Events calendar

On Saturday, August 22 at 8 PM, the MMC Ulika in Bale will host the opening of the photo exhibition “The Churches of Valle”, dedicated to the religious heritage of Bale and its surrounding area.

The exhibition is presented by photographers Siegfried Schwarz and Luka Jereb. The project grew from their shared interest in documenting Istria’s ecclesiastical heritage. For years, Siegfried Schwarz has been working on a photographic project documenting the churches and chapels of the Istrian peninsula, covering approximately 1,000 sacred buildings. His meeting with Luka Jereb, a resident of Bale and author of previous exhibitions dedicated to local heritage, led to the idea of a project focusing specifically on the churches of Bale.

The project documents approximately 28 churches and chapels in Bale and the surrounding area. The photographs include churches in the town itself, as well as smaller chapels and churches situated in the surrounding landscape.

The particular value of the project lies in documenting the religious heritage of Bale as a whole. Since the exhibition can present only one photograph of each church, a dedicated volume has also been prepared as a detailed catalogue and guide to the documented sites. The texts about the churches were taken from available sources of the City of Bale, while the texts about the saints were prepared by Luka Jereb.

The photo exhibition “The Churches of Valle” opens on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 8 PM at MMC Ulika in Bale.

The exhibition will remain open to the public until September 18, 2026.

Authors: Siegfried Schwarz and Luka Jereb
Opening: Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 8 PM
Venue: MMC Ulika, Bale
Exhibition open: until September 18, 2026

On Saturday, 5 September an octet from the Rock Simfonija project will perform at Tomaso Bembo Square in Bale, presenting the Rock Classics programme.

The concert begins at 9:00 PM and features classic rock songs performed by musicians who combine the sound of rock with elements of classical music.

Rock Simfonija is a music project from Banja Luka, founded in 2014 and known for bringing rock and classical music together. Its sound combines electric instruments with classical orchestral elements, with arrangements of well-known rock songs from the region and around the world.

In Bale, part of the project will perform as an octet, with a programme dedicated to classic rock.

Rock Simfonija – Rock Classics
�� 5 September 
�� 9:00 PM
�� Tomaso Bembo Square, Bale

Free admission.

The closing event of this year’s Bembo Fest brings a cabaret dedicated to one of the most recognisable authors of Dalmatian songs and literature, Momčilo Popadić.

Teatar Erato presents the cabaret  "What is life if not...." ("Ča je život vengo..."), created from Popadić’s songs, prose, articles and anecdotes.

Popadić’s verses have lived for decades through songs we know and love. From Oprosti mi, pape and Skitnice to Tonka, Svoju zvizdu slidin and many others that have become part of our shared musical memory.

In this performance, his work meets storytelling, humour and the Dalmatian way of telling stories. Through narration, singing and acting, three performers bring Popadić’s texts to the stage, along with his view of people and everyday life — a perspective that makes us laugh while leaving room for a touch of nostalgia.

The cabaret features Marjan Nejašmić Banić, Petar Salečić and Bojan Brajčić, who also signs the adaptation.

The performance is conceived without elaborate stage production. At its heart are the spoken word, song, guitar, acting and Popadić’s unmistakable humour.

On Tomaso Bembo Square, beneath the summer evening sky and surrounded by the audience, Ča je život vengo... will bring this year’s Bembo Fest to a close.

Instead of the originally scheduled date of Thursday, September 3, the performance will take place on September 19 at 8:00 PM, due to an illness affecting one of the performers.

Basic information

Festival: 6th Bembo Fest
Date: 19 September 2026
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Tomaso Bembo Square, Bale-Valle
Admission: Free

From 20 to 26 September 2026, Bale will once again host the Young Theater Festival, an international artistic and scientific event bringing together young artists, students, educators, researchers and professionals from Croatia and abroad.

This year’s edition is held under the theme “The Art of Play and Emotion”, focusing on the connection between theater and performing arts, psychology, creative therapies, and the fields of art and health. Through a diverse programme of workshops, lectures and practical activities, the Festival offers an opportunity to gain new knowledge, exchange experiences and develop artistic and professional skills.

Among this year’s mentors and lecturers are renowned artists and experts from Croatia and abroad, including theater and film actress Selma Alispahić, Canadian actor Filip Geljo, known for his roles in the Avatar sequels, British drama therapist Anna Seymour, and Romanian actor, director and professor András Hatházi, a long-standing Festival mentor.

The programme is intended for students and young artists, as well as anyone interested, including teachers, educators, psychologists, creative therapists, parents and other professionals. A special part of the programme is dedicated to children and parents, with activities that use play and creative expression to encourage the development of emotional literacy.

Programme open to the public

Most of the Festival programme is intended for registered participants, while throughout the Festival week there will also be a rich evening cultural programme open to everyone. Admission to all programmes open to the public is free.

20 Sep · 19:00 ·  MMC "Ulika"
Anatomy of the Unknown (Anatomija nepoznatog) – exhibition by Breza Žižović

20 Sep · 20:00 · Tomaso Bembo Square
Activists (Aktivisti) – performance by Teatar Fort Forno

21 Sep · 19:00 · Tomaso Bembo Square
Just Imagine (Zamisli samo) – children’s performance by GIG Teatar

21 Sep · 19:45 · Tomaso Bembo Square
What Is Grandpa For? (Čemu služi deda) – performance by Teatar Fort Forno

22 Sep · 19:00 · foyer of the Mon Perin Conference Hall
Altar of Solitude (Oltar samoće) – performance by the Theatre Department of the Arts Academy in Split

22 Sep · 21:00 · Mon Perin Conference Hall
Ay, Carmela – Made in BiH – documentary film by Selma Alispahić

24 Sep · 21:00 · cistern next to the church in Bale
Life Is Beautiful Only When One Sacrifices Without Fear (Lip je život samo ontar kad se prez straha žrtvuje) – author’s poetic project

25 Sep · 19:00 · MMC "Ulika"
fLORA – exhibition by Marko Šošić

26 Sep · 20:00 · Mon Perin Conference Hall
Festival Closing Ceremony and Presentation of the Festival Workshops (Svečano zatvaranje Festivala i prezentacija festivalskih radionica)

Through its programme, the Festival explores how art, play, movement and creative expression can contribute to personal development, learning and individual well-being. Some activities will also take place outdoors, including psychological counselling while walking, further connecting the Festival’s artistic and educational programme with Bale and its surroundings.

The Young Theater Festival in Bale is organised by the Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, University of Split, Municipality of Bale – Valle, Tourist Board of Bale – Valle and Mon Perin d.d.

Registration for the workshops is now open. Information about the programme and registration is available through the official channels of the Young Theater Festival.

As part of the 9th Young Theatre Festival in Bale, the exhibition “Anatomy of the Unknown” (Anatomija nepoznatog) by artist Breza Žižović will open at the "Ulika" Gallery.

The exhibition presents a cycle of mixed-media works that explore the boundaries between biomorphic abstraction and microanatomy. Through a layered dialogue of fluid watercolour surfaces, intuitive capillary drawings and precise geometric lines, the artist creates a kind of visual diary of nonexistent organisms and internal structures.

The series functions as a visual laboratory in which lines, shapes and colour contrasts become fragments of unknown systems. At the intersection of scientific imagination and artistic intuition, the works open up a space for reflection on organisms and structures that may remain invisible to the eye, yet form part of the complex systems of life.

Basic information

Anatomy of the Unknown (Anatomija nepoznatog) – exhibition by Breza Žižović
20 September 2026
19:00
"Ulika" Gallery, Bale
Free admission

We invite you to join us for the opening of the exhibition and step into a world between the real and the imagined, the familiar and the unknown.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

What happens when the desire to change the world meets its own limits? The performance “Activists” (Aktivisti) by Teatar Fort Forno explores contemporary activism through humour, irony and the grotesque, questioning the need to be heard and the meaning of constant engagement.

The performance features Davor Tarbuk, Katica Šubarić and Dorian Vicić, portraying one female activist and two male activists determined to change the world. To prepare for their actions, they undergo exercises and training while closely following social issues they consider important. But as they prepare speeches for their protests, they begin to question their own motives, the meaning of sacrifice and the boundaries of civic engagement.

Inspired by real historical examples, the performance asks what happens when we no longer know how to protest, yet want someone to finally hear us. The text was written by Mihovil Rismondo, directed by Robert Raponja, with music by Davor Dedić.

Basic information

�� Activists (Aktivisti) – performance by Teatar Fort Forno

�� 20 September 2026

�� 20:00

�� Tomaso Bembo Square, Bale

��️ Free admission

Join us for a performance that uses humour and the grotesque to open up a space for reflection on activism, civic engagement and our need to make our voices heard.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

Fearless pirates, a treasure hunt and an adventure where nothing is possible without the help of the audience! The children’s performance “Just Imagine” (Zamisli samo) by GIG Teatar brings a playful story about friendship, play and the power of imagination.

Piro and Gusko set off in search of an unimaginable treasure, but along the way they encounter a mysterious island, a vampire, a mystical creature and Pan Kogulo. They face a series of problems that can only be solved with the help of the audience, turning even the youngest spectators into part of this unusual pirate adventure.

The performance is directed by Toni Leaković, who also stars alongside Dominik Karaula. The music was composed by Petar Eldan, while the visual identity was created by Marta Mršić.

Basic information

�� Just Imagine (Zamisli samo) – children’s performance by GIG Teatar

�� 21 September 2026

�� 19:00

�� Tomaso Bembo Square, Bale

��️ Free admission

Join Piro and Gusko on their treasure hunt and help them solve the problems they encounter along the way. Because sometimes the greatest treasure is the one we can imagine.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

What can a grandfather be in the lives of his grandchildren? “What Is Grandpa For?” (Čemu služi deda), a successful production by Teatar Fort Forno, is a warm, humorous and playful performance about growing up, family and the special place a grandfather holds in a child’s life. The performance is intended for children, but adults will also enjoy its story and humour.

Three grandchildren are trying to find their place in the family – between play, school, growing up, arguments and rivalry. The youngest wants to be the best at everything, the middle child fights for their rights and more time to play video games, while the oldest already wants to become an adult. And in the middle of it all is Grandpa.

He plays with them, helps them, listens, tells stories, looks after them and jokes around. Yet the children begin to wonder: what is Grandpa actually for?

The performance is based on a text by Boris Senker and directed by Robert Raponja. The cast includes Davor Tarbuk, Dominik Dolenc and Vlatka Rubil, with guitarist Toni Cukon. The music is by Massimo Brajković, costumes by Desanka Janković, while the makeup and scenography are by Krešimir Tomac.

Basic information

• What Is Grandpa For? (Čemu služi deda) – performance by Teatar Fort Forno
• 21 September 2026
• 19:45
• Tomaso Bembo Square, Bale
• Free admission

Bring the little ones to a performance that uses play and humour to talk about family, growing up and one particularly special member of the family – Grandpa.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

“What happens to a person when there is no one left to tell their story to?” This is one of the questions at the heart of “Altar of Solitude” (Oltar samoće), an original solo performance that explores loneliness and the human ability to be alone with oneself through humour, the grotesque and direct communication with the audience.

The performance is set in a bar, a place of encounters, conversation and listening. Through different characters and their confessions, it tells the stories of people who meet, talk and listen to one another, yet remain alone. At its centre are the need to be seen, heard and recognised, and the question of how successfully we are truly able to connect with others.

“Altar of Solitude” is performed by Marijan Kukulj, under the mentorship of Davor Pavić, with scenography by Roko Držislav Rebić.

Basic information

• Altar of Solitude (Oltar samoće) – performance by the Theatre Department of the Arts Academy in Split
• 22 September 2026
• 19:00
• foyer of the Mon Perin Conference Hall, Bale
• Free admission

Join us for a performance that uses humour and the grotesque to open up a space for reflection on loneliness, the need for closeness and the human need to be heard. Because sometimes, in a crowded bar, the loudest thing is a person who remains silent.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

“Ay, Carmela – Made in BiH” is a documentary film by Selma Alispahić, produced by J.U. MES and the Sarajevo War Theatre SARTR. The film tells the story of the production “Ay, Carmela”, which remained in the repertoire of the Sarajevo War Theatre for 21 years, touring 26 cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina and appearing in 40 European cities.

Through archival materials, testimonies and memories, Selma Alispahić tells the story of a performance that connected people and places during and after the war, while exploring themes of antifascism, resistance, friendship and the power of art.

Following the death of actor Dragan Jovičić in 2020, the production came to the end of its life on stage. Yet its messages, as well as the memories of the people who created and experienced it, continue to live on.

“Ay, Carmela – Made in BiH” is the story of a performance that ended – but did not disappear.

Basic information

• Ay, Carmela – Made in BiH – documentary film by Selma Alispahić
• 22 September 2026
• 21:00
• Mon Perin Conference Hall, Bale
• Free admission

Join us for a screening of a documentary that, through the story of one performance, preserves the memory of people, a time and an art that brought communities together even in the most difficult circumstances.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the full schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

If you missed the premiere at this year’s Bembo Fest, “Lip je život samo ontar kad se prez straha žrtvuje” returns to Bale as part of the 9th Young Theatre Festival.

This authorial poetic project by Robert Raponja, Massimo Brajković and Robert Pauletta explores the intimate world of Mate Balota through theatre – his thoughts, longings and emotions, deeply rooted in Istria, its people and life.

The performance features Robert Raponja, Lara Živolić Agaj and Massimo Brajković. Through their encounter with Balota’s words and world, the performance creates space for a new reading of his work and his relationship with Istria.

The performance was created as a co-production of Teatar Fort Forno and Čakavski sabor Žminj and premiered on 26 June 2026 in Bale, as part of the 6th Bembo Fest.

Basic information

• Life Is Beautiful Only When One Sacrifices Without Fear (Lip je život samo ontar kad se prez straha žrtvuje) – an authorial poetic project
• 24 September 2026
• 20:00
• cistern next to the church in Bale
• Free admission

If you missed the performance at Bembo Fest, this is another opportunity to discover Balota’s world through a meeting of poetry, theatre and music.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the complete schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

On the final day of the festival, the “Ulika” Gallery will open the exhibition “fLORA” by visual artist and associate professor at the Faculty of Education and Educational Sciences of the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek, Marko Šošić.

The exhibition presents a cycle of watercolours created through the direct observation of living plants and flowers. At the centre of the artist’s interest is transience: plants change, open and wither under changing light, determining the rhythm of the work and the duration of the painting. Each work thus becomes a record of a unique moment and an encounter with the subject.

From smaller early works to larger, more colour-intensive compositions, “fLORA” brings together works created during different stages of a single artistic process. A particular dimension of the cycle comes from the fact that many of the plants depicted were grown or collected by the artist himself, connecting painting with the experience of gardening, observation and meditation.

As Jelena Kovačević, author of the exhibition text, notes, “fLORA” is a space of quiet concentration where looking, recording and care come together.

Basic information

• fLORA – exhibition by Marko Šošić
• 25 September 2026
• 19:00
• “Ulika” Gallery, Bale
• Free admission

We invite you to spend the final festival evening at the “Ulika” Gallery and discover a cycle of works that, through plants, colour and watercolour, captures what is transient and unrepeatable.

Want to discover the full Young Theatre Festival programme? See the complete schedule of performances, exhibitions, screenings and other festival programmes.

The traditional and much-loved Čeripnja Fest returns this summer.

On Sunday, September 27, 2026, behind the school, teams of skilled cooks will fill their čeripnje and cover them with hot embers. What follows is a treat for everyone gathered there.

The traditional method of preparing food under a čeripnja is one of the symbols of the Istrian peninsula and requires patience, knowledge and a genuine passion for cooking.

The Čeripnja Fest has been held in Bale for many years. It is a culinary competition, with valuable prizes awarded to the winners, while the proceeds from tasting vouchers are donated to charity.

This year’s event will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2026, in the area behind the school in Bale, according to the following schedule:

10:00 - lighting of the fire

11:00 - participants gather

12:00 - covering the čeripnje with hot embers

13:00 - tasting voucher sales begin

14:00 - tasting of dishes prepared under the čeripnja

16:00 - announcement of the winners and awards ceremony

Information for participants:

Interested teams can contact 099/493 0834 or 052/824-270, send an e-mail to info@bale-valle.hr, or visit the Tourist Board of Bale office in person at Rovinjska 1.

The Tourist Board of Bale provides €40 per team for ingredients. Teams may add their own ingredients and spices.

Participants should gather from 11:00.

The winner will be selected by a jury, and the best teams will receive valuable prizes.

Information for visitors:

Tasting the prepared dishes is possible exclusively with a tasting voucher priced at €10.00. The price includes cutlery, bread and a glass of the selected beverage.

Tasting vouchers will be available for purchase from 13:00, while the tasting begins at 14:00.

All proceeds from the sale of tasting vouchers will be donated to charity.

See you on Sunday, September 27, at this year’s Čeripnja Fest!