FAKS Sings in Rovinj: international choir festival brings a free concert to the MMC on May 8
The international choir festival FAKS Sings continues on Friday, May 8, 2026, with a friendship concert at the Multimedia Center in Rovinj, starting at 6 p.m. The program in Rovinj-Rovigno is part of the May edition of the Festival of Amateur Cultural Creation, an event that brings choirs from several European countries to Istria and connects them with local ensembles, audiences and cultural venues where choral music is presented outside a competitive framework. Admission to the concert, as well as to the other festival events, according to the announcement by the organizers and tourist boards, is free for all visitors.
FAKS Sings in its spring 2026 edition is held in two periods, from April 23 to 26 and from May 7 to 10, while the May part of the program includes performances in Vrsar, Rovinj and Pazin. The Rovinj concert at the MMC is one of the so-called friendship concerts, a format that emphasizes the meeting of choirs, the exchange of repertoire and direct contact with the audience. For visitors planning to come to the city, especially during the festival weekend, it is useful to check
accommodation offers in Rovinj in good time, since the program takes place during a period of increased spring cultural and tourist activities.
European choirs and local ensembles on the same stage
In the May edition of FAKS Sings, the performers are Limerick Choral Union from Ireland, Hey!RUP Chomutov from Czechia and three Hungarian ensembles: Bartók Béla Girls’ Choir, Kodály Vocal Chamber Choir and TVT Choir. They are joined by local choirs: the “Rubino” Chamber Choir from Rovinj, the “Korona” Mixed Choir from Umag and the “Roženice” Mixed Choir from Pazin. Such a program lineup gives the festival a distinctly international character, while also maintaining a strong connection with the local choral scene, which in Istria has a long tradition of public performance, amateur musical work and cultural association.
The concert on Friday, May 8, has been announced for 6 p.m. at the MMC Rovinj-Rovigno, while on the same day a friendship concert is also held in Vrsar, at the Church of St. Mary of the Sea. According to the published schedule, the second May festival period begins on May 7 with the opening concert in Vrsar at 8 p.m., continues with the Rovinj and Vrsar friendship concerts on May 8, and ends on May 9 with a showcase concert at the Memorial Hall in Pazin at 6 p.m. It is a program that is not based on competitive evaluation, but on the presentation of amateur choral work, the meeting of different musical traditions and a joint performance before an audience.
A festival that emphasizes cooperation instead of competition
FAKS, or the Festival of Amateur Cultural Creation, was conceived as an international event of a cultural, educational and entertaining character. The organizers present it as a project aimed at encouraging lifelong learning, love for art and creative creation, as well as raising the quality of life of amateur artists. At the center of the festival are not professional careers or competitive results, but the possibility for amateur performers of different generations and professions to meet, perform, learn and exchange experiences.
FAKS Sings forms the spring part of the event, dedicated to choral singing, while in the autumn period FAKS Dance, an international festival of folklore and traditional dances, is held. According to official festival descriptions, FAKS annually gathers more than 800 amateur artists of different generations and professional profiles. In this way, the festival positions itself as a platform for intergenerational solidarity, inclusive participation of citizens in amateur musical activities and the development of audiences for performing arts that often arise outside large institutional systems.
The special feature of FAKS Sings is precisely its non-competitive character. The organizers emphasize that the festival is conceived as a space of friendship, connecting local and international performers and meeting the audience. Such an approach allows choirs to present their repertoire without the pressure of ranking, and allows the audience to follow the program as a cultural event in which artistic effort, togetherness, vocal discipline and the enthusiasm of amateur singers are equally valued.
Rovinj as one of the key festival points
Rovinj-Rovigno is once again this year one of the central points of FAKS Sings. In the May period, the city participates through a concert at the Multimedia Center, but also as a place for choir meetings, sightseeing and accompanying festival activities. According to the official program, guest choirs during their stay in Istria do not participate only in concerts, but also in sightseeing tours of destinations, vocal workshops, round tables and social gatherings with other ensembles. In this way, the festival format expands beyond the stage itself and turns into a multi-day cultural stay, in which performances are only one of the elements of a wider exchange.
For visitors coming to the concert at the MMC or wishing to follow several festival events during the May weekend,
accommodation near the event venue in Rovinj can be a practical choice, especially because of the schedule that includes evening performances in different Istrian towns. Since the program takes place in Rovinj, Vrsar and Pazin, the festival simultaneously encourages the movement of audiences and participants through several local settings, connecting the coastal and central parts of Istria through cultural content.
The Rovinj part of the program is also important because of the participation of the “Rubino” Chamber Choir, which, as a local ensemble, brings a local presence into the international festival framework. Alongside choirs from Ireland, Czechia and Hungary, the performance of the local choir further emphasizes the idea of meeting, and not merely guest appearances. Such a program structure enables the audience to hear different choral traditions, languages, interpretations and vocal formations within the same concert event.
The MMC as a space for cultural and musical encounters
The Multimedia Center in Rovinj, where the friendship concert is held, is a contemporary multifunctional space created through the reconstruction of the old cinema on Shipyard Square. According to data from the Rovinj tourist board and the Rovinj Public Open University, the MMC opened in 2006, is located in the immediate vicinity of the sea and has an area of about 250 square meters. Its basic purpose is to serve various cultural, educational, intellectual and entertainment needs of citizens, and over the years it has hosted exhibitions, promotions, lectures, film screenings, concerts, dance evenings and other programs.
Such a profile of the venue suits the format of FAKS Sings well, because the festival does not function only as a classic concert series, but also as a meeting of communities. Choral singing generally requires an acoustically and communicatively sensitive space, but it also seeks an atmosphere in which the audience can experience the joint work of a large number of performers. In this sense, the MMC fits into the festival logic: it is sufficiently recognized as a cultural location, while at the same time retaining the immediacy of a space in which friendship concerts can have a more open and intimate character.
In previous descriptions of the MMC, the wide range of events hosted by the center has been highlighted, from exhibitions and design programs to jazz concerts and film content. FAKS Sings continues this line of using the space for public cultural programs outside the summer commercial season. In the spring period, when the number of cultural, social and tourist events in Rovinj increases, the concert of international choirs further expands the offer of content for visitors and residents of the city.
A program that connects music, education and travel
The official FAKS Sings program shows that the festival is not conceived only as a series of evening performances. Participants in the May period arrive in Vrsar, take part in meetings with the organizers, joint dinners and the opening of the festival, and then the program includes a tour of Rovinj, free time, friendship concerts, workshops, a round table for choir representatives and conductors, and the final showcase concert in Pazin. In the Sunday part of the program, optional activities are also planned, such as a boat trip to the Lim Channel or to Poreč, followed by final meetings and the departure of participants.
Such a structure confirms the educational dimension of the festival. Vocal workshops and conversations among conductors enable the exchange of working methods, repertoire approaches and experiences in leading amateur ensembles. For singers, especially those coming from choirs of different generations and musical traditions, performing in an international environment is often just as important as the performance itself. The meeting with other ensembles can open space for new collaborations, repertoire ideas and a different understanding of the role of the choir in the local community.
This is precisely why FAKS Sings also has broader social significance. Amateur choirs often operate with great enthusiasm from their members, but without the resources that professional institutions have. An international festival that places them at the center of attention recognizes the importance of such work and shows the audience that amateur creation does not mean a lack of seriousness, but a different model of cultural participation. In it, art develops through togetherness, regular rehearsals, volunteering, local initiatives and long-term dedication.
Free admission as an invitation to a wider audience
One of the important pieces of information for the audience is that admission to all FAKS Sings events and concerts is free. Free admission removes the financial barrier and makes it possible to present choral music to a wider audience, including those who might otherwise not attend a concert of this profile. In the context of audience development, which the organizers highlight as one of the goals of the event, such openness is especially important: the concert becomes a public cultural event, not a program intended only for a narrow circle of connoisseurs of the choral scene.
For Rovinj and the other host towns, this also means additional visibility for cultural spaces outside the usual tourist motives. A visit to the concert at the MMC can be part of a wider stay in the city, and for those following several festival programs it is useful to consider
accommodation for FAKS Sings visitors in Rovinj. At the same time, the fact that concerts are held in several places creates a network of cultural points, from Vrsar and Rovinj to Pazin, whereby the festival is not tied to one stage but to the wider Istrian area.
The free character of the program also corresponds to the idea of amateur culture as accessible and participatory. Choral singing is traditionally one of the most open musical practices: people of different ages, educations and professions can participate in it, and the audience often experiences it as a direct form of shared music-making. FAKS Sings transfers that tradition into an international framework, with local and guest choirs presenting themselves equally, without a hierarchy of professional and amateur status.
The May FAKS Sings as a continuation of the spring festival cycle
The May FAKS Sings program is a continuation of the April festival period, in which choirs from Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia performed. According to published information, the first spring period was held from April 23 to 26 and included concerts in Vrsar, Kanfanar and Pazin. The second period, from May 7 to 10, further expands the international lineup of participants by including a choir from Ireland, a Czech ensemble and three Hungarian choirs, alongside local choirs from Rovinj, Umag and Pazin.
The program dynamics show that FAKS Sings is conceived as a multi-day cycle, and not as a one-off event. The opening in Vrsar, the friendship concerts in Rovinj and Vrsar, and the final showcase concert in Pazin create the dramaturgy of the festival: from a ceremonial gathering, through parallel performances and exchange, to the final presentation before the audience. For choirs, this means several opportunities to perform, and for the audience the possibility to follow different formats and locations.
In a cultural sense, a festival of this kind contributes to the visibility of amateur creation at a time when public space is often directed toward large commercial events. FAKS Sings reminds us that local cultural associations, choirs and non-professional ensembles are an important part of cultural infrastructure. Their work does not depend only on individual concerts, but on continuous gathering, organization, learning and the transmission of musical knowledge among generations.
What the audience can expect in Rovinj
The audience at Rovinj’s MMC can expect a program in which choirs of different vocal formations, languages and interpretive approaches will present themselves. Although the detailed order of performances for each concert has not been publicly elaborated in the available announcements, the lineup of participants for the May period is known and it has been confirmed that on May 8 at 6 p.m. friendship concerts will be held in Rovinj and Vrsar. Such a format generally enables a diverse program, from sacred and classical choral compositions to more contemporary arrangements, traditional motifs and repertoire adapted to the identity of each ensemble.
For visitors encountering FAKS Sings for the first time, it is important to emphasize that the festival is not designed as a competition in which the audience follows winners and rankings, but as an open meeting. The emphasis is on joint performance, communication between choirs and the audience, and the presentation of amateur work in an international context. For this reason, the friendship concert in Rovinj has the character of a public cultural event that can attract both connoisseurs of choral music and audiences looking for an accessible evening program.
FAKS Sings in Rovinj thus combines several important elements: international guests, local choirs, free admission, the cultural space of the MMC and the wider festival network that connects several Istrian towns. Friday, May 8, 2026, brings an opportunity for amateur choral singing to be placed at the center of the program, not as a marginal cultural practice, but as a living form of artistic creation, socializing and international exchange.
Sources:- Ars Cultura – official FAKS Sings page with festival dates, concept description and program (link)- Rovinj-Rovigno Tourist Board – events calendar for FAKS Sings Volume 2 and festival description (link)- Rovinj-Rovigno Tourist Board – description of the Multimedia Center in Rovinj (link)- Rovinj Public Open University – information on the MMC, the history of the space and the purpose of the center (link)- Istra Terra Magica – announcement of the spring part of the 2026 FAKS festival, list of choirs and concert schedule (link)- Parentium – announcement of FAKS Sings 2026 with information on dates, participants and free admission (link)- Vrsar Municipality Tourist Board – announcement of FAKS Sings: International Choir Festival, information on the date, location and organizer (link)
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