Pärnu 7.th.of May 2009:

Niels Bjerrum Head of the

Information & Marketing Section

Program (or some of it...):

• The History of Roskilde Festival?• Our values and goals?• How is the festival organized?• Our biggest challenges right now?

1.) Roskilde Sound Festival: 1971• Woodstock … Inspiration• Expected: 3000 Participants:

13.000• High school students = naive

= of the beaten track = same today (swim against the current: music, interior and decoration, influence on the society etc.)

• Lots of people without tickets = deficit

• The ’money man’ was gone when the bills had to be paid

2.) Roskilde Fantasy Festival: 1972

• The Roskilde Foundation (Later known as ”Roskilde Festival Charity Society”)

• Local Government Roskilde city

• A formal organization

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The first canopy stage from Rolling Stones: 1978

The 1970 and 1980ies:

• Political confrontations against the conservative and Christian Denmark

• A transition from ’hippie ideals’ to the ’black punk’ 80ies = A new group of audience and a new movement = new music profile

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The second Canopy: 1983

The 1990ies to the year 2000:

• A professional organization prepared for the future

• Largest one: 1994 (120.000 people) – 1995: 25 years anniversary – a new maximum of 90.000.

• Too big – multiple parties in one = no feeling of community

• Quality not quantity

2000: The accident not to happen under any circumstances, but which occurred at Roskilde during a Pearl Jam concert at orange stage – 9

young people died

We learned a lesson and others learned as well – new improved security guidelines in cooperation between

private and public institutions

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Festival 2006 – Maybe the best one ever

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Festival 2007 – Worst weather ever: 120 mm. of rain in a few hours!

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Festival 2007 – It ended superb! Roger Waters at Orange…

Roskilde Festival today:

One of the largest cities in Denmark with app. 110.000

inhabitants

• 50-60% from Denmark

• 15-20% from Norway

• 10-20% from Sweden

• 10-15 % from the rest of the world

• 25.000 voluntary staff (7.000 from the Roskilde Festival

Charity Society – 18.000 from different associations)

• 5.000 from the media

• 3.500 musicians - app. 175 bands

The audience – who are they?

• 50 % women and 50 % men

• 70 % have been at Roskilde more than once

• 80 % is 18-28 years

• Average age is 25 years

• 50 % arrives on the openingday (sunday)

• 50 % arrives by car (… has to change)

Huge branding value and economic importance in the local society:

• Local shops, Associations, economies (RF: 330 mio. DKK = 1/3 of total tourist income – RF = dec. for business)

• Puts Denmark on the map/branding (Google – Copenhagen/Roskilde)!

• Roskilde: 55.000 – The University, The Wiking Ship Museum, The Cathedral – Roskilde Festival

The purpose of The Roskilde Festival Charity Society…

“…is to support initiatives that are beneficial for

children

and adults and to support humanitarian,

other public charities, non profit and cultural work.

Roskilde Festival Charity Society’s work is

independent of party politics and has no

geographical boundaries. "

Human2Human- Roskilde Festivals humanitarian focus

GOALS:

•Make visable that Roskilde Festival is a non-profit organization,

that supports humanitarian projects, in direct contact with the

guests

•Assure collection and recycling of deposits (bottles) to avoid

”criminal collectors”– to support the humanitarian year project

•Engage/mobilize volunteers and audience in the concrete support

project in order to make the underlying values of Roskilde Festival

visable and very present

Roskilde Festival

Foundation

Roskilde Festival Charity

Society

Roskilde

Equipment RentalRoskilde Events &

ConsultEvent 4000 Roskilde Cultural

Administrations Service

Charity, culturel and humanitarien support

The Roskilde Group

Challenges at the time:

• The financial crisis – what crisis…? Our audience never had neither fortune nor equity …No stock holders!

• Culture and ticket challenges; sale same as in the 1980ies oil crisis!

Challenges at the time:• Music prices/the experience economy/one day music arrangements – the bubble that bursts – with festivals as winners – they can do much more!

• A festival is a ’whole’ experience without the normal limits of society - not one way communication – on big community

• The actual place: gravel pit/ highway – a physical Challenge – camping and festival site

mindre.jpg

And more to come - 2009:

• 2009: 4 + 4 (warm up) • Focus on climate changes: Sustainable Stage,

Green Footsteps, Climate Community, Our Green Footsteps

• E –sport: Guitar hero, sing star, CS m.v.• Nordic food bazaar• Se more at: www.roskilde-festival.dk