We Love Green Festival Acquired by Matthieu Pigasse and AEG: What’s Next for the Popular Event?

After weeks of speculation, the news was finally confirmed on Wednesday, July 23: 80% of the We Love Green festival has been acquired by Combat Group (Les Inrockuptibles, Radio Nova, Rock en Seine), led by Matthieu Pigasse, and AEG Presents France, a concert promoter and producer, who have been partners in Rock en Seine since 2017. Marie Sabot, director of We Love Green, and Emmanuel de Buretel, founder and president of Because Music, retain the remaining 20% of the shares.

For Matthieu Pigasse and Arnaud Meersseman, General Manager of AEG Presents France, this purchase represents a significant development for We Love Green, aiming to “enhance its impact, expand internationally, and solidify its role as a platform for cultural and ecological innovation.” This announcement comes just a month and a half after the twelfth edition of the Parisian green festival, which annually gathers 120,000 people over three days, bolstering the positions of AEG Presents and Combat Group, which also owns Les Inrocks Festival, Golden Coast (a rap festival in Dijon initiated in 2024), and a portion of La Route du Rock.

A Unique Experience

“We are very bullish on festivals. We see them as a unique experience with a unique economic model, so we are investing,” Matthieu Pigasse told AFP yesterday. “What we aim to do is prevent the disappearance of festivals, to maintain and preserve them, as well as their diversity and editorial integrity.” This is especially relevant as the increasing inflation of artist fees poses profitability challenges for festival organizers. According to a report by the National Music Centre (CNM) on 85 contemporary music and variety festivals, 66% reported a deficit in 2023 and 33% of festivals showed a negative result, despite a fill rate over 90%.

Founded by We Love Art and Because Music in 2007 and first held at Parc de Bagatelle in 2011 before moving to Bois de Vincennes in 2016, We Love Green has been a pioneer in ecological commitment and environmental protection at its core. It was the first festival in France to feature artists like PNL, Rosalía, Jorja Smith, and Charli XCX.