Photo: Getty Images
New Orleans' BUKU Music and Art project will not return next year, and the future of the festival is uncertain.
The two-day music and arts festival was founded in 2012 and has continued to bring together a community over the last 10 years. The 2022 festival included headliners like Tyler, the Creator and Tame Impala, per NOLA Weekend. Addressing the "BUKREWE," the festival took made the announcement on Thursday (August 4) on social media, telling followers that "it's time for a change."
"From day one, BUKU was created to be something different... a gritty yet colorful event celebrating the progressive subculture of New Orleans," the statement reads. "It became a homecoming for the most amazing bunch of beautiful weirdos ever assembled and in 10 years we accomplished exactly what we set out to do: we created a community... a community that truly matters."
Citing "a myriad of reasons," however, organizers have announced it will not return in 2023 because "the current model of BUKU needs to take a break."
"We don't know exactly what the future will look like — and that's okay as there is freedom in the unknown — but we know that we will gather again someday, in some form, bursting with creativity and purpose."
"To our BUKREWE, including the fans, staff, vendors, local artists, and the City of New Orleans: we adore you," the post continued. "The DMs & emails we've gotten over the years say it all... you got engaged at BUKU, you met all of your friends at BUKU, you were encouraged to start a business at BUKU, BUKU was your last show before going into active duty, you fell in love at BUKU, you raged at BUKU, and you connected with a community free of judgment and full of encouragement at BUKU."
Organizers concluded the message by saying, "This isn't 'goodbye' — this is 'see y'all down the road.' Until then, keep the BUKU spirit alive, keep visiting New Orleans, keep creating, and keep loving big."
The BUKU project's full statement can be found on its Instagram.