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EXIT Festival Announces Final Edition in Serbia in Protest Against Suppression of Free Expression
After 25 years as a beacon of freedom and unity, EXIT Festival announces its final edition in Serbia amid political and financial repression
In a powerful and emotional statement, EXIT Festival — one of Europe’s leading music festivals and a global symbol of unity, youth, and social change — has announced that its 2025 edition will be the last to take place in Serbia. The decision comes in response to escalating political and financial pressure aimed at silencing its voice and mission.
Founded 25 years ago as a student movement for peace and freedom in the post-war Balkans, EXIT has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon. Held annually at the historic Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, Serbia, the festival has welcomed millions of fans, earned numerous international awards, and generated hundreds of millions of euros in tourism revenue. More than just a music event, EXIT has long been a platform for activism, unity, and freedom of expression.
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But that mission has come under attack.
In their official statement, the festival organizers say they have been completely cut off from public funding at all levels and that state pressure has forced sponsors to withdraw their support — all following EXIT’s vocal support of student protests in Serbia demanding democratic reform and justice.
“This is the hardest decision in our 25-year history, but we believe that freedom has no price,” said Dušan Kovačević, founder and director of the EXIT Festival. “With this act, we are defending not only EXIT, but the fundamental right to free expression for all cultural actors around the world.”
EXIT 2025 will still take place from July 10–13, and organizers promise an edition unlike any other — an emotional, defiant celebration of the values that made the festival iconic. It will mark a final farewell to the Petrovaradin Fortress, but also a powerful statement in defense of artistic freedom.
“If this truly is the last EXIT at the Fortress, let it be unforgettable. Let it be remembered not for its end, but for its unity. For love. For freedom.”
Why this matters to the global music community
EXIT’s announcement is more than just a national issue — it sends a clear warning about how authoritarian pressure can undermine cultural spaces and silence the voices of artists, activists, and youth. Festivals are not just stages; they are statements.
For the global electronic scene and beyond, this is a moment to stand in solidarity. Supporting EXIT means supporting the freedom to gather, to speak, and to dream out loud.
DJane Mag will continue to follow this story and echo the message: freedom in music is worth fighting for — and we fight it together.