As we predicted yesterday, Loire-Atlantique Prefecture and the French Ministry of Culture have taken the decision to ban Hellfest 2020. The Hellfest team support their decision and have thanked the Ministry for their consideration and responsiveness towards the festival.
Tickets already purchased for this years festival will be honoured for next years event, to be held over 18,19 and 20 of June, 2021.
However, in a statement released today, Hellfest have laid bare the financial implications of losing a whole year of income.
A statement reads: “As of today, the Hellfest Productions Association will have to face several difficulties. In contrast to other sectors (which will also be hard hit by a downturn in the economy over several months), our Association will financially lose a whole year.
“The government measures, which we applaud, will not be enough to make up for the heavy losses we will have to face. Wages, general and promotional costs, bank depreciations are all incompressible costs that cannot be financed with a ‘blank year’.”
Further details have also emerged concerning Hellfest’s insurance provisions. An insurance policy was taken out with the French insurance company Albinga on 17 December 2019.
For a fee of €175,000 this policy covered potential risk leading to a cancellation of the event and its specifically mentions “financial losses due to possible pandemics will be covered provided that the contract was signed before the outbreak and recognition of the pandemic by the French authorities or by the WHO”.
Hellfest state that they “were denied (payment) from ALBINGIA because this ‘type’ of pandemic did not fit into our insurance policy”.
Hellfest continue with the message “In short, while we are waiting for a long (appeal) procedure, only two words come to us for this specialized event and audiovisual insurance company: FUCK YOU!”
Finally, Hellfest are launching an online fundraising fund to help and support Nantes University Hospital and donating €20,000. This is the amount of the usual costs of our emergency doctors and units on the festival, protecting and taking care of you every year and who will not be solicited this year.
More details are available in The Hellfest statement.
