The 14th edition of Arty Stays festival of modern art will take place from 8 to 16 July at various locations in Ptuj, with the main programme being held daily at the mighty Dominican monastery. The artistic leader of Art Stays festival, Jernej Forbici, points out some specifics: "This year's, 14th Art Stays is subtitled 'Politic(s)'. Political art will be dealt with. In a way, this is the result of work from the past 13 years. Art always communicated and maintains dialogue with politics. This year's specialty is merging all Ptuj's exhibition places into a single large one – the Dominican monastery. A lot will be happening on all three floors. Other venues remain the same: the stage at the 'Slovenski and Mestni Squares, Gallery Magistrat and other places mentioned in the programme. We receive more and more visitors from abroad each year, mostly from the neighbouring countries, i.e. Austria, Croatia and Hungary."
Eighth year for Arsana music festival
Arsana, one of Slovenia's most awaited music festivals, will offer concerts of musicians from all over the world between 22 and 30 July. The performances will be carried out across the city, including Hotel Mitra, the courtyard of the monastery, Muzikafe cultural centre, Coffeehouse Evropa, Bar Pomaranča and other locations. More than 60 events will take place in nine days, bringing to Ptuj over 250 musical artists specialised in jazz, world, classical, vocal and instrumental music. A few names as a teaser: New York Voices (USA), Josipa Lisac (CRO), Vlatko Stefanovski & Miroslav Tadić (SRB, MK), Tadej Toš, Siddharta, Mladinski simfonični orkester Strasbourg (EU), Klapa Cambi-Kambelovac (CRO), Stefano Bedetti (USA), Muzikal Metuljev efekt, Orlek, Romana Krajnčan & Jure Ivanušič, Pliš, Dunja Spruk, Jazz Ladies and many others.
Vocal jazz camp by NY Voices
As part of Arsana, the first European vocal jazz camp will be organised by the New York Voices, winners of two grammys, who had announced plans for a European camp and decided to host it in Slovenia's oldest city – Ptuj. Additionally, children and their parents will be able to visit the Art dance kamp, which will offer street events, seminars, dance shows, lecture, round tables, culinary events, workshops, performances of young musicians etc.
"Wonderful courtyards, squares and halls of the oldest Slovenian city get transformed into a music metropolis, which attracts musicians and audience from across the globe, becoming a fresh spring of creativity and an incubator of new international ideas as well as projects," emphasizes Mladen Delin, artistic director of Arsana, with a smile on his face.
Days of poetry and wine – from 24 to 27 August
One of the most long-running Ptuj's and Slovenia's festivals, Days of Poetry and Wine, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Festival's main organiser Aleš Šteger explains: "This year's festival is devoted to Canadian poetry. We have four guests of honour, which is a record number. The opening day will be different than in the past. It will take place at five venues along the Drava. In cooperation with the Drava hydro plants, a caravan of poets, musicians and other musicians will travel on the river all day. However, nothing compares to sitting on a square of the oldest Slovenian city with a glass of wine in hand on a late August evening, and indulging in poetry whispered to you by poets themselves."
Tanja Mojzer, MMC; translated by K. Z.
