A remarkable encounter between Hungarian theatre, folk dance, and live music was presented in South Korea in mid-May, organized by the Liszt Institute Seoul: Merry-Go-Round (Körhinta), a production by the National Theatre of Hungary and the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble, served as the official closing performance of the 23rd Busan International Performing Arts Festival. Directed by Attila Vidnyánszky, the production was staged on 16–17 May at the Haneulyeon Theatre of the Busan Cinema Center, where it was seen by more than 1,100 spectators over two evenings. The Hungarian company arrived in Busan with a 74-member team, marking the production’s first appearance before South Korean audiences.

In the spring of 2026, the Hungarian Academy in Rome welcomed audiences with a rich cultural programme featuring exhibitions, concerts and international festivals. The exhibitions presented at the Falconieri Palace focused on themes of shared European cultural heritage, memory and contemporary artistic dialogue. The events brought together renowned Hungarian and Italian artists, curators, musicians and cultural professionals. The institution also played an active role in the programmes of the first-ever TriBuCity Italian–Hungarian Cultural Festival held in Trieste.

At the end of May, the organ once again resounded across several continents as part of the international Night of the Organs programme series. Initiated by Filharmónia Hungary, the aim of the series has remained unchanged over the years: to bring audiences closer to the instrument often referred to as the queen of instruments. This year, the network of Liszt Institutes and Hungarian cultural institutions joined the programme from Vienna to Berlin, Bruges, Bucharest and Skalica, as well as Rome, Prague, Gdańsk and Tallinn, all the way to New York and Zhengzhou in China.

Over the past months, the Liszt Institute Warsaw has strengthened the presence of Hungarian culture in Poland through a wide range of cultural programs. From contemporary literature and graphic arts to dance and interactive community events, numerous initiatives have welcomed audiences in Warsaw, Poznań, and along the Baltic Sea coast.

This spring, the Liszt Institute Tokyo placed a strong emphasis on showcasing contemporary Hungarian illustration. Encounters of drawn worlds, Central European matchbox labels, images inspired by star maps, and a kite-making workshop – all part of the Budapest Illustration Festival in Tokyo. In addition to the visual arts, other genres also appeared in the institute’s spring program offerings. The 23rd Hungarian Dance House Meeting in Tokyo was held to great interest and enthusiastic attendance.

In the spring of 2026, the Liszt Institute Sepsiszentgyörgy once again welcomed audiences with a rich and diverse cultural program, placing special emphasis on showcasing the values of literature, music, theater, visual arts, and the preservation of traditions. Through its independently organized events, the institute not only highlighted the diversity of contemporary Hungarian culture, but also strengthened the Hungarian cultural life of Székelyföld as a shared community experience.

In May, the Liszt Cultural Days festival series was organized for the third time at several venues across Ljubljana, attracting significant public interest. The week-long event aimed to showcase Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy, and tourism to the Slovenian public.

In April and May 2026, the Liszt Institute New York made its mark on the city’s vibrant arts scene with a variety of cultural events. From classical music and jazz to films, literary programs, and photography events, all the way to contemporary applied arts, numerous initiatives were carried out that showcased Hungarian culture in an international setting while also creating new professional and cultural connections.

In spring 2026, the programs of the Liszt Institute Bratislava once again demonstrated, across several cities and artistic genres, the many different ways in which Hungarian culture can speak to audiences in Slovakia. A visual arts exhibition, a chamber music evening at the residence of the Hungarian Ambassador, contemporary dance, young Hungarian jazz, and a public program connected to Europe Day all welcomed audiences interested in the institute’s work and in Hungarian culture more broadly. Together, these events created meeting points where tradition and contemporary thinking, art and community presence, representation and personal experience could come into contact.

In recent weeks, the Liszt Institute Seoul has organized a wide range of programs showcasing the diversity of Hungarian culture to Korean audiences. Through classical music concerts, community and educational initiatives, gastronomic and literary events, as well as participation in major international festivals, the institute has further strengthened Hungarian–Korean cultural relations and promoted Hungary’s positive national image in South Korea.