Public enterprise VILNIUS FESTIVALS (VšĮ VILNIAUS FESTIVALIAI) was founded in April 2003 by Vilnius City Municipality. The founding was approved by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
By founding this institution, the City of Vilnius is obliged to oversee cultural and artistic events of primary importance, those which spread the reputation of the city and increase its cultural prestige both within the country and worldwide.
The Company associates most important festivals of performing arts which are taking place in Vilnius. This is an especial alliance of the largest festivals of the capital city of Lithuania.
The main goal of VILNIUS FESTIVALS is to consolidate most professional and potential culture and arts managers in Lithuania and to offer and to bring diverse and highest quality art productions for local and international audiences of Vilnius.
Spurred by this goal the Company encompasses those festivals that are nationally and internationally acknowledged and are already spreading the reputation of city of Vilnius, presently these are:
- Vilnius Festival, the most important festival of classical music in Lithuania;
- Sirenos (Sirens), the most important theatre festival in Lithuania;
- Gaida, the most important and the largest festival of contemporary music in Lithuania;
- New Baltic Dance (Naujasis Baltijos šokis), the most important festival of contemporary dance in Lithuania;
- Vilnius Mama Jazz, one of the most important jazz music festivals in Lithuania;
- Christopher Summer Festival (Kristupo vasaros festivalis), the largest festival of various genres‘ events (classical music, jazz, etc) in summer;
- Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris, the most important and the largest cinema festival in Lithuania;
- Vilnius Jazz, the most important festival of contemporary jazz music in Lithuania;
- Banchetto Musicale, the most important festival of early music (renaissance, baroque) in Lithuania.
Also the Company organizes:
– Vilnius City Fiesta (Sostinės dienos | Days of the Capital City) – the largest open-air festival in Vilnius with plenty events of different genres and concerts (jazz, modern folk, pop, rock, electronica, DJs, etc) as well as fair of books and art galleries,
– project Culture Night (Kultūros naktis).