THE CITY AS A SPACE FOR SHARED CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
The cultural programme offers a wide range of activities that allow visitors to learn about Basque culture from multiple perspectives, bringing to life some of the city’s most emblematic spaces and encouraging direct public participation.
The theatrical tours through Bilbao’s Old Town, led by the Hosts of Bilbao, offer a unique opportunity to rediscover the city’s historical origins through a contemporary narrative, making the city’s heritage accessible to a wide range of audiences. The open-air traditional folk-dance gatherings in Plaza Nueva, with performances by Aiko Taldea and Dantza Piko, together with Patxi eta Konpania, reclaim public space as a meeting point for different generations and highlight the participatory nature of Basque culture.
The festival also includes contemporary performances such as Urbasa, a show that combines music, percussion, and physical expression in an innovative format.
This year, in Plaza de la Cultura Vasca (Arenal Pier), one of the most popular Basque characters, Gargantúa, will be back again to welcome children with his mouth wide open and his cutlery at the ready.
This programme is complemented by the wide range of museums, cultural centres, and galleries across the city, featuring collections of Basque art and interesting temporary exhibitions. These can be visited throughout the festival at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Itsasmuseum, Azkuna Zentroa, the Athletic Club Museum, the Museum of Sacred Art, Arkeologi Museoa and Sala Rekalde, among others.