Detroit festival receives backlash for tiered ticketing based on ethnicity
Detroit’s AfroFuture festival has come under fire for, and later reverted, its ticketing policy, which offers reduced rates for people of color. The ticketing page currently advertises Early Bird tickets as $10 for “POC” and $20 for “Non POC,” and festival representatives have directed media to their FAQ page that explains the reasoning behind these tiered prices.
“Why do we have POC (people of color) and NONPOC (white people) tickets? I’m glad you asked! Equality means treating everyone the same. Equity is insuring [sic] everyone has what they need to be successful. Our ticket structure was built to insure [sic] that the most marginalized communities (people of color) are provided with an equitable chance at enjoying events in their own community”
Afrofuture Website
Artist Tiny Jag, who was slated to perform at the festival, pulled out shortly after word spread; Eventbrite also threatened to withdraw its services from the festival, according to NewsWeek. The New York Times has since reported that AfroFuture unified its price tiers, with all tickets set to be $20 moving forward.
H/T: New York Times & Newsweek
Categories: News