Initiative Musik has published a new study on the German festival scene, providing representative data on the structure, financing, and social significance of this unique cultural landscape. For the first time, such a study was conducted covering all kinds of music genres.

The study found that around 1,800 music festivals take place regularly in Germany – ranging from Classical music to Rock, Pop, and Jazz to Electronic, Folk, and New Music.

It also found that music festivals are much more than stages for live music; they open up spaces for culture and creativity and create intense communal experiences – especially in non-urban regions. According to the study, 60% of festivals take place in cities and communities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants.

Festivals focus on stylistic diversity

The new study shows that festivals are characterized by their stylistic openness, with each one combining an average of five different genres. On average, each festival stages 30 concerts or acts, which extrapolated to the whole of Germany amounts to around 51,000 concerts per year.

Remarkably, around 40% of these performances are by young artists and ensembles. Festivals thus make a decisive contribution to promoting cultural diversity and the sustainable development of the music landscape, the study concluded.

Tense financial situation

Extrapolated to the entire German festival landscape, this results in revenues of around €551 million and expenditures of €522 million. Festivals are therefore not only culturally influential, but also provide a significant boost as an economic factor beyond the cultural sector.

However, the economic situation of many festivals is tense: on average, each festival has revenues of around €313,000 and expenditures of €296,000. Only 15 percent of festivals make a profit, while around 30 percent record losses.

The majority – only 18 percent consider themselves commercially oriented – primarily pursue cultural and charitable goals.

At 38 percent of total expenditure, artists’ fees are the largest cost factor. The share is 48 percent for classical music festivals and 34 percent for popular music festivals. Jazz festivals within the popular music sector have a higher value here at 41 percent.

The revenue side differs significantly: Classical music festivals are more heavily subsidized, mostly have a balanced budget, and cover around 40 percent of their budget from public funds; they generate a further 24 percent through sponsors, foundations, and patrons.

Popular music festivals are more market-oriented, more often generate surpluses, but bear higher economic risks and infrastructure costs – especially for outdoor events. The share of public funding here is around 20 percent.

Popular music and jazz under pressure

There are also differences in future prospects depending on the genre: 82 percent of classical music festivals expect their festivals to continue. For popular music and jazz festivals, this figure is significantly lower at 62 percent and 68 percent, respectively. Ten percent of popular music festivals even fear immediate closure, compared to 4 percent of classical music festivals.

Sustainable and value-oriented

Beyond economic significance, the study highlights the social role of festivals. 85 percent implement measures for ecological sustainability, while 53 percent pay attention to gender-equitable lineups. Diversity plays a central role, especially in popular music, while it has received less attention in the Classical music sector to date.

Volunteering as the backbone of the festival scene

Volunteering is indispensable: it plays a central role in 79 percent of all festivals – both in planning and implementation. In small communities, almost every festival relies on volunteers (97 percent).

Popular music festivals (83 percent) use volunteers more frequently and to a greater extent than Classical music festivals (70 percent). Volunteering thus forms the backbone of many festivals and makes a decisive contribution to cultural participation and regional anchoring.

About the study

A combination of qualitative and quantitative surveys was chosen for this study. The core of the study was a comprehensive (online) survey of 1,764 music festivals in Germany, which were identified in advance and reviewed based on specific criteria. At the end of the survey period (November 5, 2024, to January 6, 2025), 638 fully completed questionnaires had been received. The response rate of 36.2 percent can be considered good, and the data can be regarded as representative of the festival industry.

The qualitative part of the study (three roundtables, 15 interviews) served both to develop the questionnaire, which comprised more than 80 questions in nine subject areas, and to contextualize the results. In a next step, further detailed evaluations by genre in the areas of Classical, Jazz, and popular music are planned.

The survey was conducted by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research. The study is a joint project of Initiative Musik, the Federal Foundation for Live Culture, and the German Music Information Center.

Minister of State comments on study’s sigificance

German Minister of State Wolfram Weimer said: “The new study once again demonstrates the social relevance of music festivals: they are not only indispensable cultural venues that promote joie de vivre and create community. Music festivals are also an important economic and location factor that creates jobs, especially in rural areas.

The study provides a sound data basis for policymakers and the industry itself. It also clearly identifies the structural challenges facing music festivals.”

Download study (German)

Read summary (German)