32th Primorska Summer Festival

Location: Summer Cinema Arrigoni

Organizer: Društvo primorski poletni festival

The Primorska Summer Festival was conceived as a project in 1993. Its first season was successfully carried out in the summer of 1994, with 34 events, including two full productions and one co-production. From the outset, the festival achieved its initial goal: to act as a producer rather than merely an organizer or intermediary of summer events.

This objective was consistently pursued in the years that followed. The festival also set itself a key mission: to introduce and preserve the use of ambient locations—something that had previously been an exception rather than the rule in coastal towns, despite the many scenic spaces available in Slovenian Istria. Hidden venues, squares, streets, old palaces, and other historically important spaces in the old town centres were brought back to life. These sites were given a new purpose, which proved to be a fitting response to the need to revitalise historic urban areas. The festival carried out pioneering work, which has earned it lasting public support. In addition to audiences, the festival was also well received by the media and cultural professionals. Many recognised not only the charm of seaside venues but also the creative collaboration opportunities the project offered—beyond institutional frameworks—and this was consistently reflected through numerous proposals and initiatives, many of which came to fruition.

Over the years, the festival has built a recognizable brand, formed valuable partnerships with economic and other organizations, and significantly contributed to the cultural offer of coastal towns. It has played a major role in increasing the visibility of these towns and, taking advantage of its proximity to two national borders, built strong cross-border relationships years before Slovenia joined the EU. The same applies to intercultural dialogue, which remains underdeveloped in Europe.

In 1995, an association was established that has since acted as an independent legal entity. The festival later gained the status of an international festival and joined the Association of Slovenian Festivals in 2000. It also became a member of the NETA network.

The vision and goals set shortly after Slovenia’s independence have largely been achieved. Despite challenging times and increasingly limited funding, the festival’s ambitions remain unchanged: to be an institution that ensures high-quality summer programming across the four coastal municipalities of Slovenia, while also engaging with the international cultural scene, especially through outstanding guest performances and exchanges.