Kapolcs launches 35th Arts Valley Festival with heritage program and sustainable public‑space makeover

Hungary’s Kapolcs will host the 35th edition of the Arts Valley Festival from July 24 to August 2. The programme revisits the festival’s origins in 1989 with archival photo exhibitions, film screenings, talks and concerts featuring original participants such as Gryllus Vilmos, Gryllus Dániel and the Mandel Quartet.

As part of the anniversary, the Arts Valley Development Foundation is unveiling a renovated central square between the bus stop and the Evangelical church. The new space displays a contemporary sculpture, “Mikrokozmosz III” by Szilágyi Csilla, created from locally sourced stone and glass to symbolize the Balaton basin’s ecosystem. Native wild‑flower beds, planted through the Vadvirágom project, turn the square into a living biodiversity hub.

The festival also includes an interactive walk of historic sites, a chess tournament, and a series of thematic discussions with former organisers, artists and local residents, aiming to celebrate the region’s cultural legacy while promoting sustainable development.