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More visitors, higher costs: Financial pressure on music venues increases

Dutch live music venues hosted 3% more performances and attracted 8% more visitors in 2024 compared to the previous year. Despite rising ticket revenues and increased subsidies, most venues reported a decline in financial results.

The Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals (VNPF) warns that without structurally robust funding the Dutch live music sector risks being thrown back to the previous century. This would undermine its ability to attract new talent and audiences, threatening the live music ecosystem that underpins the (inter)national success of the Dutch music sector.

More music and more audiences
In 2024, music venues presented 30,831 performances by artists, attracting a total of 6,885,354 visitors, an 8% increase over 2023. This growth was not uniform: 64% of venues saw an increase in visits, while 36% reported a decline.

More venues running at a loss
Total expenses for the music venues reached €255.3 million in 2024, a 14% increase compared to 2023. Total income increased with 12% to €253.1 million. For more than half of the venues, this meant a negative financial result. While ticket sales and catering sales increased, they did not keep up with increasing costs. Program expenses increased with 17%, and employment costs with 16%. Artists, technical crews, staff, supplies: everything became more expensive. Meanwhile, many municipal subsidies failed to keep up with inflation. In 2024, 93% of all subsidies received by the music venues came from municipalities. Last year, 15% of venues received no inflation adjustment at all. For this year, 36% expect no growth in municipal support.

Fair Pay without fair funding
VNPF members are under pressure to pay artists more fairly (fair pay), but there are hardly any additional resources to support this. In the long run, this is unsustainable. At the same time, the share of volunteer work has been declining for years, with more workers now being paid, raising the overall employment costs. There is limited space for further cuts, and profit margins are razor thin.

A public interest under pressure
The VNPF emphasizes that music venues are an essential link in the cultural ecosystem. They connect audiences with creators and vice versa, provide space for experimentation, and contribute to the success of the (inter)national live pop music circuit. Even artists who now perform in stadiums often started their careers in smaller venues. Without adequate funding, this function is at risk. This results in less artistic risk, less room for new talent, less diversity, and reduced accessibility.

Municipalities are undermining their own strength
“Those who don’t invest now will lose much more later,” says VNPF director Berend Schans. “Municipalities have the most to lose: a healthy pop climate clearly delivers economic and societal value,  from spending in hospitality to attracting young people and businesses. Music venues are the R&D departments of the unsubsidized pop circuit. The Netherlands has built something unique. Now we risk cutting it away.”