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View all search resultsConcert pullouts signal sponsorship, spending strains
Experts point to waning interest from corporate sponsors, especially SOEs that have “reallocated budgets” to programs more closely tied to government priorities, as a key driver behind the wave of festival cancellations.
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Amped up: Rock outfit The S.I.G.I.T. performs on March 26 in front of the sea of audience at Joyland Bali. (Courtesy of Joyland Bali-@fotokonser @nareend) (Courtesy of Joyland Bali/@fotokonser and @nareend)
At least two major music festivals have canceled this year’s editions, citing a lack of appetite among concertgoers.
Industry experts note that the trend was driven by declining support from sponsors, including state-owned enterprises (SOEs), as well as a shift in consumer spending from discretionary activities like music concerts to basic necessities amid weakening purchasing power.
In April, We The Fest officially announced a hiatus this year and plans to return in 2026, after running annually every summer since 2014, with the exception of the pandemic in 2022. The festival’s promoter, Ismaya Live, said the decision was made to “prepare a stronger foundation” for the next edition, with a fresher and more innovative concept.
Joyland, another music festival that was originally scheduled for Nov. 28–30 this year, followed suit by announcing its cancellation on Aug. 11, despite having already begun ticket sales. The promoter ultimately opted to issue refunds rather than risk delivering a scaled-down version of the festival’s promise to provide a quality experience.
“This year, we felt that continuing as planned would mean compromising on that vision. Rather than push forward with something that didn’t feel fully right, we chose to pause, to reflect, and to preserve what makes Joyland meaningful in the first place,” Joyland program director Ferry Dermawan told The Jakarta Post on Aug. 15.
Ferry added that while many festivals in Asia also struggled with ticket sales in 2024, others such as Fuji Rock in Japan and Clockenflap in Hong Kong managed to draw strong audiences this year.
“But in Indonesia, I can feel that the landscape is a bit different. Many local festivals are not seeing the same kind of traction. We’re paying close attention to that shift,” he said.
