that inspires fans worldwide?
Wacken Open Air and Sziget have succeeded in doing so, not only through their line-ups but also through targeted partnerships, media collaborations, and a clear profile that has been consolidated over many years. Nevertheless, booking also plays a central role: targeted artist selection and marketing strategies can open up new markets and increase international ticket sales.
Moderation: Katrin Fuhrmann (DJ Mag)
Speaker*innen:
Tomas Loeffen (Sziget Festival)
Salman U Syed (Wacken Open Air, Bangalore Open Air)
Stephan Witzovsky (3000Grad Festival)
Kaum ist das Festival vorbei, beginnt das Rennen um Reichweite. Aftermovies, Bilder und Clips müssen möglichst schnell online – denn wer zuerst postet, gewinnt die Aufmerksamkeit.
Doch wie gelingt es, zehntausende Besucher:innen digital mitzunehmen, während der Staub noch liegt?
Wie arbeiten Videoteams, Fotograf:innen und Social-Media-Crews zusammen, um in Echtzeit Content zu liefern?
Moderation: Martin Juhls
Speaker*innen:
Videograph Mario Dorsch (Nure)
Isabel Schwartz (splash! Festival / Goodlive Festival GmbH)
Fotografin Paula Tauber
