Klovnbuf Festival
updated 7 days ago
Bufeto Institute is the first professional institute in Slovenia to introduce and develop the theatre of clown – a synthesis of clowning, circus skills, and acting. By merging circus traditions with dramaturgical principles, they question the boundaries of classical theatre as well as those of a typical circus show. They produce their own pieces and run an educational program, offering courses and symposiums led by nationally and internationally renowned teachers. Since 2008, they have organized the Klovnbuf Festival, an international Festival of New Circus and Contemporary Clown, which takes place each year in Ljubljana, usually in June, at indoor and outdoor venues.
Klovnbuf Festival is a festival of laughter that is to be taken seriously, as it brings together theater and circus arts and artists. The aim of the festival is to allow Slovenian audiences to encounter the most up-to-date trends and watch the most interesting shows of contemporary circus from all over Europe and beyond. Klovnbuf presents a variety of shows for general audiences of all ages and offers master classes and courses for those who have a creative interest in the contemporary circus.
Idrija Lace Festival
updated 7 days ago
For centuries, the town of Idrija has been associated with mining and lacemaking as its trademarks. The Idrija Lace Festival has presented works of Idrija Lace (idrijska čipka) since the early 1980s. Every June, lacemakers show their creations in the streets of Idrija, lacemaking competitions and exhibitions are organized, and thematic lacemaking workshops are held. It is also possible to buy technical equipment for lacemaking and to view exhibitions of other folk trades and crafts.
This vivid festival is accompanied by international lacemakers' gatherings, workshops, demonstrations, competitions, concerts, and outdoor parties.
Lent Festival
updated 31 hours ago
Each June, the medieval Lent district along the Drava River, the historic squares, picturesque streets of the Old Town, and even the mighty city park emerge as festival venues bursting with art, culture, and creativity. With thirty years of tradition, Lent Festival is one of the oldest and largest open-air festivals in Central Europe. Every year, it welcomes about two hundred thousand visitors; almost every fourth Slovene has visited it at least once. It celebrates art, culture, and creativity of all genres for all generations, providing a space for discovery, learning, meeting, and coexisting in a variety of cultures. For the thirtieth time, the festival will transform the city into a giant stage and a vibrant meeting point for artistic expressions. Lent is a member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and the Association of Slovene Festivals (SloFA).
Velenje Literary Foundation
updated 7 days ago
The Velenje Literary Foundation (UVKF) is a non-profit cultural institution operating in the public interest. It was founded in 2001 by the Municipality of Velenje upon the suggestion of author Ivo Stropnik.
The mission of the Velenje Literary Foundation (UVKF) is to provide moral, organizational, and professional support for spoken arts, literary and linguistic culture in the Velenje area and beyond. It aims to promote sponsorship and other forms of support for UVKF’s activities, focusing on domestic-research, spoken-art, linguistic-cultural, and other literary content that has a starting point or connection in Velenje in terms of the author, subject, organization, publishing, education, promotion, or other (inter)cultural connections.
The Velenje Literary Foundation (established in 2001) publishes books by authors from Velenje and/or about Velenje and organizes Lirikonfest Velenje, a traditional festival of 21st-century lyrical and travelogue arts with international participation and prestigious literary awards: Velenjica - the Goblet of Immortality for 10 years of outstanding poetry by a Slovenian author, the International Pretnar Award for the ambassadors of poetry, Slovenian literature and language, Lirikon’s Gold Piece for outstanding festival translations of 21st-century poetry for adults, and the Winged Turtle for the best Slovenian literary travelogue, published as a book in the previous year, or the best Slovenian literary travelogue not yet published as a book.
In Staro Velenje, UVKF has established an editorial, publication, and proofreading services office, Čitalnica pri pesniški duši (Poet’s Soul Reading Room), an office for the international literary and translation residency, a residential pavilion with an art installation Rezervat za poezijo (Poetry Reserve), a street vending machine for books called Knjigolin21, and a street book stand called Vsako sončno sredo (Every Sunny Wednesday).
Lirikonfest
updated 7 days ago
Lirikonfest Velenje is a traditional year-round festival celebrating 21st-century lyrical and travelogue arts. Its main program is a literary meeting with international participation in Velenje (held in June or September), which has been organized by the Velenje Literary Foundation (UVKF) and the Velenika literary association, in cooperation with Slovenian and foreign partners, since 2002. For the first five years, it was known as the “Herbersteinian meeting of Slovenian authors with international participation.”
Lirikonfest Velenje (a “poetry retreat” and “festival of lyrical and travelogue sensibility”) has been dedicated to the presentation and popularization of 21st-century fine literature, its authors, translators, international intermediaries of Slovenian poetry/literature and language to other nations, Slovenian travelogue writers and essayists, organizers, editors, and other experts on Slovenian, European, and World literature for two decades. It establishes and broadens international literary collaboration, focusing on original and translated 21st-century poetry and contemplating the cognitive, cohesive, and critical role of literature in European society and beyond. Lirikonfest's literary roundtables feature essays and debates on contemporary European literary themes.
Jurjevanje in Bela krajina
updated 9 days ago
Launched in 1964 and held in the town of Črnomelj in the southern region of Slovenia, the Jurjevanje in Bela krajina is the oldest folklore festival in Slovenia. It features folklore groups from Bela krajina and other regions of Slovenia, individual folk musicians, and also international groups.
Jurjevanje is a member of the International Council for Organisations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Art (CIOFF), Slovenia.
Summer in Velenje Festival
updated 7 days ago
The Summer in Velenje Festival was launched in 1984 under the name Summer Cultural Events in Velenje, marking one of the first multidisciplinary summer city festivals in Slovenia. Organized and coordinated by the Festival Velenje Public Institute, a public cultural organization since 2008, it offers a diverse program featuring music concerts, film screenings, theatre plays, children-oriented programs, and more. The festival spans throughout the summer months, from the end of June to August.
While a part of the program is organized by the institute itself, a significant portion is done in cooperation with other producers. Furthermore, a few other Velenje-based festivals, like the Kunigunda Festival of Young Cultures and a Zither festival called Prešmentane citre, are also incorporated into the wider context of the Summer Cultural Events.
Some of the festival venues include the Velenje Castle, the House of Culture Velenje and its yard, the banks of the Velenje and Škale lakes, the Old square of Velenje (Stari trg), and the many streets and parks of the city.
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Klemen Slakonja & Small Band at a concert in the park of Vila Hernberstein, Festival Velenje 2023. Author: Ksenija Mikor
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Popular Croatian film actor and singer Rade Šerbedžija performing at the Festival Velenje in 2023. Author: Ksenija Mikor
International Folkore Festival, Beltinci
updated 2 days ago
Launched in 1971, the International Folklore Festival, Beltinci is held in the town of Beltinci in the southeastern part of Slovenia. Taking place at Beltinci Castle and in Beltinci Park, the program has always featured folkloric dance and custom demonstrations but has also expanded over the years to include exhibitions, book presentations, folk music evenings, cooking, and more.
Drugajanje Festival
updated 34 hours ago
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The project Still Unknown at Drugajanje Festival, Maribor 2022. Author: Janez Klenovšek
The Drugajanje Festival is an annual festival initiated in 2002, co-organised by the Bunker Institute at the Second Grammar School in Maribor, which hosts the festival. The festival was conceived as a response to the gap in the supply of cultural content for youth in the city of Maribor and aims to affirm contemporary dance and performing arts, especially among teenage audiences, with a programme of performances, workshops and lectures.
