Meanwhile, numerous global music media outlets have reported on EXIT’s potential departure from Serbia.
Students from faculties across all universities in Serbia published a collab Instagram post with EXIT: “We were born from the same fight and we stand together for freedom.” The post’s caption elaborates: “We stand in solidarity with all professors, artists, and organizations who supported the student protests – and were punished for it! In a free and democratic society, the right to freedom of thought must be guaranteed to everyone.
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Public funds belong to all citizens of Serbia, not to the political parties in power, and they should serve the common good, not be used to punish “undesirable” organizations. We reject the message that art is only allowed if it is controlled, because every attack on education and culture is an attack on freedom!” This message came from students blockading the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad, the Faculty of Organizational Sciences in Belgrade, all faculties of the University of Niš, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Kragujevac, and the State University of Novi Pazar.
YOUROPE – the umbrella association of European festivals with over 130 major festivals and associated members from 31 countries – expressed its support for EXIT as one of its most influential and active members by saying: “EXIT is a beacon, an event that carries the torch of independence, social participation, and commitment to a better world like few others. It is a crucial point of reference for young generations – from its activist beginnings to its pioneering initiatives, which align closely with YOUROPE’s mission and the spirit of our Take A Stand award, which it has won at the European Festival Awards. YOUROPE firmly emphasizes that every festival must have the unquestionable right and complete freedom to take a stand on critical social issues, because festivals are not just cultural gatherings, but powerful platforms for positive societal change.”
ESNS (Eurosonic Noorderslag), the prestigious music conference and showcase festival, also voiced its strong support for EXIT, stating: “Music is freedom, and festivals like EXIT are key spaces for people who drive change and fight for freedom and justice.”
One of the world’s most well-respected music magazines, Pollstar, ran the story on EXIT as its main headline, emphasizing that EXIT is far more than just a music event. They described it as a “cultural and economic force of nature which, since its launch, has contributed some $300 million to the local economy and done more for the unity and well-being of the people of Novi Sad and Serbia than any politician in history.”
The EXIT story has been picked up by many other global music outlets and hundreds of public figures, including global DJ star Indira Paganotto and actor Miloš Biković.
Still, the most important support comes from the audience – thousands of messages from around the world that give us the strength to keep going and remind us that EXIT is not just a festival, but a movement that lives in people’s hearts.
