ConTempo reveals the programme: from city streets to nature – and 10 metres up in the air 

From August 1–9, the eighth edition of ConTempo will take place in Kaunas. This year’s programme features leading contemporary dance, circus, and theatre artists from Lithuania and abroad, alongside acrobatic performances and events for a wide range of age groups. The festival presents a new repertoire while continuing to build on its signature formula: high quality, strong emotional impact, and a close connection between artists and audiences.

The 2026 programme includes 12 standout performances and a special programme for emerging artists, featuring creators from France, Belgium, Catalonia, Germany, Ireland, the United States, and Lithuania. Staying true to its spirit, ConTempo unfolds not only in theatre venues but also across public spaces, in nature, in city streets, and in unexpected locations.

ConTempo director Gintarė Masteikaitė says that although this year’s festival is even more focused on Kaunas as its main stage, its map is expanding to partner locations – Visaginas, Kaišiadorys, and Užutrakis. Next year, the festival will also be open to invitations from other cities. According to G. Masteikaitė, this will intensify the rhythm of the festival and further highlight ConTempo’s identity as a city festival.

“The festival programme features works that are created to engage with the city first and foremost – they are not only presented in Kaunas but also respond to its spaces and contexts. The audience experience is equally important: the programme is designed for different audiences, from educational activities for children to more intense and even provocative works. Another key aspect is vitality and risk – therefore, we select not ‘safe’ formats, but works that carry a sense of surprise, experimentation, and live presence. We pay great attention to strong visual expression and the intensity of experiences, so that the works are not simply watched but truly experienced,” says G. Masteikaitė.

ConTempo’s programme will open with the iconic and visually striking performance “RoZéo”, inviting audiences to raise their gaze to the sky. Accompanied by live music, the French acrobatics company Gratte Ciel will sway at a height of up to ten metres, creating a meditative spectacle that audiences will experience in the courtyard of the Kaunas Grain Factory.

The festival’s closing events will once again invite audiences to look up – in Visaginas, at Užutrakis Manor, and in Kaunas Santaka Park, Belgian rope and aerial acrobats will present “Épiphytes”, a physically demanding and tension-filled performance.

The festival week will bring even more exceptional experiences. Kaunas will welcome “One Shot”, a performance by charismatic French artists that has travelled across numerous countries and invites audiences to embark on an unusual, nearly one-kilometre-long journey through the city. During the performance, professional jugglers boldly climb balcony railings, dive into fountains, and engage the audience through unexpected actions, turning the city space into an unpredictable theatrical adventure.

Fans of experimental and provocative performing arts will have the chance to encounter an aerial clown suspended high above the ground, installations connecting human bodies with structures, and performances that invite audiences to become part of the action.

The programme features “Dainų šventė”, a musical collage created by film director Karolis Kaupinias in collaboration with Operomanija, as well as Darragh McLoughlin’s minimalist performance “Stickman”, which uses just two objects and the human body as its means of expression.

Traditional theatre lovers will also find a familiar experience at ConTempo: US- and Belgium-based artist Davis Freeman will present the sensitive performance “Nothing Happens Without You”, a work exploring life and loss.

As always, ConTempo will continue to spotlight emerging artists. Early-career Lithuanian and international creators will present their work in an experimental section of the programme dedicated specifically to their performances.

Opening the world of performing arts to young audiences

The ConTempo programme is created with its youngest audiences in mind. Several performances will be adapted or specifically created for children and teenagers.

“A major focus this year will be placed on children’s education programme ‘ConTempo for Kids’ – one of the key areas of growth in this year’s programme, strongly inspired by our partners, the philanthropic organization Devbridge Foundation,” says G. Masteikaitė.

Through this initiative, young audiences from surrounding towns and smaller communities connected to Kaunas by railway will be invited to attend the festival in Kaunas. They will have the opportunity to experience professional performing arts up close – taking part in creative and technology workshops, watching performances, and meeting artists. The organisers hope that the initiative will help reduce cultural exclusion, open up access to a wider range of performing arts, and encourage children’s creativity and personal growth.

“Stay curious and don’t be afraid to explore new genres and forms. This festival is a perfect place to do so,” says G. Masteikaitė as ConTempo approaches.