Pula Reclaims Experimental Sound Center Stage with 17th Audioart Festival

Pula is set to become a hub for experimental sound once again with the arrival of the 17th Audioart festival. Scheduled from August 27 to 29, the event will transform the Galerija Novo and DC Rojc into venues for cutting-edge musical exploration.

This year's program boasts a diverse lineup of international and domestic artists. Highlights include Dutch composer and performer Thomas Ankersmit, the experimental improvisational trio The Thunks from Austria, and the Slovenian avant-folk trio Širom. Attendees can expect a rich tapestry of concerts and sound performances, alongside workshops focused on sound synthesis and contemporary artistic methods.

Since its inception in 2010, Audioart has served as a platform for artists working in experimental and improvised music, audiovisual installations, performance art, sound art, and field recording. The festival was inspired by the Audio Art Festival launched in Krakow in the early 1990s by Polish artist and composer Marek Choloniewski. Today, Audioart functions as an international network connecting various artistic scenes and approaches to sound, produced by the Kulturban association under the artistic direction of Alen Sinkauz.

The festival's primary objective is to champion contemporary, improvised, and experimental music, while also affirming artistic practices that operate beyond mainstream commercial currents. The opening night on August 27 at Galerija Novo features Thomas Ankersmit performing "The Tcherepnin Series." The following evening at DC Rojc will showcase multimedia artist Bojan Gagić's "Monophonic Diary – May 2026" and conclude with The Thunks. The festival wraps up on August 29 at DC Rojc with a performance by Širom.