Sacrum Profanum 2026

What is sacred and what is profane today? Where do tradition and experimentation meet, and how can music become a form of ritual? The 24th edition of Sacrum Profanum invites audiences to explore these questions through this year’s central theme: Ritual.

From 6 to 11 November, Kraków will become a meeting place for adventurous sounds, artistic experimentation and extraordinary musical experiences. At the heart of the festival will be a special installation by the Korean-Polish duo Si On and Jakub Ziółkowski at Cricoteka. Conceived as a ritual tent, this unique space will host six concerts combining music, performance and visual storytelling.

The programme brings together artists from around the world, exploring music inspired by ancient cultures, disappearing traditions and contemporary interpretations of folk heritage. Audiences can expect unusual instruments, experimental soundscapes, traditional songs, medieval compositions by Hildegard of Bingen, and projects blending live instrumentation with electronics and new technologies.

Sacrum Profanum will also extend beyond traditional concert venues, transforming spaces such as the Main Reading Room of the Jagiellonian Library, Teatr KTO and the courtyard of the Home Army Museum into places of musical discovery. The festival will be accompanied by workshops, artist talks, events for children and young audiences, and a musical house party at Hevre. The edition will culminate in the Open March of Independent Music through the streets of Kraków.

Sacrum Profanum is an invitation to listen differently – with curiosity, openness and a willingness to cross boundaries. Six days in which music becomes a space for encounters between cultures, traditions and artistic sensibilities.

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