FOREWORD

Dear fans, friends and family of Mo:Dem Festival!

During the last nine years, we have created unforgettable memories together, as well as shared some of the happiest and most thrilling moments on the dance floor. Your energy, trust and devotion have always been the biggest motivation for Mo:Dem production team. Your support was something we could rely on in the past. I strongly believe you will stick with us in the future. Only together, we can overcome the unpredictable times ahead of us.

The purpose of this text is to explain the complexity and severity of the situation Mo:Dem is facing today and the possible consequences for the future of the festival. My team and I did our best to present the bare facts, it's up to you to make your own conclusions afterward. No one is a bystander today, so take your time and read this text with care.

Written with faith in common sense, logic, unity and solidarity.

Tomislav Sijarto, Mo:Dem Festival Director



MO:DEM FESTIVAL 2020 IS RESCHEDULED

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are forced to reschedule the 2020 edition of Mo:Dem Festival to the summer of 2021.

9'th edition and 10 year anniversary of Mo:Dem Festival will be held from 9 to 15 August 2021.

We made this decision in good faith, in accordance with the Croatian law, following the instructions and measures enacted by the Croatian Civil Protection. We were guided by ethical and professional principles. The health, safety and wellbeing of our visitors, the public and our crew were of the highest priority.

As the festival is rescheduled, and not canceled, tickets for Mo:Dem 2020 will be valid for Mo:Dem 2021. An increase in ticket prices on these tickets are not allowed subsequently. The tickets purchased for the 2020 event will be automatically transferred for the 2021 event without any additional costs.

Every ticketholder will be personally contacted by the organisation via the email provided at the time the ticket was purchased. If you misplaced your ticket or changed your email, please feel free to contact us. The organisation will issue new tickets for the 2021 event within a reasonable time.

Mo:Dem Festival tickets are personalised with valid name and surname. Tickets cannot be exchanged, transferred or resold.

The rescheduled event cannot imply an increase in ticket prices only for those who purchased the ticket before rescheduling announcement.

Many of you out there are also facing personal financial difficulties. You have our word we will keep our ears open to suggestions and remarks.

Regardless of the legal differences between the rescheduled and canceled events, we will allow refunds.

Every ticketholder also has the option to request a refund when the organiser contacts him via the email provided at the time of the ticket purchase. Ticketholders are obligated to complete a new refund form even if they have already applied for a refund. Refunds will be processed as soon as possible.

The pace and scope of refunded ticket payments depend on the achievement of additional sales of refunded tickets. Refunded tickets will be sold by the organisation once the situation has normalised. The number of tickets on sale will depend on a number of refunded tickets. As the terms and conditions of re-sales no longer apply, ticket refunds will be paid upon new sale of tickets for 2021 event.

Mo:Dem Festival is entirely financed by ticket revenues. In the current situation, we need to finance two years of production with one-year revenue. We are in a position where we can barely cover everyday expenses and installments in the coming months.

To compensate for the huge deficiency in the budget, we are forced to increase ticket pricing sold in additional sales.

Unique ticket price for Mo:Dem Festival 2021 will be 230 €

Faced with financial hardship and an uncertain future we reach out for your help and support. We are aware that countless people around the world are facing similar problems right now. These are challenging times for all of us, but there is hope if we can work together to find solutions that will positively impact our future.

Donations, crowdfunding campaign and similar actions will be announced in the near future.

“How to make a million dollars playing jazz?

Start with two million.”

― Unknown source

Let's get one thing perfectly clear, Mo:Dem Festival is a business. In Croatia, where we are based, it's impossible to organise an international festival with thousands of visitors without a registered company. That's not needless to say while some people label doing business as a "bad thing". Mo:Dem was built on hard work, persistence and strong work ethics. We based our relationship with visitors, partners, workers and the local community on confidence, sustainability and long-term partnership. Our politics is not about expanding numbers, but investing in quality and content.

The festival generates payroll for its 25 full-time employees. A glamorous job if you are willing to give up your social security, permanent incomes and a predictable future, a “Lucrative venture” in which every single year investments exceed incomes. To be able to organise and maintain an event on a yearly base, at such a high level of production, a lot of personal sacrifice has been made.

Mo:Dem production team is operational and working 365 days a year. We start to work on the forthcoming edition on the very same day we close the gates of the festival. We don’t have any sponsors or investors. Our undertaking is entirely financed by ticket revenues. Ticket sales income are a source of year-round production funding, covering everything from usual monthly expenses, wages of all those involved, investments, materials, plane tickets and travel expenses, various services, artist fees, etc.

The key to our survival lies in the question: “How to finance a two-year job with the one-year income?”

The majority of psychedelic festivals in Europe are dealing with the same challenge. Production teams of 24 festivals united and launched the United European Festivals initiative, in which we participate as an integral part. The purpose of this initiative is to let you know how the Coronavirus pandemic is impacting us, and make you aware of what really lies behind the festival production curtain.

Read more here.

“You blame the politicians for making all the wrong decisions. Which are just the same as ours but we haven't got that power.”

― Citizen Fish, Small Scale Wars

As always we are doing our part. After a short meeting, each member of Mo:Dem production team accepted reduced wages and fees, but we are committed to getting through this crisis without downsizing the crew.

On the other side, lowering the production standards or savings on the comfort and safety of our visitors is unacceptable! Breaking the boundaries of technical and artistic production while maintaining a high level of ecology standards and hosting for our visitors will remain our primary goals and vision. Mo:Dem Festival 2021 will not fall behind our previous events. You can expect serious upgrades like new compost toilets, new food court, completely new bar both on The Swamp and The Hive… Our production was in full swing when it got stopped by the pandemic.

There is one reason from which we draw our optimism and courage to openly ask for your help. It is based on limitless faith in our team that has proven itself through the years, especially in times of need and adversity. In a crisis, our colourful and dysfunctional family shows its best features.

Pictures attached are featuring two events that marked the last two years of our build-up. First is last year's flood. Despite the fact that the river swallowed one month's work in one afternoon, despite the rain that was falling for 28 days without interruption, despite half of our heavy machinery out of order, despite the deadlines... we managed to finish all of the planned projects and present The Swamp, The Seed, Spirallabs and new food courts at their best.

In January 2018 in the aftermath of an unfortunate fire, we lost all of our stretch tents, two trucks, a van, lawnmower, workshop, half of our tools, all of the DJ gear, computers, three caravans, etc, etc, etc. On top of the enormous damage that slowed down our production, the situation was further aggravated by the fact that loan installments for the equipment lost in the fire were still incoming while we were in pursuit of new bank loans for equipment and tools needed. Despite serious setbacks that questioned the existence of the festival, we survived. The dedication of our team and the generous help provided by Mo:Dem artists and musicians, helped us to overcome that crisis. Trivia: all of our stretch tents we use in our production today are new, bought after the fire in 2018.

We understand that consequences of fire and flood cannot be compared with the devastating impact caused by this pandemic.

COVID-19

On 22 March, when we addressed you on COVID-19 issue, we couldn't perceive the extent of the crisis that would follow. In good faith and with a positive attitude, we continued to work on the preparation and production of our festival. As the pandemic worsened we couldn't ignore obvious facts. Both Coronavirus and containment measures drastically changed our lives.

The decision to reschedule this edition of Mo:Dem Festival was one of the hardest we needed to execute. It's hard to keep a cool head and set emotions aside. We invested a decade of our lives into this project. A sense of responsibility towards our community was the only guideline in decision-making process.

Travel restrictions, border closures and lockdowns made a crucial impact on our planning and production ability. Our build-up period takes several months prior to the event. It depends on a wide base of international artists and experts. Suspended activities, as a result of the pandemic, decided the future of our event.

We call upon understanding, solidarity and support from our fans, followers and visitors. It's during times like these that courage, generosity and resilience make a difference.

EPILOGUE

“The conviction that everything that happens on earth must be comprehensible to man can lead to interpreting history by commonplaces. Comprehension does not mean denying the outrageous, deducing the unprecedented from precedents, or explaining phenomena by such analogies and generalities that the impact of reality and the shock of experience are no longer felt.”

― Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

It's hard to comprehend what's going on and build a strong opinion while our reality feels closer to fiction. After the initial shock of this new experience, few things are clear. We are not dealing with the enemy. Some, unwittingly or maliciously, want to present the situation that way. Having an enemy, something easier to hate and to blame would make things simpler. We are not that lucky this time. We are dealing with the force of nature manifesting itself in the evergrowing modern global village. The current state of "not knowing" and "not being able to" can easily lead to frustration, selfish or even barbaric behavior. True heroes, the same as true monsters, are common people among us. This time, the decision and responsibility lies on us. There is no future but our own.

„Seek the truth with your own eyes. United we shall stand to take the world by surprise. Use your own logic to be able to filter the lies.“

― DJ KRUSH feat. Crosby Bolani - Sbayi One

We are not afraid that things will never return to what they were before, we are afraid things are going to remain the same.

Stay safe.

With love, passion and commitment.

Mo:Dem Festival Crew