ARTmania Festival 2023: 21,000 Participants Gathered in Sibiu to Enjoy 3 Days of Concerts, Cultural Activities, and Alternative Events Provided by 16 Iconic Bands on 3 Concept Stages
by August 22, 202321,000 festival-goers gathered in Sibiu to take part in a marathon of memorable concerts, performed on the three concept stages by 16 bands from Romania and abroad, along with the alternative events offered by this year’s edition of the ARTmania Festival in partnership with prestigious museums and cultural institutions.
The 16th edition of ARTmania was marked by the fusion of music, culture, and social engagement, made possible by the involvement of a team of 100 volunteers and the entire ARTmania community in supporting those in need and preserving resources: over 500 kg of waste was collected separately, over 7,000 lei were donated to support Ukrainians still in the war zone, and 8,500 lei were donated to support children in need.
Furthermore, this year’s edition, which took place between July 28th and 30th, hosted some significant premieres for our country:
- A cultural partnership established for the first time by a Romanian festival with two iconic Norwegian festivals: Inferno Metal Festival and Midgardsblot Metal Festival.
- Debut performances in Romania by Porcupine Tree (reunited after a 10-year hiatus), Emperor, and KOIKOI, alongside a series of other iconic names such as Wardruna, Samael, Pain of Salvation, Haken, Sirenia, Vulture Industries, We Are Numbers, Asemic, and RoadkillSoda. Once again, this year’s festival lineup offered an eclectic mix of musical genres and unique artistic experiences. From Emperor with their intense black-metal sounds to Wardruna’s ancestral neo-dark folk atmosphere, and from Porcupine Tree’s deep progressive explorations to Pain of Salvation’s innovative genre blend, Haken’s captivating progressive approach, each band contributed in a special way to the captivating atmosphere of the festival.
- Support for communities in conflict zones through the support of the Ukrainian UAME association’s efforts to provide aid, through the charitable initiative Music Saves UA, for Ukrainians still in dire situations in the war zone.
For the first time in a rock festival in our country, the design of the three concept stages (ARTmania Spot, Voice of Odin, and Freyja’s Weeping) introduced festival-goers to the captivating atmosphere created by the unique blend of Romanian and Nordic mythology.
As it has accustomed its fans, this year’s edition offered a variety of cultural experiences, strengthening the connection between music, art, history, and cultural entrepreneurship.
Over three days filled with energy and emotion, alongside the live concerts, the festival provided a series of diverse events aimed at enriching participants’ perspectives on culture and art. These ranged from lectures about Nordic mythology, held in partnership with the ASTRA Sibiu County Library, one of the oldest libraries in Romania (with over 160 years of existence), to Norwegian film screenings in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy in Romania, presented by the Norwegian Film Institute. Additionally, festival participants had the opportunity to visit museums and exhibitions using their festival wristbands, thanks to established partnerships with the Astra Museum, the most important ethnographic institution in Romania and the largest open-air museum in Europe, and the Brukenthal Museum, Romania’s oldest museum, which houses works of art such as Jan Van Eyck’s “Man with a Blue Bonnet,” Nicolae Grigorescu’s “Peasant Woman with a Pitchfork,” and Jacob Jordaens’ “The Holy Family.”
Free access to the Astra Museum allowed the public to explore Romanian heritage in an authentic setting and gain new and fascinating perspectives. Likewise, the Brukenthal Museum added a touch of refinement and elegance to the event, and through this partnership, festival participants benefited from a significant 50% discount on museum entry, granting them the opportunity to enjoy the artistic and cultural wealth the museum offers. Moreover, the Brukenthal Museum opened its doors for a special interview with the Porcupine Tree band, enhancing the artistic experience and bringing the audience closer to the artists.
In addition, this edition witnessed a record in book and vinyl sales. This was made possible through a partnership with Cărturești bookstore, which brought a diverse selection of literary works and physical music formats to a dedicated space within the festival.
A central role in the development of this edition was played by the project “Musical Bridges Through Cultural Entrepreneurship,” a unique initiative launched by ARTmania Events. This project, funded through the EEA Grants 2014-2021 under the RO-CULTURA Program, served as a bridge between culture and entrepreneurship, contributing to the creation of a favorable environment for economic and social development through cultural cooperation and heritage management.
Codruța Vulcu, founder and director of ARTmania Festival, stated: “We were extremely delighted to offer a complex cultural experience within the 16th edition of our festival. ARTmania is not just about music. It’s also about exposure to new forms of artistic expression and exploring the deep connections between different forms of art, a possibility we provide to participants of all ages within the rock-metal community each year.
I want to convey to our audience that I am highly confident in its ability and openness to promote alternative and progressive culture, just as we have been doing through the ARTmania Festival for all these years. My initial vision of bringing alternative music and cultural innovation to the forefront has taken deep roots in the hearts of art lovers, and we are proud to see how this community has grown. We are pleased to see that the rock-metal community, a niche community, has developed over the 18 years of our existence and that those who have grown with us, many of whom started coming as young people, are now returning with their families and children. Among the music and art enthusiasts who visited us this year were around 500 children who came to enjoy music and exhibitions alongside their parents. We are happy to contribute to enriching the cultural experience of younger generations.
ARTmania has become a space of freedom of expression, limitless creativity, and exploration of unconventional musical and cultural genres. With each edition, we have had the joy of witnessing how our community remains open and curious to discover new forms of artistic expression, embrace innovative concepts, and support the artists and events that bring us together.
We are confident that our audience will continue to be an important catalyst in promoting alternative culture in Sibiu and throughout the country. ARTmania could not have reached this point without the support and enthusiasm of those who stand by us, and I am deeply grateful for this dedicated and passionate community.”
In terms of goodwill, ARTmania Festival, together with Kaufland Romania, continued its partnership with the Hope and Homes for Children Foundation and Act for Tomorrow to ensure a better future for vulnerable children and the protection of the environment.
Hope and Homes for Children was present at the festival, offering a variety of activities dedicated to fundraising for orphaned children, as well as for the talented young individuals under the foundation’s care. These activities ranged from face painting and festival-specific products to a lucky wheel and video booth, and even a virtual reality version of the “Air Guitar” game, providing participants with a truly immersive musical experience.
The Act For Tomorrow Association supported the festival in responsible and eco-friendly waste management, contributing to ARTmania’s efforts to create a sustainable event, reduce carbon footprint, and responsibly manage resources.
This edition of the ARTmania Festival was truly a triumph of the connection between music, art, and cultural heritage, once again successfully combining the musical experience with artistic and cultural exploration.
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„Musical Bridges Through Cultural Entrepreneurship” is financed with the support of EEA Grants within the RO-CULTURE Programme. The project has a non-reimbursable value of 980.230,30 lei (198.102,36 euro) and is carried out over a period of 12 months.
The EEA Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA Grants amount to €1.55 billion. More details can be found on www.eeagrants.org și www.eeagrants.ro.
RO-CULTURE Programme is implemented in Romania by the Ministry of Culture through the Project Management Unit. The Programme aims at strengthening social and economic development through cultural cooperation, cultural entrepreneurship and cultural heritage management. The total budget amounts to almost 34 million EUR. For more details access www.ro-cultura.ro.
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ARTmania Festival, the first Romanian festival that developed the idea of combining art and entertainment in Romania, is a platform dedicated to promoting all forms of artistic expression inspired by rock culture.
Since 2006, ARTmania has established itself as the main regional promoter of contemporary music projects. Music is the core component, but it is only a part of the experience that ARTmania Festival wanted to offer to art lovers from Romania and abroad. From the very beginning, ARTmania was conceived as a cultural platform to offer the public various events and ways to experience different forms of artistic expression, such as concerts, exhibitions, book launches and film screenings.
As the longest-running rock festival in Romania and one of the brands with the longest tradition on the regional cultural scene, ARTmania has shaped its own identity through a bold concept and a special environment: the Great Square of one of the most beautiful medieval fortresses in Eastern Europe.
ARTmania is constantly exploring new directions, building on the experience of previous editions where many important artists have performed. Among them are Steven Wilson, Peter Hammill, Serj Tankian, Devin Townsend, Dream Theater, Opeth, Die Toten Hosen, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Apocalyptica, HIM, The Gathering, The Sisters of Mercy, Anathema, Apocalyptica, Lacuna Coil, Helloween, Lacrimosa, Poets of the Fall and Deine Lakaien.
