Zagreb streets to become open-air art spaces at Okolo festival

ZAGREB, 13 August 2026 – The streets and parks of Zagreb will once again become an open-air setting for contemporary art when the Okolo festival returns from 20 to 30 August 2026.

The ninth edition of the festival will bring new artistic interventions to seven locations in the city centre, inviting residents and visitors to experience familiar urban spaces in a different way.

This year’s programme is built around two themes – “The City as an Emotional Network” and “Layers of Memory” – exploring the relationship between people, places, memories and everyday life in Zagreb.

Curated by Tena Bakšaj, The City as an Emotional Network brings together six artists whose works examine the city as a space shaped by personal stories, shared experiences and relationships between people and their surroundings.

The participating artists use a range of approaches, including installations, textiles, participatory projects and interventions in public space. Works explore subjects including belonging, intimacy, the environment, consumption and the changing character of the city.

Among the featured artists is Ana Ratković Sobota, who transforms discarded plastic bags into a tapestry, highlighting questions around consumption, waste and the value of materials that are normally thrown away. Lav Paripović will also return to his mural at the entrance to the Grič Tunnel, adding a new painted layer reflecting the passage of time and changes in the urban landscape.

The second programme, Layers of Memory, is conceived by Ana Mikin and focuses on photography and Zagreb’s visual heritage. It draws on the work of photographers including Marija Braut, Tošo Dabac, Šime Radovčić and Slavka Pavić, while contemporary photographers Inija Herenčić and Sanja Bistričić Srića explore how images from different periods continue to shape perceptions of the city.

The festival will stretch across seven central Zagreb locations, including sites around the Green Horseshoe and the entrance to the Grič Tunnel, making walking through the city part of the artistic experience.

Organisers say the festival aims to demonstrate that contemporary art can exist beyond galleries and museums, creating opportunities for direct interaction between artists, the public and the urban environment.

Okolo is organised by Nas dve, with support from the Zagreb Tourist Board, City of Zagreb and Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia.

The festival will run from 20 to 30 August 2026. Further information on the programme and locations is available through the festival’s official channels.