Reykjavik, Capital Region · usually late May to mid June
Reykjavik Arts Festival
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Reykjavik Arts Festival
When is Reykjavik Arts Festival 2027?
Reykjavik Arts Festival usually runs late May to mid June. Exact dates are not announced yet.
How the dates are set: The festival is biennial and its organizers announce each edition's dates.
Reykjavik Arts Festival schedule
- Saturday, May 30, 2026: The festival opened at 2 p.m. at the Hafnarhús Museum, home of the Reykjavík Art Museum, with a survey exhibit of works by German artist Karin Sander.
- Saturday, May 30, 2026, 3:30 p.m.: The aerial dance performance The Air Between Us premiered at Hörputorg, with a second showing at 5 p.m.
- Saturday, May 30, 2026, 5 p.m.: The Iceland Symphony Orchestra performed Mahler's Eighth Symphony.
- Saturday, May 30, 2026, 6 p.m.: Exhibits by James Merry and Björk Guðmundsdóttir opened at the National Gallery of Iceland.
- Saturday, May 30, 2026, 9 p.m.: The dance show Move with Pride took the stage at the Arts Festival Club's opening party at Iðnó.
Source: reykjavik.is
History of Reykjavik Arts Festival
The Reykjavík Arts Festival is biennial, and the 2026 edition was its 35th. It is a platform for artistic creation from around the world, with accessibility and respect for the environment at the forefront.
Source: reykjavik.is
Reykjavik Arts Festival: questions people ask
When is the Reykjavik Arts Festival?
The festival is biennial. The 2026 edition ran from May 30 to June 14.
What is the Reykjavik Arts Festival?
It is a biennial multidisciplinary festival with a special focus on new commissions and the creative intersection of the arts.
Where did the 2026 Reykjavik Arts Festival open?
It opened on May 30, 2026, at the Hafnarhús Museum, home of the Reykjavík Art Museum, at 2 p.m.
Sources: listahatid.is, instagram.com, reykjavik.is
About Reykjavik Arts Festival
Iceland's biennial arts festival brings new commissions, concerts, dance and exhibitions to Reykjavik for two weeks.
A multidisciplinary festival with a focus on new commissions. The 2026 edition opened at the Reykjavik Art Museum and ran to June 14, with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, aerial dance at Hörputorg and exhibitions at the National Gallery of Iceland. The catch: it is biennial, so check which years it runs before booking.
Know before you go
- The festival is held every second year, so there is no edition in between.
- Opening day events centered on the Hafnarhús museum, Hörputorg and the National Gallery of Iceland.
- Keflavik (KEF) is the international airport, about 45 minutes from downtown Reykjavik by road.
Planning the trip
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