Arts Festivals Summit 2026 Budva
The Arts Festivals Summit is EFA's annual rendez-vous gathering festival representatives, policymakers, and partners for a 4-day in-person exchange about the arts and their role in society. Each year, a different EFA member hosts the Summit.
The European Festivals Association and Theatre City Budva invite you to the annual get-together of the festivals community from 16 to 19 May in Budva, Montenegro.
In today's world (and conferences), genuine opportunities for dialogue and collective thinking require time and space. The European Festivals Association (EFA), together with the Theatre City Budva, invite you for 4 shared days from 16 to 19 May 2026 with a maximum of 250 Festival colleagues and supporters from Europe and all over the world.
Over the last 74 years, EFA has generated a vast array of debates, conversations and outcomes for an ever-increasing variety of professionals: EFA members, young festival managers, emerging artists, representatives of cities, regions, European authorities, and many others. After a successful Summit 2025 in Edinburgh, we will all meet in Budva to discuss, think, and propose new ideas and projects. We will discover each other’s wisdom - and the wisdom within the region - during this year’s Summit and its many encounters: whether in plenary, in small groups, one-to-one or eye-to-eye.
Budva: have you been to this city and its surrounding region?
Budva is famous for its well-preserved mediaeval old town, sandy beaches and hospitality. It is one of the oldest cities on the Adriatic Sea, founded in the 4th century BC, with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Budva is also a prime tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. Every year, just over 800,000 people visit Budva, and the city is also renowned as a conference destination.
Montenegro is a small country with striking contrasts. At the crossroads of Eastern and Western cultures, North and South, the Mediterranean, the Orient, and the Slavic hinterland, it is a land of sea and mountains where the scenery can completely change within half an hour's drive. We are convinced that staying in Budva will be altogether enchanting and will prove an inspiring environment for generating new ideas and exchanging experiences, thanks to the local and regional artistic and cultural communities who will be present and participating actively in the Summit
“We are excited about the opportunity to host the Arts Festivals Summit in Budva next year. This gem of the Western Balkans has many things to offer. We are committed to make sure delegates enjoy a fruitful and unforgettable stay.", says Milena Lubarda Marojević, Director of Theatre City Budva.
Theatre City Budva hosts the annual festival which includes more than 60 events, 700 artists from 15+ countries over 2 months in July and August each year. Our host, together with local and regional partners, is thrilled to allow festival makers and guests to immerse themselves in the region’s artistic treasures and cultural heritage.
Practicalities
The Arts Festivals Summit will start on Saturday 16 May and conclude on the afternoon of Tuesday 19 May 2026. The preliminary programme is as follows:
- Saturday 16 May - Day of arrival for delegates. Registration and afternoon networking time. Official Opening of the Arts Festivals Summit 2026
- Sunday 17 May - First day of conference, including keynote(s) and local discovery of the city
- Monday 18 May - Second day of conference: out of the city
- Tuesday 19 May - EFA Members General Assembly / EFA talks and listens
Additional programme (optional)
- Wednesday 20 May
- Thursday 21 May (National holiday)
For those with a little more time, we are developing an additional programme with the option to attend performances within and outside the city.
We will communicate more details about the programme and open registrations in January on EFA’s website for you, with all information for your travel and stay.
Please note that Montenegro is outside of the European Union and the Schengen zone. Check here the visa regulations and entry requirements: www.gov.me/en/article/visas and write to us if you need an invitation letter.
Credits
EFA's Arts Festivals Summit 2026 is hosted and co-organised with Theatre City Budva.
