Superstruct Entertainment, the British live events group that operates more than 80 festival and event brands worldwide, has introduced an Artistic Code outlining the principles that guide artist booking and programming across its portfolio.
The company said festivals should be places where artists can present challenging, provocative and differing viewpoints, and that the code safeguards that expressive space while giving artists and festival teams a common framework from initial booking through the day of the performance.
Four core principles
The code consolidates four principles for programming across Superstruct events, including Mighty Hoopla, Wacken Open Air, Lost Village and Defqon.1.
- Artistic freedom within legal limits
- Safe and welcoming environments
- Programming and partnerships aligned with Superstruct’s values
- Inclusivity and fairness
In practice, Superstruct said the code means “no censorship of artists simply because their views are controversial, zero tolerance for discrimination or behavior that puts people at risk, and no alignment with campaigns of incitement or movements motivated by intolerance.”
The company also stated that it maintains no banned lists and that a performance should be halted only for safety reasons.
Recent festival debates
The Artistic Code was published as festival handling of controversial or provocative performances faces wider scrutiny. At Coachella and Glastonbury in 2025, Irish rap act Kneecap drew debate over pro-Palestinian statements made during their sets.
At Glastonbury in 2025, punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led a chant of “Death, death to the IDF,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces. The incident prompted legal investigations and the cancellation of some of the duo’s performances.
Executive comment
Rebecca Kane Burton, Chief Operating Officer at Superstruct Entertainment, said: “Artistic freedom sits at the heart of our festivals. They are places for artists to express themselves, challenge ideas and bring different points of view to audiences. We believe strongly in backing that freedom. The Artistic Code makes our position clear and gives artists and our festival teams shared principles to work from, with creative independence at the heart of them. We’re making it public because we want to share what we’ve learned and contribute positively to the wider industry conversation.”
