The DGTL Festival was scheduled to take place this weekend in Amsterdam and become the first sustainable music festival organized in a circular way, but now it cannot be held given the current state of the world with the coronavirus. Instead of rescheduling the event as such as many other festivals have done, the DGTL Amsterdam team made the decision to move the occasion online. The free live broadcast, called DIGITAL DGTL, will take place this Saturday and Sunday and will feature several virtual stages with artists such as Adriatique, Ana Lilia, Kléo and Jasper Wolff. Bram Merkx, global marketing director at DGTL Amsterdam and DGTL Global Editions, took the time to share with Forbes what it was like to create an online festival so quickly, the decision to go online instead of rescheduling it, and more.
Lisa Kocay: DGTL intended to make history on April 11 and 12, 2020 as the first festival organized in a circular way. Unfortunately, the festival had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus. The festival will now be located online over the weekend and will be called DIGITAL DGTL. What was it like to make plans for an online festival in such a short time?
Bram Merkx: “It’s amazing to see my team’s determination to bring this concept to life, even as we flee our living rooms and kitchens. That is, in fact, what unites us as a team. I look forward to sharing those smart vibes with our virtual audience this weekend.
Kocay: How was the programming of DIGITAL DGTL?
Merkx: “We got in touch with all the artists hired by DGTL Amsterdam to collaborate with us on this project. About thirty of them did not hesitate to verify their participation. I see the craziest recordings coming in, so everyone was ready to take on an artistic challenge those days. of confinement and quarantine.
Kocay: As with a non-digital festival, the online edition will have multiple stages. They will be broadcast so that visitors to the DGTL can transfer between the other transmissions in digital. dgtl. nl. How many steps will there be?
Merkx: “We will broadcast 3 performances a day, from 14:00 to 23:00 CET]. Rumor has it that there will even be an official party on Saturday for those who still can’t help but dance.
Kocay: DIGITAL DGTL will produce daily recaps and offer enthusiasts pre-event messages, discussions with DGTL Revolution’s sustainable arm, and sustainability Q&A over the weekend, just as it would typically at a non-digital festival. Can you tell us more about their offerings?
Merkx: “One of the main pillars of our festival is sustainability. For 2020, we set out to create the world’s first completely circular festival. Our Revolution team is very proud of the years of work they have dedicated to this sustainability challenge, and we are very pleased that, even in our virtual edition, we can offer them a platform to share their wisdom with a wide audience.
Kocay: What made you cancel the non-digital festival and refund tickets instead of moving it to another date?
Merkx: “Of course, we have looked at all the possibilities, but given the line-up of foreign artists and the large number of occasions looking to find a new date in 2020, we have to concentrate on 2021 for a new edition of DGTL Amsterdam We are giving all price ticket buyers the opportunity to keep their price tickets for next year’s edition #saveyourprice ticket.
Kocay: The DGTL will also receive the DGTL Chile and the DGTL Sao Paulo in a few weeks. What will you do for those festivals?
Merkx: “We are working hard to find a way to manage this complex scenario and the local partners involved in those productions. Obviously, our DGTL events won’t take place in May, but we’re still in the process of finding a solution for either. reschedule or reimburse those occasions.
Kocay: Will the DGTL come back next year if we worry about the coronavirus?
Merkx: “We’ll be back on Easter weekend 2021 and we’re more determined than ever. “