meakusma festival 2020 // CANCELLED

Venue
Alter Schlachthof
Rotenbergplatz 19
4700 Eupen

PRACTICAL

meakusma festival 2020 // CANCELLED

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Given the current global Corona crisis, we have decided to cancel the Meakusma Festival 2020 that was supposed to take place from September 4th to September 6th. It is not easy to take such a decision, but we feel we have no choice.
 
Although the reasons for canceling seem obvious, we would like to quickly touch upon some of the thoughts behind the decision we have taken.
 
The Belgian government has last week decided to forbid all big festivals this summer up to August 31st. The Meakusma Festival does not categorize as a big festival, but since our festival site features many small rooms for concerts and performances, rooms that do not allow social distancing, we feel it unwise to go ahead. Small, packed rooms to experience an intimate concert or a club set are very much part of the Meakusma Festival. It is still unclear whether the ban imposed by the Belgian government will also be applied to smaller festivals, but our focus is on the safety of our audience and performing artists. We feel we cannot guarantee their well-being in the current circumstances, so we prefer not to put them at risk.
 
Another aspect is that it is still unclear which measures will be taken by other countries. Our audience and artist roster have always been very international, as they would have again been this year. Depending on whether people can travel from their country to Belgium and on sudden changes that might take place in the measures taken by countries all over the world, is a liability too big to take for us as a festival. All measures taken worldwide right now also make organizing a festival aiming at international appeal close to impossible.
 
We are working on some alternatives to the festival. We will inform you about those in due time.
 
Not to dwell on the past or surrender to melancholy, but we would like to share with you the Meakusma Festival 2019 film made by Thomas Tourtellier. The film takes an impressionist and highly personal stance on the what the Meakusma Festival is. We feel it captures its spirit.
 
 
TICKETS


When it comes to ticket refunds, there are a few options. People who have already purchased a ticket can get a full ticket refund through the ticketing website, ticket booking fee included. It is also possible to carry over tickets bought for the 2020 festival to 2021. The 2021 Meakusma Festival will take place from September 3rd to September 5th. We would of course appreciate tickets being carried over to 2021, for financial and other reasons, but for those of you who find 2021 too far ahead to plan, the full ticket refund is of course available.
 
Our sympathy goes to those fighting this global crisis and to people whose health and economic situation have been impacted by it. We would also like to mention our appreciation for all those people in jobs providing services, from the postal service to shops and more. It is thanks to those people that the music industry in general, and the more underground part of it specifically,
are managing to at least generate an income, allowing many people to still see a future for themselves in music and art.
 
Although we are deeply saddened not to be able to organize a festival this year, we feel that given the current situation, organizing a festival is not a priority.
 
Here is to hoping that things go back to normal soon and that we can all see each other at the Meakusma Festival in 2021.
 
Stay safe! Be well!
 
Meakusma