32nd Music Biennale Zagreb

Since its founding in 1961, the Music Biennale Zagreb has continually kept abreast of global developments and has been in contact with the great figures of the music scene, explored different approaches to contemporary music and shaped its trends. This year’s 32nd edition is marked by a proclamation conceived of principles on which the Music Biennale Zagreb strives to be based as a festival, as well as an internationally recognized cultural event that directly impacts the community at large. It is precisely because of the responsibility that comes with the far-reaching and complex production of the MBZ that it was necessary to chart a clear path that the MBZ will follow in this and all subsequent editions. This proclamation is therefore not about the thematic core of a single biennial program, but about the thesis that art should continually respond to the various aspects of culture and society, especially ecology as the current crisis point. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that in this process, we will begin with ourselves – the festival team as creators of the content and the content itself – by critically observing the past practices and editions of the Music Biennale Zagreb, their strengths and weaknesses, in order to pave the way for future generations and an inclusive ecosystem of the cultural sector that treats its resources in a responsible manner.