Budapest will host its first street music festival, Budapest Play, at ten venues between July 30 and August 1 and August 6-8, financed by the capital.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Gergely Karácsony, the city’s mayor said: “Music is a universal language that we should all learn; it is a way to connect with the world, our culture and our city.” Budapest had long lacked a street music festival and the integration of street music as “an organic part of our lives”, he said.
The festival, organised in partnership with a professional-civil initiative, will be Budapest’s first full-scale festival of its kind, though a smaller event was previously held at the Fény Street Market, organiser Áron Sebestyén said. He highlighted the festival’s goal of giving emerging artists a platform and the attention they deserve. “We all believe in quality acoustic music,” Sebestyén said. Applications for the competition open on Tuesday, with a preliminary selection followed by the announcement of the professional jury’s chosen participants and the ten venues’ programmes on July 23.
Over the festival’s six days, 50-60 street musicians are expected to perform in Budapest’s public spaces and other locations. Mark Bona, booking manager of the Sziget Festival, said the winner of the festival’s audience prize would perform on the Sziget Festival’s main stage on its final day, thanks to the cooperation between the capital, the festival organisers and Sziget. This collaboration will also help raise awareness among Budapest residents that the Sziget Festival begins on Obuda Island in early August, he added.
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The Budapest Play festival and competition is open to solo performers or duos, with venues spread across inner and outer districts, include Deák Ferenc Square, Batthány Square, Nagyvárad Square, Margaret Island, Örs Vezér Square and Fény Street Market. Partners of the event include the Sziget Festival, Budapest Park, the Budapest Cultural Centre, Fény Street Market and Visit Hungary.
Further details are available at their official website.
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