Sommerszene Festival
International, contemporary, distinctive, avant-garde, discursive and political: the annual SOMMERSZENE festival is the artistic centrepiece of SZENE Salzburg. The festival brings established names and new artistic discoveries to Salzburg, transforming the city into a hub for contemporary dance, theater, and performance art.
The programme features significant artistic positions that engage with the present and reflect on social developments from a range of aesthetic perspectives. The performing arts are at the festival´s core, with a particular focus on dance, theatre and performance. At the same time, SOMMERSZENE takes an interdisciplinary approach, presenting works from other artistic fields including installations, film and concerts.
Alongside international guest productions, SOMMERSZENE works closely with local artists and companies to develop site-specific projects for the festival. Public space thus becomes a stage, turning Salzburg itself into a setting for artistic exploration and encounter. Each festival edition presents around 12 to 15 Austrian and international productions at venues across Salzburg.
With its distinctive artistic profile, SOMMERSZENE has been a fixture on the European festival landscape since the 1980s and has gained international recognition for its avant-garde approach to contemporary performing arts.
Visit the archive for programme calendars and festival brochures from the previous editions.
The next SOMMERSZENE will take place from 2 to 17 June 2027.