About
Two solo performers, two duos and one trio – around 40 performances in total on the streets and squares of Lublin’s Old Town and city centre – make up this year’s busking competition at the Carnaval Sztukmistrzów (July 23-26). You will decide which act is the most captivating and connects best with the audience. How? By dropping money into the performer’s hat or voting for your favourite in the online poll.
Buskers are self-sufficient street performers who captivate passers-by with their extraordinary skills, transforming city streets into stages where they earn their living. Everything they need fits into a single suitcase, allowing them to win over an audience within moments, turn the pavement into a miniature stage and collect tips in a hat – the unofficial symbol of their craft.
Spontaneous reactions and active audience participation are just as important as the performance itself. This year, Javier “Chiquito” Casali – one half of the duo Gato Blanco Gato Negro, winners of last year’s busking competition – is sure to deliver exactly that. This time, the Argentinian artist will captivate audiences with pantomime, clowning and improvisation. British comedians Rudkin & Hicks will present a comedy of errors, combining slapstick humour, eccentric dance and subtle clowning. Alongside classic busking performances, audiences will also encounter more experimental artistic forms, including an interactive walking act by the French trio Fatal Cirque and a tightrope performance by clown Mireya Guzmán. The mysterious Mexican performer will transport audiences into a magical world where an imaginary horse plays a central role.
Street performers will take to the stages at Litewski Square, Łokietka Square, Krąpiec Square, the square behind the Crown Tribunal and the corner of Krakowskie Przedmieście and Kapucyńska Street. Each act will perform twice a day at different locations. These unique street performances offer the perfect opportunity to step away from everyday life and experience live art in the public space. For many years, festival audiences have enthusiastically embraced the street performers at the Carnaval Sztukmistrzów, attending performances in large numbers and generously rewarding the artists with donations placed in their hats.
This year’s line-up in Lublin includes:
Rudkin & Hicks | “Tony & Ray Find Their Feet” (GBR)
Two British street performers take on the roles of workmen who, instead of getting the job done, let their imaginations run wild. Their show combines slapstick, clowning and elements of magic, drawing on the traditions of vaudeville and silent cinema in a contemporary style. Above all, it is a story about friendship, rivalry and the absurdities of everyday life.
Details
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 16:00-16:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 18:00-18:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 16:00-16:40 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 18:00-18:40 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 16:00-16:40 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 18:00-18:40 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 16:00-16:40 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 18:00-18:40 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
Fatal Cirque | “La Planche” (FRA)
An immersive outdoor performance inspired by the atmosphere of old curiosity fairs. What appears to be a set of simple means is transformed into an energetic spectacle combining acro dance, handstands, daring – though not always successful – stunt performances, and accordion music. The audience becomes a fully-fledged participant in the show, jointly trying with the performers to keep the world upright. And it is a world worthy of dreams.
Details
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 17:00-17:35 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 19:00-19:35 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 16:00-16:35 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 18:00-18:35 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 19:00-19:35 | behind the Tribunal | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 17:00-17:35 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 19:00-19:35 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
Mireya Guzmán | “Wanderlust” (MEX)
A performance full of poetic imagery and circus virtuosity about the search for freedom, fulfilment and one’s place in a world filled with everyday absurdities. Combining tightrope walking with subtle clowning, the Mexican artist tells a story about loneliness, the desire for closeness and the need to find a sense of community. An imaginary horse plays an important role in the performance – a symbol of strength, independence and the constant pursuit of finding one’s herd.
Details
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 17:00-17:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 19:00-19:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 17:00-17:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 19:00-19:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 17:00-17:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 19:00-19:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 17:00-17:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 19:00-19:40 | Krąpca Square (next to Staszica Street) | check out the event
Gato Blanco Gato Negro | “Juez Casarozzi” (ARG)
An eccentric, tall football referee, Juez Casarozzi turns every match into a humorous spectacle in which sporting rules give way to absurdity, dance and surprising displays of agility. Without using words, but through pantomime, clowning, physical theatre and improvisation, the Argentinian artist breaks the stereotype of the strict referee.
Details
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 17:00-17:40 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 19:00-19:40 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 17:00-17:40 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 19:00-19:40 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 17:00-17:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 19:00-19:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 17:00-17:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 19:00-19:40 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
Blow Up Crew | “The Clay Artists” (ARG)
An interactive dance and acrobatic performance inspired by the Andean celebration of Pachamama (Mother Earth), traditionally observed on August 1. Through movement, dance and circus expression, the artists evoke an ancient ritual of gratitude towards nature, carrying a message passed down from generation to generation. The performance is a symbolic offering to the Earth – an expression of love, respect and positive energy. Spectacular acrobatics and dance become an offering made to nature and to the gathered audience, encouraging deep reflection and care for the planet.
Details
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 16:00-16:30 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 18:00-18:30 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 17:00-17:30 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 24, 2026 (Friday), 19:00-19:30 | Litewski Square / I love Lublin | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 17:00-17:30 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 25, 2026 (Saturday), 19:00-19:30 | Łokietka Square | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 16:00-16:30 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
July 26, 2026 (Sunday), 18:00-18:30 | Krakowskie Przedmieście / Kapucyńska 1 | check out the event
How to vote?
To vote for selected buskers, you need to complete the online form available on carnavallublin.eu. Voting begins on July 23 with the first competition performance. The prize in the busking competition for the winner is 3,000 PLN. Who will you choose?
Of course, this is only a small part of the attractions prepared by the organizers of the Carnaval Sztukmistrzów. The festival programme also includes artistic experiments, workshops and circus performances. The full programme can be followed on the festival website. Tickets for stage performances are also available for purchase on the ticketing platform.
About the Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów is the largest festival in Poland showcasing contemporary circus arts. For years the event has attracted crowds of residents and tourists to the city. They are drawn not only by world-class circus performances, but also by the magical atmosphere of the festival. The program includes clowning, acrobatics, juggling, and illusion shows presented as engaging circus performances, as well as attractions for children and concerts. It is the most performatively diverse festival in the country. In addition, the Carnaval is accompanied by the Urban Highline Festival—the oldest and largest highline festival in the world held in an urban space. Most of the festival program is free of charge and takes place in streets, squares, and public spaces. Some events are ticketed and can be seen in theatres and performance halls.
Details
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
July 23–26, 2026
Lublin
Admission free. Selected events are ticketed.
More information about the festival can be found on the website carnavallublin.eu.
Organizers of Carnaval Sztukmistrzów: the Workshops of Culture in Lublin, the City of Lublin
Honorary Patronage of the event is held by Krzysztof Żuk – Mayor of Lublin
Media patrons: TVP Kultura, Radio Nowy Świat, Wyborcza.pl, TVP3 Lublin, Radio Lublin, Kultura Enter, Onet
Partners: Firmament, Institut Français, Centre for Culture in Lublin, Circus Dance Festival, Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council
Sponsors: Perła – Browary Lubelskie S.A., Bogdanka S.A.