The impact of festivalization on nightclubs - How do Dutch nightclubs construe the festivalization phenomenon?

Festivalization of culture is an expression that describes the proliferation of festivals within the cultural industry. The phenomenon describes the presentation of various artforms, ranging from visual arts to performing arts, in a festival formula. This research examines the phenomenon from an untouched point of view, namely from the permanent cultural organization. In particular, this research aims to examine what the impact of festivalization of culture is on Dutch nightclubs. In order to do so, this study answers the following research question: “How do Dutch nightclubs construe the festivalization phenomenon?”. For this study, eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven key stakeholders within the industry; eight respondents work for a nightclub, two work for a festival and one works for bot a festival and a nightclub. Purposive and snowball sampling were deployed to tap into an insightful set of data that was gained from insiders of the Dutch electronic dance scene. The research shows that the main impact of festivalization for nightclubs is the emergence of fierce competition over audiences and artists, both during and outside of the festival season. Nightclubs tend to tackle these implications by enhancing the overall experience of the club; by creative programming, and by utilizing their relationships with audiences, artists and other stakeholders within the industry such as other nightclubs, festivals and booking agencies.