We invite you to the first edition of Busking Balkans: Albania 2025 – a street festival with an international lineup curated by Małgorzata Węglarz.
The festival will take place in two towns in Albania:
15-16 May 2025 Vlora, Lungomare, Waterfront promenade
17-18 May 2025 Tirana, Parku Rinia, Piramida
Busking Balkans: Albania 2025 is a 4-day celebration of street performing arts including live music, freestyle football, circus disciplines such as comedy, acrobatics, juggling, magic, and many more. Most of the buskers will perform in Albania for the first time.
Florian Agalli (balkanbusker.com):
“In recent years, busking festivals have become an integral part of the cultural life of cities around the world. Until now, Albania has not hosted similar events, leaving it off the street performance map. The festival aims to become an annual event and establish itself as a key point in the cultural calendar of the wider Western Balkans region. This year we are starting in two cities: Tirana and Vlora, and aim to expand to other cities, not only in Albania, but also in neighbouring countries”.
Busking Balkans is curated by an artistic director and street festival producer, Małgorzata Węglarz (Busker.pl):
“I’m looking forward to bringing street artists from all over the world to Albania, helping promote busking culture and building the community of street art enthusiasts in new places.
Our goal is not only to present shows but also to inspire people to learn new circus disciplines and encourage them to perform on the streets. Busking shows combine artistic and circus genres, skills and personalities. In no other scenario, the performer and audience are so close, and the art is accessible to everyone.
All the buskers I have selected are ready to showcase their skills, and ideas, and share passion and busking spirit when a planned script and improvisation blend and passers-by become an audience.
Busking Balkans, similar to Busker Tour I run in Poland, is a travelling festival, and we plan to add more towns in the future and start a new tradition of opening the European busking season in the Balkans”.
Line-up
- Cesco | Italy/Thailand | Clownery
- DEANisHOME | Bulgaria | Music
- Gato Blanco Gato Negro | Argentina | Circus: archery, juggling, clownery
- Ian Deadly | UK | Circus: Juggling, comedy, hula-hop
- Juggling Dom | Australia | Circus: Juggling, rope walking
- Plucie Ogniem | Poland | Fireshow
- Richard Filby | Australia | Circus: Rola bola, juggling
- Stefan Florescu | Romania | Football freestyle, diabolo
- TENTA | Japan | Magic
Festival Team:
Busking Balkans; Albania 2025 is a joint production of balkanbusker.com and Małgorzata Węglarz (Busker.pl).
Producer – Petrit Saraili (balkanbusker.com)
Artistic Director – Małgorzata Węglarz (Busker.pl)
Project Director – Florian Agalliu (balkanbusker.com)
Visit also: balkanbusker.com