Shaping the Future of Festivals: Emily Denissen on Sustainability and Innovation at DGTL Festival

by  Rishi Garcher Industry Watch | January 8, 2025 | Interview

DGTL Festival Emily Denissen

Emily Denissen, a leading voice in the evolving landscape of global festivals. With a keen focus on sustainability and innovation, Emily shares valuable insights into how DGTL Festival is setting new standards for eco-conscious events. Under her leadership, DGTL has become a trailblazer in blending cutting-edge technology with environmentally sustainable practices, ensuring that the future of festivals is not only unforgettable but also responsible. Her forward-thinking approach highlights the festival's commitment to shaping the industry in ways that prioritize both artistic expression and ecological preservation.

In an exclusive interview with EVENTFAQS Media, Emily Denissen, Head of International at DGTL Festival shares insights on shaping the future of festivals on sustainability and innovation at DGTL Festival.

DGTL is renowned for its impressive stage designs and cutting-edge visuals. Can you walk us through the process of creating these immersive technical setups, from ideation to execution?

We have been collaborating for years with a stage designer/show director who is responsible for designing our stages. Based on his designs, we go through a process together, making adjustments to ultimately arrive at innovative and groundbreaking stage designs every year. During the event setup and the shows, our show director is always present to ensure the stage construction is executed correctly and adheres to DGTL guidelines and standards.

With DGTL taking place globally, how do you manage the logistical challenges of replicating its signature industrial aesthetic and advanced technical requirements across diverse venues?

DGTL’s stage designs and festival layouts are often conceived with a modular framework that can be adapted to different venues. This ensures the core aesthetic is maintained while allowing flexibility to account for varying venue dimensions and local restrictions. Each venue is thoroughly assessed to understand its unique characteristics, such as available infrastructure, local climate, and technical constraints. The technical requirements, such as lighting, sound, and visual effects, are pre-tested and specified in detailed technical riders and discussed with the vendors and the local teams on site. And as mentioned before our show director is always present and works together with the DGTL project manager to make sure that the aesthetic and technical elements come together in line with DGTL’s vision.

With DGTL pushing boundaries in event production, what technical advancements do you see shaping the future of festivals, and how are you preparing to integrate them into your events?

We are mostly looking to technical advancement in the field of sustainability, one of our main core pillars. This includes exploring innovative energy solutions such as fully renewable power sources, advanced battery storage systems, and smart energy grids to minimize our carbon footprint, something we already do in Amsterdam, but want to expand globally. Additionally, we are focusing on circular design practices, integrating recycled and reusable materials into our stage builds and infrastructure.