How music festivals bring people together: a space for real cultural connection and intercultural communication without language – more than just music.
Conversations in countless languages fill the air, as people from all over the world share their stories, listen to music, enjoy and celebrate songs written in various continents. The delicious aromas of street food waft through the crowd, while the vibrant mix of sounds, sights and scents creates a sense of unity. It feels like stepping into a living, breathing and good-smelling melting-pot, where communication isn’t just about words – it’s about the universal language of music, its melodies and rhythms.
Furthermore, music festivals seem to transport one far away from the challenges of daily life and place us in a warm and comforting bubble free from war, hate, racism or critical political tension. These events build a space where everyone – regardless of their homeland, their native language, skin color or gender – can connect and share their experience.
Music impacts and triggers the brain
In the field of music psychology, a lot of research is being done to understand what happens in our brains when we listen to music and whether it can trigger emotions which help people feel more connected to each other.
Music impacts the brain, activating multiple regions involved in emotion, memory, motor functions, and even language. Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show that music doesn’t only stimulate the auditory cortex. It also engages the amygdala and hippocampus, regions linked to emotions and memory. These areas help process the emotional and cognitive responses we have to music. Additionally, music triggers the brain’s reward systems, releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine, which boost mood and overall well-being. It helps synchronize emotions and actions among people, fostering a sense of shared experience and community. Live music establishes a powerful emotional connection between performers and their audience.
Research shows that live performances trigger stronger emotional responses than recorded music due to a real-time feedback loop between the performer and the audience, intensifying the emotional experience for both. This unique interaction fosters deeper emotional processing, strengthening social bonds.
Moreover, music is a tool for regulating emotions, whether it’s calming us, motivating us, or helping to cope with negative feelings. It can also affect our physical responses, such as heart rate and motor actions like dancing or singing, which help us manage our emotional states. These effects are universal, as fundamental emotions like joy, sadness, and fear conveyed through music are recognized across cultures.
The social power of music
While the science behind how music affects our brains is fascinating, the true power of music also lies in its ability to unite us – not just from a neurobiological perspective, but as human beings, transcending any language barriers. As a guest writer put it about the Africa Festival (Würzburg/Germany):
Festivals as a funded escape
As mentioned before, music festivals have an incredible ability to help us forget about the everyday grind and provide a warm, comforting space where we can let go of everything for a while.
But even though these festivals offer us a much-needed escape, there’s still one important and deeper question to consider: how are these events, especially international festivals, financed?
In times of crisis – whether political, personal or economic – securing adequate financial support for these events becomes even more critical, even though music itself is so important in helping us cope with such challenges. Isn’t it music itself that helps us find strength in difficult times, makes us feel at ease, and gives us the courage to keep going, no matter the challenges we face?
One funding program that supports cultural and creative organizations in EU-countries and some non-EU-countries is Creative Europe. Since its launch in 2014, it has been instrumental in promoting cultural diversity, supporting artistic expression, and boosting the creative industries across Europe. With a budget of €2.44 billion for 2021-2027, it helps projects reach new audiences, develop innovative content, and break down cultural and geographical barriers. By funding initiatives that connect artists and cultural organizations, the program plays a key role in making music festivals and other cultural events more inclusive, accessible, and impactful, especially in challenging times. Europavox, for example, has been supported multiple times by Creative Europe – Culture.
A dark reality to consider
While a budget of €2.44 billion might seem like a significant and supportive fund, and even though music festivals provide us with a much-needed escape, there’s a dark reality to consider: as the band Die Nerven might have hinted at in their 2022 song Europa: “and I somehow thought, in Europe, you never die“, music and music festivals are, in fact, in danger of disappearing.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the live music sector, with many festivals suffering massive financial losses – and a loss of around 300 billion euros in overall consumption in Germany over two years. A sharp decline in consumer spending on live events and the cancellation of countless festivals meant that many festivals, especially smaller ones, struggled to survive – in 2024, 60 British festivals have been postponed or cancelled and since 2019, nearly 200 festivals have gone under-. Despite funding programs, many of these events were not able to fully recover. The financial strain caused by the pandemic, along with ongoing challenges such as rising operational costs, makes it harder for festivals to bounce back to their pre-crisis state.
Moreover, cultural activities, including music festivals, are often not prioritized during times of crisis or war, with many governments choosing to cut back on cultural budgets. This, combined with the economic uncertainty that festivals face, puts their future at risk. Even though Creative Europe has increased its funding, ensuring the survival of music festivals requires long-term and consistent support.
In the face of these challenges, it’s more important than ever that we continue to value and support music festivals. These events do more than just entertain – they foster cultural exchange, emotional connections, and a sense of community. Without proper financial backing, however, the future of these festivals remains uncertain. We must work to ensure that they remain a part of our cultural landscape, offering both an escape and a shared space for connection in a world that often feels divided.
Photo Credits: Danny Howe. Unsplash.
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