The jubilee, fortieth festival "City Theater" Budva will be held from June 30 to August 23, 2026 under the motto "Trusi i trembling". During the 55 days of the festival, the public will be presented with more than 68 programs that combine drama, music, fine arts and literature. The event brings together important local authors, regional and international productions, and is realized under the auspices of the Municipality of Budva and organized by the Public Institution "City Theater". This year's jubilee concept and visual identity connect four decades of modern theater with the ancient code of Budva, while the motto itself represents a symbolic link with the festival tradition and new dramatic texts written for the festival.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM Drama program and premieres June 30 (Opening): Premiere performance of the dance-music spectacle "The Night of the Gathering of the Century", directed and choreographed by Igor Kirov (co-production of the Public Institution "City Theatre" and BITEF Theatre). Festival premieres and co-productions: "Theft, Theft and Non-Theft" – written and directed by Vida Ognjenović (co-production with the City Theatre Podgorica). "Kjara Zorzi" – based on the text by Ljubomir Đurković, directed by Ana Vukotić (co-production with the Royal Theater Zetski dom), in which only Montenegrin actors were engaged. Co-productions: "The Unreal City", "The Life of Provincial Playboys after World War II or We Want Someone Else's – We Don't Give Ours" and the children's play "Treasure Island". Regional and international tours: Performances: "My Reckoning with Them" by Rade Šerbedžija, "Mediterranean Breviary – on the Waves of Radio Mediterranean", "Waiting for Orestes", "Rails", "My Sad Monsters", "Arsenic and Old Lace", "More Than a Game", "Humor Centre", opera "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "The Spanish Fool", "Gidion's Knot", "Stain" and "Mirandolina". "The Wandering Aviator and the Little Prince" (guest from Italy). "Generation Z: Unseen Beauty" performed by the DPOH City Theatre in Bratislava (Slovakia). Closing of the festival: Musical "Like Cocoa" directed by Dejan Projkovski, inspired by the music of Vlatko Stefanovski (production from North Macedonia). Music program (11 concert evenings) Opening of the musical part: Rade Šerbedžija and the band Zapadni kolodvor with the concert "Jesen arrives, Dunjo moja". Premiere performances and concerts: Works "Europe Symphony", "Oro" and "Paštrovske impressioni – between stone and sea", as well as the chamber opera "The Island" (in collaboration with KotorArt). Participants: Balkan Cellos and Tree Cellos, Czech violinist Jitka Kasparov, as well as violinist Slaven Knezović with piano accompaniment by Jelena Dobraković. Literary program (16 literary evenings on the Poets' Square) The first night: Dedicated to the literary work of Srđan Dragojević. Guest authors: Kruno Lokotar, Nadija Rebronja, Andrija Radulović, Katarina Peović, Nenad Šaponja, Vladimir Pištalo, Vladimir Vujović, Oto Horvat, Enes Halilović, Saša Ognenovski and Erik Ondrejička (with an accompanying program dedicated to contemporary Slovak poetry). Themed evenings and anniversaries: Presentation of Selected Works by Vladimir Vukićević (speeches by Academician Dragan Vukčević, Prof. Dr. Luka Rakojević and Prof. Dr. Vladimir Vujošević). Presentation of the collected works of Bora Drašković (Boris Liješević and Darko Bajić talk to the author). An interview with Vida Ognjenović about the circle of Budva themes and four decades of work at the festival. Monetators and critics: Dubravka Dragović Šehović, Jagna Pogačnik, Vladislava Gordić Petković, Aleksandar Ćuković, Marijan Krivak, Nenad Šaponja, Božena Jelušić, Gojko Božović, Igor Perišić, Danka Ivanović, Vesna Trijić, Nikola Nikolić and Martin Prebuđila. Art program July 13: Opening of the interactive exhibition "Word and Thought. A Great Abstract Painting" by the artist Irena Lagator.
During August: Multimedia exhibition "Equilibrium" by the artist Siniša Radulović, realized in collaboration with curator Svetlana Racanović (specially designed for the space of the Church of Santa Maria). SCENES AND LOCATIONS The jubilee programs will be performed on the traditional open and ambient stages of Budva: The space between the churches in the Old Town (where the play "Kjara Zorzi" will also be performed) Church of Santa Maria (reserved for the art program) Poets' Square (location of literary evenings) Streets and square in front of the Old Town Amphitheater of Stanjevići Monastery New festival location: Mogren Fortress, which is activated as a festival scene for the first time this year.