EXIT 09

10,000 dinars for 10th festival

Transportation, ticket, accommodation in the camp, without including some pocket money, would cost a Serbian visitor 10,000 Serbian dinars at least. In the country where average income is 33,000 dinars per month, this expense is close to luxury, despite the fact that it is very acceptable if one decides to go on a single performance of some artist performing on EXIT


By MILENA STOŠIĆ
from Niš, SERBIA


Lily Allen, Moby, Korn, The Prodigy, Kraftwerk, Sasha, Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Eric Prydz are just one of the high-profile performers out of 500 to be performing on 20 different stages during the 10th EXIT - the largest music festival in South-East Europe. This year, EXIT will last from 9th to 12th July, traditionally at Petrovaradin fortress in the city of Novi Sad.

Very big and famous names which have performed on EXIT are the best proof of festival's quality and reputation: Beastie Boys, Groove Armada, Robert Plant, Snoop Dog, Iggy Pop, Massive Attack, Moloko, Cypress Hill, Underworld, Fatboy Slim, The White Stripes, Garbage, Stereo Mc's, Slayer, Rony Size, Manu Chao, N*E*R*D, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Sex Pistols...; world media houses to report about the festival - MTV and BBC; UK Festival Awards in cooperation with Yourope which awarded the EXIT '07 as the best European music festival, also the number of visitors which reached 167,000 last year, from Serbia, the region and even wider. 'State of Exit' aims to open towards the world through many social actions, and campaigns (against human trafficking and racial discrimination and for employing the youth, and environmental protection). EU Commissioner Oli Rehn supported EXIT by attending the festival in 2006.

Expensive prices

Something that is very much discussed in this period of the year amongst young people, especially now in the light of world economic crisis, is the availability of the festival to ones which this festival is dedicated to. This year, the price for a 4-day-ticket is 5,990 dinars if the ticket is bought until 27th of June, and after that, the price is 10,000 dinars for anniversary 10th EXIT (to be precise, it is 9,990 dinars). One-day-tickets can be bought for 3,450 dinars for the first two days of the festival, and 3,990 dinars for the last two days.

Of course, visitors coming to Novi Sad from different places also need an accommodation, which is an additional cost. EXIT camp is the most practical solution, and the price is 2,400 dinars / place. Besides that, EXIT TRIP - the official EXIT tourist service has offered a hostel accommodation in the city, which can cost from 17.80 (for 5 nights) to 22 euros a day per one person. There is also a variety of individual accommodation which price can vary. Strahinja, a guy who works in Exit Accommodation agency (which accommodates the visitors for three years now), says that it is a better idea to find a place to stay via agency, because the safety is guaranteed, in comparison to individual accommodation offers which turned out to have opposite examples.

Despite the great interest of the foreign visitors (especially coming from Great Britain), there are some indications which imply that something is going to be different this year: 'There is a decreased demand of foreign visitor this year. One of the reasons could be the equalization of the pound with euro, which affects their purchase power. Also, one of the factors is the world economic crisis, and the high price of accommodation, which remained the same as last year, without coping with economic situation of the world', says the representative of Exit Accommodation for WAVE magazine.

The price for one day stay at EXIT festival is 25 to 35 euros per day for one person. The transportation organized by EXIT TRIP by bus, car or a train from Belgrade, Budapest and Zagreb to Novi Sad must be also included. Maybe the students are in the best situation, since they have a right for various discounts in bus transportation, or by using EURO 26 tickets in the trains.

Transportation, ticket, accommodation in the camp, without including some pocket money, would cost a Serbian visitor 10,000 Serbian dinars at least. In the country where average income is 33,000 dinars per month, this expense is close to luxury, despite the fact that it is very acceptable if one decides to go to a single performance of some artist performing on EXIT.

Business and pleasure

One of the characteristics of EXIT festival is that it provides many opportunities for employment (bar tenders, racers, promoters, security), which can be a really good way to enter the event.

'I use to work as a security guard last year in the camp. I went there without any idea what to expect, in order to make some money for my summer holiday. Day payment is approximately 20 euros, and the job turned out to be easy and fun', explains Jovana from Niš for WAVE magazine. 'It is an awesome opportunity for meeting all kinds of different people, since the majority of people in the camps are mainly foreigners. In addition to that, you get a free pass for the festival, and I didn't know that until I got there, so this information made me very happy. That is one of the reasons I applied again for the same job.

One more way to 'crash' the festival is to be an activist of some NGO which has its own boot stand on the fortress.

When it comes to competitions, EXIT is famous for organizing creative competitions such as writing texts about the performers, designing the festival T-shirt, making festival video footage by high-school students on YouTube, which gives the competitors the opportunity to win some prizes, and more tickets. EXIT festival also provides the chance for young unknown musicians to apply to the festival and perform.

DJ Igor S (TECH a TECH), who performed last year on Cocta DJ stage, carried over his EXIT experience to WAVE magazine readers: 'The worldwide festival in non-European country! This festival is very much needed, but also inevitably commercialized during the years. I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to be a part of something that big. In the country which has a bad reputation, EXIT is a necessary bright light. I am happy we have it and that it became a Serbian brand."

Exit offers an opportunity to informed, creative people or those who need a job, to visit 'The State of Exit'. The increasing number of visitors every year is a proof that people somehow manage to come and relive the incredible experience over and over again.

See you at EXIT festival!


(Published: 20.06.2009.)