Festivals in Belarus are being canceled one after another. What's the reason?
Large music festivals are being canceled one after another in Belarus. Experts interviewed by Deutsche Welle believe that in this way, the authorities are clearing the market for censorship and transferring profits to "their" companies, linked to Lukashenka's family.
The organizers of the Wostrau festival, which has taken place in Nesvizh in recent years, explained the reason as follows:
"The entry into force of the Council of Ministers' resolution 'On the Register of Organizers of Cultural and Entertainment Events' and our inability to bring foreign artists independently make it impossible for us to hold the festival at the level we are accustomed to and consider appropriate."
Lidbeer, which for ten years gathered tens of thousands of spectators in Lida, has also been canceled.
"As is customary to say in such cases, the festival will not take place due to reasons beyond our control," the organizers wrote on social media.
The same reason for the cancellation was named by the organizers of the rock festival "Solstice" (Soncastayanne), which took place in Pruzhany.
The city festival Festiwow will also not take place in 2026.
"We believed until the last moment that we would receive permission to hold our festival, but unfortunately, law is law," it was stated on Festiwow's social media.
According to the organizers, the event fell through literally at the last moment: contracts with artists had already been signed, and ticket sales were set to begin. Festiwow took place at the Minsk "Dinamo" stadium in 2024 and 2025.
Among the major festivals, only Viva Braslav and belbet fest ultimately announced their dates.
Why are events being canceled?
In 2022, a Register of Organizers of Cultural and Entertainment Events was created in Belarus (with a significant update of rules in 2025). This divided the history of Belarusian show business into "before" and "after," a former concert organizer told DW. The main change is that organizing concerts without being included in the register is prohibited.
The decision is made by the Republican Expert Commission, which includes Olga Shpilevskaya, chairperson of the Belarusian Union of Women; Natalya Karatchevskaya, rector of the Institute of Culture; propagandist Grigory Azarenok; Vladimir Gromov, artist of the Bolshoi Theatre of Opera and Ballet; as well as representatives of the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Taxes and Duties, Minsk City Executive Committee, and Lukashenka's administration.
The commission studies the organizer's reputation, ideological loyalty, professional level, and absence of "undesirable" connections; a request is sent to the police. If a company is excluded from the register (for example, for violating legislation or "low artistic level" of events), it is not allowed to reapply for two years.
"This practically means bankruptcy for a private agency," explains the former concert organizer to DW.
However, inclusion in the register is just the first step. For each specific concert, a touring certificate must be obtained. It is issued by local authorities, who check not only the organizer but also the artist: their social media, past statements, and song lyrics.
"Posters have become monotonous. Almost all independent rock bands and contemporary artists who do not support the official agenda have disappeared from them," the interlocutor continues. "Their place has been taken by 'second-tier' Russian stars and approved Belarusian artists."
At the same time, state structures (philharmonic societies, theaters, TV channels) can, but are not obliged to, be in the register. This gives them a competitive advantage over private entities. For private companies, however, the risks have become excessive: one can rent a hall and start selling tickets, but if the "touring permit" is denied at the last moment, the organizer loses everything. This has led to self-censorship.
Who benefits from the new conditions?
However, the authorities changed the rules not only for ideological reasons but also for financial gain, clearing the market for "their own," the promoter noted. The most influential player is "Musical Media Company" (MMC), connected with Hanna Lukashenka (Selyuk), wife of Alyaksandr Lukashenka's middle son Dzmitry. Tatsiana Kulakova, Hanna's biological sister, holds a management position in the company. 30% of "Musical Media Company" belongs to Lukashenka's Presidential Affairs Department, and 70% to the private company "ANSL Production" (the acronym ANSL fully matches the Russian initials of Hanna Mikalayeuna Selyuk-Lukashenka).
MMC is a key organizer of such large-scale events as "Unity Marathon," "Song of the Year of Belarus," the series of requiem concerts "Every Third," and the belbet fest festival at the "Dinamo" stadium.
Thanks to its partnership with Lukashenka's Presidential Affairs Department, MMC has priority access to the country's best venues (Palace of the Republic, Dinamo Stadium, Minsk Concert Hall) and generous budget funding. Other agencies are often not allowed to participate in such tenders or cannot compete with the "state-private" giant on price and rental conditions.
"Musical Media Company" has created a closed cycle: its own production, its own artists (many of whom perform songs authored by Selyuk), its own radio, and its own venues. This makes the market opaque for independent promoters, who previously brought world stars and organized quality festivals.
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