Cultural sector calls for ticket holders to: Save your ticket, enjoy later

Below you will find the press release issued by the joint industry associations. Read more about what this means for you as a PAARD-visitor here.

Dutch theaters, concert halls, music venues, event and sports organizers, museums and festivals jointly ask visitors to keep their tickets and thus support the cultural sector. The sector has developed a scheme, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and in accordance with the rules of the ACM (consumer and market authority).

COVID-19 affects us all, including the cultural sector and sports. Many performances, festivals, competitions and concerts are forced to be moved or canceled; museums and monuments close their doors. The various industry associations are joining forces and calling on their visitors to keep their ticket until the venue doors open again: Save your ticket, enjoy later.

Suitable offer
The organizations come up with appropriate solutions for the visitors. As much as possible, new dates will be planned for the events that cannot currently take place and the original ticket will remain valid. If rescheduling is not possible, if the event is permanently canceled or if the holder of the ticket is unable to attend the new date, the holder will receive a voucher worth the original ticket price, including (service) costs, which can be redeemed. As a result, visitors can still enjoy a replacement performance, contest, festival, concert or exhibition. Ticket buyers are informed by the relevant organizer about the practical handling of their event and tickets. In many cases, ticket buyers can also choose to convert their ticket into a donation, with which they support artists, creators and the people behind the scenes.

Broad support
The joint arrangement follows the rules of the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) and is supported by, among others, Ingrid van Engelshoven, Minister of Education, Culture and Science: “These are also challenging times for the cultural sector. We can help the theaters, organizers, music venues and museums by continuing to attend the shows later, when circumstances allow. Events are now being moved. Save your ticket and continue to enjoy culture. And if you can’t, ask for a credit voucher. In this way you help the cultural sector survive.”

Enjoy later
With “Save your ticket, enjoy later”, the industry hopes that ticket holders postpone their visit to their favorite venue or event. As a result, the culture and sports sector can absorb the major economic blow from the corona crisis. This gives the sector the space to work on new events in the future. This not only helps the organizers, artists and stages, but also the people behind the scenes who make these events possible, such as set builders, technicians, suppliers, creatives and other employees and self-employed people in the cultural and sports sector.

The organizers understand if ticket holders do not want or are unable to make use of this scheme for whatever reason; they can still reclaim their money. The way in which the refund proceeds is described in the “Ticket Value Scheme Corona Crisis” and is related to the date of the (original or moved) event.

More information about “Save your ticket, enjoy later” can be found on saveyourticket.nl