More than music | on building safe(r) dancefloors together

During Pride Week, we’re placing extra care on how our spaces feel, not just how they sound. This week is a moment to reflect on the shared responsibility we all carry in shaping inclusive, affirming, and safer dancefloors. Not just for some of us, but for everyone.

Pride started as a protest and continues as a celebration of resistance, resilience, and collective care. At DGTL, we believe a festival should be a place where people can move freely, express fully, and feel held by the community around them. That doesn’t happen automatically, it’s something we build together. Let's dive in.

Community is a practice, not a buzzword

Community isn’t just about showing up when it’s easy, convenient, or fun. It’s built in the moments when looking away would be easier, but we don’t. It’s about self-awareness as a visitor, artist and organisation, and about choosing care even when it’s messy or uncomfortable. Community means staying connected when there’s no simple solution, no quick fix. It’s a shared practice, not a perfect performance.

In a world that constantly tells us to be independent and self-sufficient, festivals can offer a reminder: we’re not meant to do this alone. Partying and self-liberation exist alongside care, accountability, and collective responsibility. That’s what we’re holding space for at DGTL.

Festivals shape more than lineups

Festivals don’t just build stages and curate lineups, we shape the space that surrounds those elements. During Pride Week, we’re paying extra attention to the collective responsibility we all share in creating safer dancefloors for everyone, including communities that are often made to move through nightlife with more caution than joy. Everyone deserves to feel welcome, seen, and safe on the dancefloor. But that doesn’t happen on its own. It takes all of us looking out for one another and knowing when (and how) to step in.

Safety doesn’t happen on its own

Socially safe dancefloors are something we build together. No festival is perfect, and a safer space doesn’t mean nothing ever goes wrong. It means we’re ready to respond when it does. Sometimes that’s checking in on someone who looks uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s standing nearby, distracting, redirecting, reporting, or just showing someone they’re not alone. Small gestures can have a big impact.

Consent is ongoing

Consent isn’t a checkbox, it’s an ongoing conversation. One where people feel empowered to say yes, no, or change their mind. Even in a crowd of thousands, we can still act with care: by asking, listening, and respecting each other’s space. Respecting boundaries is more than avoiding harm. It’s about creating a culture where people feel in control of their bodies, identities, and experiences.

Everyone has a role to play

Our Awareness Crew is here for you, but they’re not the only ones. Every visitor shapes the atmosphere of the festival. You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference. Sometimes support is direct. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s just letting someone know: I see you. Harassment, discrimination, or unwanted behaviour (verbal, physical, or otherwise) has no place on the dance floor. What matters isn’t just what you meant, but how your actions land with someone else.

Let’s keep the conversation going

During Pride Week, we’re opening up the conversation again. Through stories, scenarios, and shared reflections, we’re asking: What would you do? What does care look like on the dancefloor, at the bar, in the toilet queue, or at the afters? Because a safer dancefloor starts long before someone asks for help. It begins with the quiet decisions we make, the way we treat each other, and how we choose to show up. Let us know on Instagram in which ways you look out for your fellow ravers during festivals.