Music Festivals and Social License: Evolution and Socio-cultural Contribution of EXIT Festival and OK-Fest

Festivals have the potential to encourage people to reconnect by promoting societal ideals, tolerance, and understanding among cultures. Prolonged socio-political unrest in the Balkans, particularly related to the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1990s, spilling till today, influenced the region's global image. The music has always been a significant component of political criticism in this region, while music festivals have served as a communal cohesion and expression platform. Plenty of studies explored how Yugoslav generations were influenced by rock music which carries strong political symbolism and has potential to trigger Yugonostalgia. Some of the well-known music festivals started as a means of political or public protest, such as EXIT festival (2000) in Novi Sad (Serbia), and the OK-Fest (2014) in Tjentište (Republic of Srpska). Despite their immense economic successes and capacities to promote social contacts, it is debatable if these events truly improve the reconciliation process and benefit host communities.