Jazz Showcase
30 January – 1 February 2026
The 19th Jazz Showcase will be all the more remarkable this time around. Central Europe’s most significant jazz talent showcase is opening its doors wider than ever as part of the Hungarian-Serbian cultural season. In all other respects, the format of the Jazz Showcase remains unchanged: six young ensembles selected by a preliminary jury will perform free concerts, held daily from 4.30 pm in the Festival Theatre.
After the concerts, host László Jazzkovács will provide introductions to the bands in both Hungarian and English. There can be little doubt they would all be thrilled to follow in the footsteps of the musicians invited to the Jazz Showcase’s evening program, such as Serbian-born Vladimir Kostadinović and his quartet, who will perform on Friday, the Jazz Showcase Big Band appearing on Saturday, and Okvsho, closing the event on Sunday.
The international jury will vote on-site, while the audience can cast their votes online for their favourites, who, thanks to Müpa Budapest and its partners, will receive awards in various categories, and the opportunity to perform in subsequent concerts.
The application process for the 2026 Jazz Showcase has ended
From 30 January to 1 February 2026, we will once again be holding one of the region’s most significant musical talent competitions, the Jazz Showcase. For nearly a decade, this festival-like, three-day talent search has aimed to provide an opportunity for up-and-coming jazz performers to showcase their talent. The application period for this year’s event closed on October 5.
