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No music at Ibiza beach bars?

 

🎶 MUSIC IS CULTURE. DJs ARE HERITAGE. 🎶

Recent bans on DJs, revoked licenses, and sealed sound systems in Ibiza are more than just regulation—they’re a threat to our cultural identity.

DIPEF through David Moreno is speaking up for the DJ community of Ibiza & Formentera, and for the protection of music as intangible cultural heritage.

 

SIGN PETITION HERE!

 

 

 

The recent cases of sound equipment being sealed, licenses being revoked, and DJs being banned from performing at certain establishments in Ibiza have led DIPEF to raise its voice in defense not only of the DJ community of Ibiza and Formentera, but also of the protection of music as an intangible cultural heritage of Ibiza.

 

Regulation? Yes. Absolutely necessary.

We’ve been calling for it for years. But a fair regulation for everyone: one that respects rest, protects the environment, and allows silent spaces to coexist with musical ones. One that values the cultural and musical heritage of this island, unique in the world. A clear regulation, coherent permits for all of Ibiza, and true protection of its musical expressions.

 

The well-known case of the legendary establishment in Ses Salines, where DJ performances have been banned, is a direct consequence of regulations on natural parks, which fall under the responsibility of the regional governments.

That said, we want to use this opportunity to call out the island’s administration—municipalities and the Consell d’Eivissa—for having an unequal, unclear, and often arbitrary regulatory framework.

Five municipalities. Five different ordinances. All this in what is likely the place with the most musical activity per square meter in the world. We ask for the cultural value of music in Ibiza to be understood and protected.

 

Sa Trinxa, Ibiza

 

 

How is it possible that, after half a century of history, a DJ can be banned in Ses Salines? Music isn’t being banned. The DJ is.

Why get rid of a symbol of Ses Salines, a beach historically tied to that establishment, where the natural environment and music have coexisted for decades?

Yes, under current law “events” cannot be held, and the presence of a DJ can be interpreted as such. But can’t the legal text be adapted so that a deeply rooted cultural tradition on the island can continue?

If the presence of a DJ implies an “event,” why not interpret it as a service? The chef cooks. The waiter serves. The DJ selects music.

 

Ibiza is full of establishments that have helped shape what the Ibiza brand represents globally today.

Places where a DJ’s musical selection creates magical, unforgettable moments.

We’re not talking about parties or excess. We’re talking about music.

What a DJ does is select songs to transform a place and a moment into something special and memorable.

We all know the power of music. The countless memories a song can evoke in thousands (maybe millions) of people who’ve had unique experiences in Ibiza throughout its history.

Why end that? Why fight something that’s part of your own identity? Why not recognize the cultural value of music in Ibiza—and, as a result, the fundamental role DJs play?

 

If techno in Berlin has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity, why hasn’t Ibiza claimed its own musical identity with the same pride?

We have something unique and genuinely Ibicenco—beautiful, emotional, almost ritualistic—like the music played at sunset.

And that’s just one example of the island’s immense musical richness.

 

Eivissa is a musical island. It has developed and flourished thanks to this undeniable bond with music since the mid-20th century.

The proposals DIPEF has submitted to the administration have always sought to highlight the island’s musical identity, which goes far beyond nightclubs.

The idiosyncrasy and musical history of Ibiza, the sunset culture, the constant presence of music (which isn’t always electronic dance), and yes, of course, its clubs—all form part of a brand that is unique in the world.

 

DAVID MORENO

 

 

This musical and cultural heritage should make us all proud.

 

Moreover, it represents a powerful economic engine, which nonetheless lacks institutional support in terms of education, local professional development, or cultural protection policies.

External actors are allowed to dictate dynamics, often without considering the local population.

 

In recent years, we’ve met many times with the administration: municipalities and the Consell.

All these meetings revolved around well-structured proposals, with clear budgets and a roadmap aimed at the cultural, social, and economic development of the island.

Proposals we are convinced would be profoundly positive not only for our collective, but for Ibizan society and its institutions as a whole.

 

After four years, we’ve achieved practically nothing with the administration.

We feel that other cultural, social, or economic initiatives do receive institutional support, while the DJ collective, because of its link to nightlife and entertainment, is sidelined—or outright ignored.

Music is culture.

 

In the current context—with an increasingly overcrowded tourism and music model—what feels like a crackdown on small venues (the very ones preserving the cultural spirit and value of music in Ibiza) forces us to speak out.

 

We demand fair regulation from the administration and the recognition of music as an intangible cultural heritage of Ibiza—and, therefore, its protection.