EXIT Festival launches Save EXIT Freedom crowdfunding campaign following "final" edition in Serbia

EXIT Festival has launched a crowdfunding campaign to protect its future, following its "final" edition in Serbia last month. 

Entitled Save Exit Freedom, the fundraiser aims to support EXIT Festival in safeguarding its "independence and values" by providing "immediate stability of the festival organisation" and protecting "over 100 permanent jobs."

EXIT welcomed a 200,000-strong crowd to Novi Sad last month (July 10-13) for its 2025 edition, billed to the last in its home country after organisers announced this year's edition would be its last in Serbia. 

The festival cited "financial and political pressure" as a result of backing student-led protests against President Aleksandar Vučić's government; EXIT claims to have lost over "€1.5 million in public co-funding" alongside access to "government-controlled" sponsorships.

“The recent EXIT Festival is of immeasurable importance - a historical moment when one music festival boldly stood up against fierce governmental pressure aimed at silencing our freedom of speech and suppressing our support for Serbia's brave students. We stood stronger than any attempt at state repression and demonstrated that unity, solidarity and love still triumphs over fear, and that art cannot be silenced.” said Dušan Kovačević, the founder of the EXIT Festival group. 

“Through this crowdfunding campaign, we are standing up for the independence of an entire organisation and the people behind it. We strongly believe this is a moment for the music industry to unite, protect one of its own, and demonstrate that collectively it is stronger than any government in the world. By defending independence and freedom for EXIT, we defend the freedom of all artists, music professionals, and organisations in the music industry who might face similar pressures anywhere in the world.  Because the fight for freedom for one is the fight for freedom for all.”

In a statement sent to Mixmag, in response to a question about whether the festival may be able to remain in Serbia if the crowdfunder is successful, EXIT's team said: "Remaining in Serbia is not linked to the Save EXIT Freedom campaign. The decision not to hold EXIT Festival in Serbia next year was made based on the political situation in the country and due to the undemocratic pressures from the current Serbian government, directed against EXIT and other cultural and social organisations that supported student protests.

"The fundraiser is aimed to help safeguard around 100 permanent jobs within the organisation in the short-term, ensuring operational continuity, until we develop Global tour that will start from 2026. This measure will provide stability while EXIT considers variety of offers we’ve got after announcing EXIT Festival won’t be held in Serbia next year."

Find out more about the Save Exit Freedom campaign, here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter