Outline festival organisers announce shutdown of operations in Russia

Arma 17, a promoter group known for the Arma parties and Outline festival in Moscow have announced that they will no longer host events in Russia.

The announcement came after the company’s ninth anniversary party in St Petersburg was cancelled 24 hours before the event. The organisers explained that the party, which was supposed to take place in the space of a former Arsenal factory in the suburbs of St Petersburg, was called off because the landlord pulled out of the contract at the last minute, claiming that the local council had advised him to not host the event. Arma 17 representatives said that after this news the electricity at the factory was cut off, and they and the installation artists Sila Sveta, famous for this year’s Met Gala installation, were told to leave the premises.

This is another cancellation in a string of events that many have said represents the targeted persecution of Arma 17, who are often described as the promoters behind the best techno and dance parties in Russia. The promoters’ troubles started last year as the Outline festival was cancelled just hours before the event, and was followed by another cancelled party in December 2016.

In each case the authorities cited safety concerns as the reason for cancellation. Arma 17 representatives maintain that they haven’t received any paperwork confirming this. They have also announced that there are no further plans for parties in Russia, and that from now on they will be organising events in London and Berlin.

Source: Meduza (Russian)