ȘI Festival VI Edition

ȘI festival – 6th edition is a multidisciplinary cultural project taking place between 18–25 July in the seaside village of 2 Mai (Constanța County, Romania). The festival will present over 90 free cultural events across eight days, hosted in more than seven indoor and outdoor locations adapted from public and private spaces within the community. The program addresses a diverse audience of over 6,000 participants, including local residents and tourists.

The 2026 edition focuses on sustainability as a social, cultural and creative principle. The theme is reflected both in the artistic content and in the organizational approach, through eco-friendly production methods, the reuse and reconversion of local spaces, reduced printed materials, digital communication and community-based environmental actions. The project responds to several local challenges: limited access to cultural infrastructure in rural coastal areas, environmental pressure caused by mass tourism and climate change, and the lack of professional opportunities for emerging artists.

The festival is structured into six main sections: theatre, film, music, visual arts/exhibitions, forum and workshops. The core of the program is the official competition featuring over 20 theatre performances and short films by emerging artists. Additional components include street and indoor performances, six film screening evenings, concerts, two exhibitions and four eco mural works created with sustainable materials.

Beyond presentation, the project has a strong educational and professional development dimension. Seven national open calls (for theatre, film, music, visual arts, project grants, management trainees and volunteers) support the participation of more than 200 young Romanian artists. The festival also includes a project pitching program (project grant), a six-month cultural management traineeship, mentorship sessions, roundtables and networking opportunities with established professionals. Community engagement is a central component. At least 50 local residents are involved as volunteers, hosts or partners, and more than 10 community activities (guided tours, sports, clean-up actions, culinary events) strengthen the relationship between artists, visitors and the local environment. By transforming courtyards, beaches and public facilities into cultural venues, the project contributes to the social and economic vitality of the village and supports the development of sustainable cultural tourism.

The project also ensures long-term visibility and accessibility through a six-month communication campaign, the online publication ȘI revista, live-streamed discussions and partnerships with media platforms and cultural institutions, reaching over 100,000 online users and extending the festival’s impact beyond the physical event.

Through its scale, multidisciplinary format and focus on emerging creators, ȘI festival positions itself as one of the most significant rural cultural initiatives in Romania and a replicable model for community-based cultural development. The project demonstrates how a large-scale cultural event can support artistic mobility, audience access and environmental responsibility while preserving the identity and character of a local community.