Ghost Festival Switzerland: The Festival That Will Never Happen To Support Artists

300 artists are on the lineup of the first Ghost Festival in Switzerland, Feb. 27-28, but they will never perform. The event was conceived to generate cash for the many struggling artists and crews in the country.

Tickets are on sale here, ranging from CHF 20 ($22.50) for a one-day pass to CHF 50 ($56) for a two-day pass to CHF 100 ($112) for a VIP pass.

There are no performances, the different categories simply allow supporters to choose different tiers depending on their financial capacities.

All income from ticket sales as well as donations goes 100% to some 1,300 musicians, their crew, technicians etc. 

The amount will be distributed equally per head, and some of the more established artists and bands listed on the lineup agreed to waive their “fee” in favour of the remaining acts.

Both incomes will also go to the musicians after production costs and working hours involved in staging the non-event have been deducted.

Ghost Festival was conceived by Swiss actor Dominik Gysin, his team is part of the so-called Ghost Club, a non-profit organization. Its members mostly also come from the music and culture industry.

Some of them agreed to waive their salaries to support the musicians. No one is aiming for profit, the goal is to just cover the costs.

A detailed statement of account will be drawn up by an external trustee office after the festival. 

Full lineup below. None of the artists will actually perform, in order to highlight one thing: “Without the musicians, there is no music, without them our feelings fall silent, the fire goes out, life becomes dull, cold, empty and grey … what remains is a world of dead spirits,” as the Ghost Club writes on its website.

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