Classix in Focus completes the 2026 Art & Mind edition

Dialogue, exhibitions, and cultural interventions within Classix Festival

Classix Festival announces the Classix in Focus program, the series of events that complements the concert experience of the 2026 edition through interdisciplinary dialogue, exhibitions, screenings, and cultural interventions. Under the theme Art & Mind, the events propose encounters that explore how art shapes thinking, attention, and memory, as well as how culture can become an instrument of cohesion, urban strategy, and diplomacy.

Between March 1–19, 2026, in Iași, the Classix in Focus program runs in parallel with the concert series and extends the festival experience into areas of intersection between culture, society, education, and public policy. The events bring together artists, cultural managers, diplomats, professors, researchers, and representatives of the institutional sector within a framework of critical reflection and authentic dialogue. Access to the events is free of charge, subject to availability.

On March 2, at 16:00, the opening of the interactive installation The Singing Garden Symphony will take place, hosted by the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, in the Hall of Lost Steps. The project, created by Andrei Cozlac, Radu Marțin, and Cătălin Marinescu, investigates the relationship between humans and nature through sound and technology. The installation transforms a natural space into a collective musical instrument, where human presence triggers a generative sound composition in constant transformation. Visitors’ interactions are translated in real time into a sonic ambience built from organic textures and acoustic processing, offering an immersive experience that brings the body, space, and natural environment into dialogue. The installation can be visited between March 3–15, from 10:00 to 19:00, and access is free.

On March 3, at 12:00, at Palatul Braunstein, the panel Cities, Culture & Power will take place, dedicated to the relationship between culture, public administration, and the identity of cities. In the context of the Art & Mind theme, the conversation will analyze how cultural strategies can define the direction of a community and build a coherent long-term urban vision, transforming culture into a tool for development and international positioning.

The guests will be Anca Lupeș, cultural manager and founder of Mastering the Music Business – MMB; Andrei Popov, Executive Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum Bucharest; Bogdan Trîmbaciu, Director of the Project Management Unit – Ministry of Culture of Romania; and Gabriella Bergman, Manager of Esbjerg Ensemble (Denmark). The moderator of the meeting will be Mihai Bulai, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Geography and Geology – “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași and founder of Iași Travel. The event will be held in English.

On the same day, March 3, at 20:00, at Acaju, the public is invited to Ars Electronica Animation Festival 2025 – On Tour, organized together with the Austrian Cultural Forum Bucharest. The program includes two curated compilations reflecting recent directions in contemporary digital animation and addressing themes such as the impact of technology on the environment and society, propaganda, corporate culture, and the relationship between the organic and the digital.

On March 4, at 12:00, at Negru Zi, the dialogue Black Coffee, White Pages will take place, proposing a conversation about the pressure to create and the fragility of the artistic process. The discussion explores the inner mechanisms of the mind, creative block, and the ways artists can continue to create in the absence of certainties.

The guests are Gabriella Bergman (DK), Director of Esbjerg Ensemble; Ștefan Diaconu (RO), musician and composer, Manager of Musica Coloris Publishing, together with Paul Pintilie (RO), musician, composer, and university lecturer. The moderator of the meeting will be Izabela Vieriu (RO), composer and conductor.

Also on March 4, at 16:00, at the “Vasile Pogor” Museum – Casa Junimii, the exhibition Gustav Klimt and the Künstler-Compagnie at Peleș opens, curated by researcher dr. Antonela Corban (RO). The exhibition brings to public attention the early period of Gustav Klimt, when, together with Ernst Klimt and Franz Matsch, he created an extensive decorative program at Peleș Castle between 1883 and 1886. Through large-scale images and documentary materials, the project offers insight into a formative stage of the artist’s creation, complementing the established image of the Viennese avant-garde. The exhibition can be visited between March 4–19, according to the museum’s schedule.

On the same day, at 17:30, in the Atrium of Palas Iași, Esbjerg Ensemble will present the Classix Pop-Up Concert, a musical intervention in public space that brings chamber repertoire into an accessible urban context and invites the audience to a form of attentive listening amid the rhythm of everyday life.

On March 5, the panel ARTing Minds will take place, proposing a reflection on the relationship between art, cognition, and critical presence. The conversation will bring together Ioan Milică, Director of the “Mihai Eminescu” Central University Library of Iași; Oltița Cîntec, theatre scholar and Artistic Director of the “Luceafărul” Theatre Iași; Matei Bejenaru, visual artist and professor at the “George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iași; and Luiza Sfîcă, student and editor of Alecart magazine. The moderator will be Emil Munteanu, MERITO teacher at the National College of Iași and coordinator of the Alecart project. The discussion will explore how art shapes memory, imagination, and critical thinking.

On March 7, at 14:00, at Casa Balș – “Eduard Caudella” Hall, the conversation Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy in the Global Macroeconomy will take place, dedicated to the relationship between culture, institutions, and the economy. The guests will be Dragoș Cantea, pianist, artistic director and co-founder of Classix; Amb. Michèle Ramis, President of the UNESCO Commission; together with Prof. Liviu-George Maha, Rector of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași. The moderator will be Simona Modreanu, university professor at the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași. The dialogue will address how cultural influence can become a strategic instrument in the global context.

On March 8, at 15:00, the Iași.Travel Association will organize a two-hour guided tour of the city center, with the meeting point in Piața Unirii. The route will connect landmarks of Iași’s musical memory and propose a reading of the city through its cultural and sonic history.

The 9 concerts that make up the Classix Festival 2026 program are:

March 1 | 19:30 | Genesis | Roman Catholic Cathedral “Saint Mary, Queen” Iași
March 2 | 19:00 | Voces del Amor | Iași Students’ House of Culture – Gaudeamus Hall
March 3 | 19:00 | Rhapsody in Motion | Iași Students’ House of Culture – Gaudeamus Hall
March 4 | 19:00 | Love Frequencies | Palace of Culture Iași – Hall of Honor
March 5 | 19:00 | In Between | “Mihai Eminescu” Central University Library Iași – Aula
March 6 | 19:00 | A Matter of Time | MINA Museum Iași
March 7 | 11:30 | Vulpița cea isteață | Sala Unirii Iași
March 7 | 19:00 | The Sound of Strings | Sala Unirii Iași

• March 8 | 19:00 | La Bellezza | “Vasile Alecsandri” National Theatre Iași – Main Hall

General passes and concert tickets, at reduced prices, are still available on the official festival website. Pupils and students benefit from a 50% discount, and for purchases made with a BRD Groupe Société Générale card, the public receives a 15% discount, applied automatically at checkout. Organizers recommend booking access in advance, as the announced concerts have a limited number of seats.

To stay up to date with the latest festival news, classical music lovers can subscribe to the dedicated newsletter available on classix.ro and follow Classix’s official social media channels.

Since 2020, Classix Festival has become one of the most important independent cultural events in Eastern Europe, bringing together over 350 international artists from 23 countries, presenting 49 concerts, 23 panels, 193 masterclass sessions, 6 exhibitions, 10 short film screenings, and offering 18 creation grants. The festival has attracted over 30,000 spectators in venues and more than 365,000 online participants, confirming its role as a catalyst for cultural dialogue and artistic innovation.

Organizers: Asociația Industrii Creative, Showberry
Main Partner: BRD Groupe Société Générale
Cultural Partners: German Cultural Center, French Institute in Romania in Iași, Polish Institute, Austrian Cultural Forum, Italian Cultural Institute in Bucharest, Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Institutional Partners: Roman Catholic Diocese of Iași, “Mihai Eminescu” Central University Library Iași, Romanian National Opera Iași, “Moldova” State Philharmonic Iași, “Moldova” National Museum Complex – Palace of Culture Iași, National Museum of Romanian Literature Iași, “Regina Maria” Municipal Museum Iași, “George Enescu” National University of Arts Iași, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași
Sponsors: Schweppes, Basware
Strategic Partner: DAC Music Performance

Hospitality Partners: Gramma, Vitamin Aqua, BMW APAN Motors Iași, Soft & Grace, Noir Coffee Roasters, Hotel Bellaria, Hotel Unirea, Oddity, Acaju, Iași.Travel, Komoder, indus, Pizza Di Napo, Andalu, Chalette Events, Bindu, Palas Iași

Lifestyle Partners: Chotronette, Tudor Tailor, Studio Esthétique, Serenity Head Spa
Promotion Partners: WINK Public Multimedia, Printco, Iași International Airport, Fab Lab Iași, Iulius Group
Media Partners: Radio România Cultural, Radio Iași, Viva FM, AGERPRES, Bookhub, Cărturești, Elle.ro, Fashion Premium Magazine, Happ.ro, Haute Culture, InfoMusic, Libertatea, Liternet, Iasi4u, Observator Cultural, Revista BIZ, Ringer, Romania Journal, Ziarul de Iași, Zile și Nopți.

Cultural project co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for the way in which the project results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding beneficiary.

Asociația Industrii Creative is the organizer of the Rocanotherworld and Classix festivals in Iași, aiming to revitalize the city’s cultural life, engage creative communities, and foster civic involvement through actions that promote a proactive, contributive, and participatory spirit.

Showberry, a member of AROC (Romanian Association of Concert and Cultural Event Organizers), is a startup and winner of the Invest in People! program. Since 2015, it has developed cultural and creative projects, becoming one of the main promoters of public concerts and thematic events in northeastern Romania. Since 2016, it has been co-organizer of the Rocanotherworld festival, and since 2020, of Classix Festival, together with Asociația Industrii Creative.

Website: www.classixfestival.ro
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/classixFestival/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classix.ro
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@classixfestival
Contact: admin@classixfestival.ro