'Every line of resources counts': Music festivals tied hand and foot to sponsor funding to survive

On music festival posters, the list of sponsors grows longer every year. At these events, more and more brands are offering experiences to festival-goers. And for good reason: these musical events are now dependent on funding from these partners. The Techno Parade , a showcase for electronic music in Paris, will not take place in 2025, for example, due to financial reasons. "Since the event is mainly supported by private brands, they are increasingly difficult to mobilize," laments the Technopol association, which created this parade in 1998.

With the proliferation of festivals in France, everyone is competing in ingenuity to attract brands...