209 festivals came together in Budva for the Arts Festivals Summit 2026
[Press release – 20 May 2026] 209 festival delegates from 42 countries came together in Budva, Montenegro to discuss festivals, the arts, Europe, and politics during the Arts Festivals Summit of the European Festivals Association from 16 to 19 May 2026.
Hosted by Theatre City Budva, the Summit 2026 gathered the festivals community, including cities and regions representatives, and artists, for four days of dialogue and collective thinking on the intersection of festivals, the arts, Europe, and politics in the vibrant coastal city of Budva.
Creating bridges: Arts to politics and back
The Arts Festivals Summit is the flagship annual event of the European Festivals Association’s (EFA), Europe’s network of arts festivals, conversing across borders. Since 1952, EFA has brought together festival makers from all over the world to exchange, work and collaborate transnationally, and to give the arts and arts festivals a voice in political dialogue at local, national and EU level.
This year’s Summit tapped into the question of how arts and politics relate to each other, inviting participants to seize the moment and address the opportunities and challenges shaped by today’s world. At a time that sees the world facing many crisis, conflicts, and loss of trust in democracy, arts festivals have acknowledged their privileges and responsibilities. Participants have committed themselves to prioritise empathy, freedom and peace in their agenda - and to support artists, festivals makers, stakeholders, and audiences. The Summit reinforced the role of arts festivals as catalysts for connection, understanding, and collective action, with a shared goal of developing future projects that reflect these values. This was also illustrated in the interventions of the keynote speakers: Ana Schnabl, Writer; Predrag Zenović, Chief Negotiator of Montenegro with the European Union, and Boris Liješević, Theatre Director.
Budva, the Western Balkans and Europe
The Western Balkans remains a region too often overlooked, despite its rich cultural heritage and artistic vibrancy. The Summit addressed the challenges faced by artists in the region, including the lack of artistic circulation from East to West, and a sense of isolation experienced even by prominent figures.
Budva was chosen as the host city for many reasons: as a Western Balkan country on the path to EU accession by 2028, Montenegro embodies the region’s aspirations and potential. The Summit sought to explore how artists from the Western Balkans perceive their place in Europe and what role they can play in shaping a united, inclusive cultural future.
The Summit included several artistic interventions by artists from the region, showcasing their talent and diversity. It included a recital by the young virtuoso pianist Nemanja Radulović; a performance by gusle player Dušica Kordić, and traditional klapa singing by Klapa Camerton. Participants also had the opportunity to discover local pieces thanks to the Montenegrin showcase and visit Kotor.
“We want you to truly ‘breathe’ in Budva during these days. Through the ‘Walk and Talk’ sessions in the Old Town, you will have the opportunity to experience the spirit of our heritage, while the Montenegrin theatre showcase will demonstrate the contemporary strength of our theatre scene.” said Minister of Culture and Media Tamara Vujović.
“The membership of Theatre City Budva within the EFA is not only a recognition of its work so far, but also an important step toward stronger connections with some of Europe’s most significant festivals and cultural institutions. We are confident that these new partnerships will open the door to the further development of Theatre City Festival and strengthen Montenegro’s position on the cultural map of Europe.” said Ivana Lazović, Director of Theatre City Budva.
New members joining the Association and Cities and regions signing the EFFE Seal
At the 74th General Assembly, EFA members voted in eighteen new festivals from various art disciplines (music, dance and theatre) and countries to join the organisation. New members include: Avignon Off Festival (France), Body & Soul (Belgium), Collegium Vocale Crete Senesi (Belgium), Concertgebouw Brugge (Belgium), Festival Delle Nazioni (Italy), Festival Ibiza Conciertos (Spain), Georgian International Festival of Arts GIFT (Georgia), International Music Festival of Central and Eastern Europe Eufonie (Poland), International theatre festival TheATRIUM (Lithuania), Klassik I Sentrum (Norway), Noorderzon Festival (Netherlands), Piccolo Opera Festival (Italy), Plovdiv Drama Theatre (Bulgaria), POLIS Teatro Festival (Italy), Prague German Language Theatre Festival (Czechia), Rialto Theatre (Cyprus), Sacrum Profanum Festival (Poland), and Theatre World Festival Brno (Czechia).
3 new cities and regions signed the EFFE Seal for Festival Cities and Regions and committed to offer their capacities to festival life: the cities of Budva (Montenegro) and Mugla (Türkiye), and Cáceres with the region of Extremadura (Spain).
Mayor of Budva Nikola Jovanović assessed “The gathering of representatives of European festivals, cultural institutions, and cities in our town represents special recognition for Budva, while also confirming that our city, thanks to its cultural capacities, international reputation, and long-standing tradition of organising important cultural events, holds an important position within the contemporary European cultural landscape.”
“It is so important for EFA to come to Montenegro with our delegation of 200 festivals. For many it was their first time in the country, and they enjoyed this Summit. Building also on the presence of international actors such as Cinars in Canada, China Shanghai International Arts Festival and Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo in China, we all go back home with so many learnings and ideas of future collaborations.” concluded Jan Briers, President of the European Festivals Association.
