With values like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) under attack, it has become more important than ever to support these concepts to create a more just world that is safe and welcoming to all of us. Since festivals are a mirror of the societies they take place in, it is YOUROPE’s declared goal to foster knowledge sharing on DEI at festivals, so they can become a safer and more inclusive place for everyone.

This is why we recently cooperated with SoAlive Music Conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, to host our second seminar on DEI & festivals. Over two days, we welcomed 30 participants from 13 countries to our sessions. The seminar is part of YOUROPE’s network project “3F – Future-Fit Festivals,” which is co-funded by the European Union.

This report contains the key takeaways from each session, so live event makers everywhere can benefit from the seminar. Feel free to read through this and implement anything suitable you find at your own event/in your own organization. In this report, you will learn:

• about YOUROPE’s Diversity & Inclusion Toolset
• how much artists from the Balkans are underrepresented in Europe’s music ecosystem
• how Roskilde Festival creates a positive impact beyond the festival days
• how crowd safety rules can limit inclusion
• what psychological safety is and why it matters for your teams and organizations
• what pinkwashing is and how to avoid it
• about Colours of Ostrava’s “Colours without Barriers” accessibility program
• how you can identify different types of barriers to accessibility
• about good practices in keeping events affordable
• about the GENiE database for more gender equality
• about the challenges of women in the (Eastern) European live music industry
• about the mentorship program “Women in Music” from Romania
• how to deal with stress and prevent burnout
• how EXIT festival supports the mental health of its teams and visitors