One year after announcing that Dimensions festival is leaving Stinjan in Pula, organizers have spoken about the possibility of returning. For more than a decade, Vedran Meniga was the main promoter and organizer of Outlook and Dimensions festival. Below is the Q&A with Vedran.
How did the public react to the fact that there is not a single festival in Pula today?
They were crying! No one is happy about it, and the most affected by the news are the festival visitors and associates.
How possible is it that both Outlook and Dimension will be back in Pula?
Possibility is always there. The biggest problem is the infrastructure – it is not maintained regularly. That means our expenses go up, making the whole festival unprofitable for us. Moreover, an additional problem is the lack of any financial support. Considering what these festivals bring to the city and overall to the economy. These are the reasons why some festivals get cancelled. Thanks to the Outlook and Dimensions, and the artists which performed on the stage, Pula received a huge recognition in the world. Out of 100.000 overnight stays in Pula, 20.000 were by festival goers. These visitors were from abroad, staying in the city an average of 5 days. That meant a lot to tourism and its overall profit. Furthermore, a lot of people got jobs while festivals were held. We’ve always tried to get jobs for the Croatian people.
Is there an alternative, new festival planned for Pula?
It’s hard to plan anything, because of the current COVID-19 situation. But if the previously mentioned conditions are met (infrastructure, finances), it is possible to organize another festival in Pula.
Which region is better for organizing festivals, Istria or Dalmatia?
For the festival itself, the region is not important. Be it Istria or Dalmatia, the most important things are still the music, the culture and overall experience of the festival. Visitors are not attracted to the beauties of the country, but what is has to offer and which artists are gonna perform. These people come from all over the world just to have fun and experience the culture and music.
Source: Glas Istre