Valley of Arts 2021

In addition to pop music, there will be more literary, theatrical, folk, classical music and fine arts programs, as well as new cycling and thematic walking tours.

“I consider the international quality of the Valley of Arts to be of the utmost importance and every year my aim is to ensure and improve it, while preserving the originality of the festival and its local atmosphere. We are moving on the green road planning to hand over the renewed main square in Kapolcs on the first day of the festival. With our new team the Valley of the Arts has become an international player recognized by EFFE, and the involvement of the Palace of Arts, the Opera House and the membership of the ECoC project is also important step this year.”- said Natalia Oszkó-Jakab, the director of the festival.

The Valley of Arts was the very first all-arts festival and has grown to become the largest ever. The Valley has thirty-five program venues with theater, literature, concerts, new circus and exhibitions. The three settlements of the Balaton-felvidék, Kapolcs, Taliándörögd and Vigántpetend provide the basic set. Locals have important roles in the events. Also the nature and local buildings are transformed into magnificent scenery during the festival. The kindergarten yard becomes a concert venue, the fire department and the bus stop turn into a gallery. The community center becomes a theater, and the church acts as a a concert hall. Each location has a different atmosphere and programs are waiting for Valley residents to discover all the treasure. Veronika Harcsa, Momentán Társulat, Kaláka and János Lackfi will also have their own backyard. The cream of the Hungarian cultural scene performs on different stages or just beside the campfire.

The soul of the festival is diversity with a heartwarming atmosphere, beautiful surroundings and the uplifting presence of art. The Valley connects generations, the different art styles, the city with the countryside, the experts and the beginner’s gaze, the artists with the audience, traditions with the latest developments. Valley visitors do not only see performances and concerts, but also get close to the souls of their favourite artists as they live with the locals for 10 days. Time stops in the Valley for a while. A special world can be experienced here where art and human relationships are the most important, where one can break away from everyday life, become part of a huge community, and feel the freedom and power of arts. About two hundred thousand visitors come each year, and despite the crowd, everyone returns home with a personal, heart-to heart experience.

The Valley of Arts is a green festival from the beginning but as time goes by there are more and more aspects to keep in mind in order to preserve the beautiful environment. We need to talk and learn about sustainability and environmental protection, it is our mutual interest to find out what to do and what not to do for our future. We can listen to presentations attend to talks, workshops and interactive games with the help of organisations like Zöldövezet, Felelős Gasztrohős, WWF, Zöld Zugoly, Vadonleső Program, the Jane Goodall Institute or the Bakony-Balaton Geopark. The Művészetek Zöldje Udvar will be presented with the cooperation of green organisations with a focus on sustainability and environmental protection during the ten days of the festival. The whole festival will use recyclable glasses, biodegradable cutlery and selective waste management, even a local composting unit will be installed at the event.