Scene
Over the past 25 years, EXIT has grown into one of Europe’s most respected festivals, attracting hundreds of thousands to Novi Sad and putting Serbia firmly on the global music map.
Now, after a quarter-century at the Petrovaradin Fortress, EXIT Festival has announced that its 2025 edition will be its last in Serbia. The decision, which caught many by surprise, comes from rising political tension and the government’s withdrawal of support after EXIT publicly backed recent student protests across Serbia.
What began in 2000 as a youth movement against the Milošević regime has now come full circle. EXIT’s vocal stance on social issues – most recently providing supplies and support to protestors – has put it at odds with authorities. Organisers say they’ve been met with threats and pressure aimed at silencing the festival’s voice, pushing the decision to end its Serbian chapter.
Despite the pressure, the team has refused to back down. “We believe freedom has no price,” they stated, confirming that this year’s edition will be the last in “this kind of Serbia” – one where freedom of speech is systematically suppressed. The team now plans to make the final EXIT on Petrovaradin Fortress the most emotional and powerful yet.
The final edition, from July 10th until 13th, will host acts including Tiësto, Nina Kravitz, Solomun, The Prodigy, Amelie Lens, and Sex Pistols with Frank Carter. While EXIT is leaving Serbia, organisers have suggested the festival will continue elsewhere – though details remain unconfirmed.
“Let this not be remembered for the end,” the team wrote, “but for unity. For love. For freedom.”
