Very good wheelchair access. Hearing loops available at ticket desk.

Bus stop Harpa is closest but the bus stop Lækjartorg is also close by.

Soprano Lise Davidsen – described as “the voice of the century” by The New York Times – will perform at the Reykjavík Arts Festival in June 2024.

This exceptional singer who did not see an opera until the age of twenty is now blossoming as one of classical music’s superstars. Her versatile and powerful voice has captivated listeners around the world. Music magazine Gramophone described Davidsen as one of the most talented singers to emerge for decades. Her credits include acclaimed appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, Scala and the Bayreuth Festival. She performed as a soloist at the 2023 Last Night of the Proms.

The concert in Reykjavík will feature a diverse programme that reflects Davidsen’s incredible talent, including works by Grieg, Puccini, Sibelius and Schubert. Accompanying Davidsen will be the multi-award winning pianist James Baillieu.

Soprano Lise Davidsen will perform at the Reykjavík Arts Festival 1 June 2024.

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Wheelchair access. The nearest bus stop is Grandi. 

Kling & Bang hosts two exhibitions by artists of different generations; Guðrún Marta Jónsdóttir’s exhibition Silfurgjá and Magnús Sigurðarson’s exhibition Óþægileg blæbrigði - Gleðisögur af Depurð og Dauða, both of whose works have a strong connection to America.

Magnús Sigurðarson’s exhibition is called HAPPY TALES of DEATH and MELANCHOLY or THE GREAT AMERICAN FAILURE. "In a  continuation of a process that began in 1997 when  I began to wander across the vast and varied landscapes of America, I find myself becoming the land, skipping the soup, and melting into the pot itself. Never belonging, but almost becoming one of the fossils found in the layers that make up the  land. My first American Love was the continent itself which juxtaposes my bedrock being, in every possible way. I am not becoming an American, but in a way, becoming America.”

Magnús studied in Florence, Reykjavík and at Rutgers. He lives and works in El Dorado, New Mexico.

Opening: 13.6. 5 pm
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 12-5pm

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 Wheelchair-accessible.
The nearest busstop is Stekkjarbakki but the busstop Mjódd is also close by. 

Voices Away is a captivating cycle of seven songs for tenor and small chamber ensemble. Composer Þuríður Jónsdóttir takes her inspiration from several medieval song traditions of European and Arabic origin, both secular and sacred. Reflecting these different traditions through time and across borders, Þuríður reconstructs them through a modern multicultural and feminist lens.

Þuríður Jónsdóttir is one of Iceland’s most prolific contemporary composers, with her works commissioned and performed on both sides of the Atlantic. In her music she explores new and diverse soundscapes. Multi-award winning tenor Benedikt Kristjánsson has performed as a soloist in many of the world’s leading concert halls. The music group Ensemble Adapter has worked on the international music scene for 20 years, delving into ambitious artistic experiments with artists across disciplines.

Composer: Þuríður Jónsdóttir
Singer: Benedikt Kristjánsson tenor
Ensemble Adapter:  Gunnhildur Einarsdóttir / harp, Matthias Engler / percussion, Ella Vala Ármannsdóttir / horn, Guðbjörg Hlín Guðmundsdóttir / violin and Alexandra Kjeld / double bass

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Reykjavik Arts Festival will take place 1-16 June 2024.

Our programme is brimming with exciting and diverse events, with the festival reaching far beyond the city limits. Do you want to enter an immersive visual arts exhibition, chase sea monsters around the harbour, experience new music, watch a fascinating dance performance, take an audio walk in nature, listen to world famous musicians - maybe all of this? You are sure to find something to tickle your fancy on this year's festival programme.

Click here to browse through an electronic copy of our printed programme which will also be available around the city.

We are proud to introduce the visual arts programme of our 2024 festival! From June 1 to 16 we will offer a diverse flora of events for art enthusiasts. Featuring a large number of artists, there are installations, sculptures, photography, audio works and festivals set to open in galleries and museums in the capital area and around the country.

Reykjavík Art Museum hosts Jónsi's first solo exhibition in Europe, Flood, where his immersive audio installations will reveal new worlds, starting from the opening day of the festival. By Reykjavík Pond, artists Anna Andrea Winther and Agnes Ársæls will exhibit art for birds and people under the title Inter-bite: Feathers, fingers, antennas. Auður Lóa Guðnadóttir's delightful sculpture exhibition, In Mid-Air, will open in Outvert Art Space in Ísafjörður. At Sláturhúsið in Egilsstaðir, photographer Agnieszka Sosnowska and Ingunn Snædal engage in a creative dialogue in their exhibition Rask. Akureyri Art Museum presents Is This North? a major group exhibition exploring the Arctic. The thriving cultural activities of Alþýðuhúsið in Siglufjörður received the Eyrarrósin Award 2023-24 and the venue will host a three day international festival, INTO. In a transformed captain's bridge in Seyðisfjörður, Kiosk 108, a music and performance art festival will take place, curated by Captain Monika Fryčová. Ásmundarsalur-on-the-go travels the city with a container where guests can experience an installation by artists Shu Yi and Þórdís Erla Zoëga. Tumi Magnússon presents Loop, a new video and audio installation, at the National Gallery of Iceland. Kling & Bang hosts two solo exhibitions: Magnús Sigurðarson's HAPPY TALES of DEATH and MELANCHOLY or THE GREAT AMERICAN FAILURE, and Guðrún Marta Jónsdóttir's Silfurgjá. The Living Art Museum presents a group exhibition, Course, which addresses the paradox of "exhibiting sound". Artist Yuliana Palacios will exhibit new video work, Here is my home, in Gerðarsafn. The Nordic House invites guests to experience an international group exhibition, (Post), tackling the anthropocene. Þorgerður Ólafsdóttir's solo exhibition, Future Fragments, will be held by the National Museum of Iceland.

The festival programme will be announced in its entirety in April - stay tuned!

Sea Monsters - New Icelandic Street Theater Touring the Country This Summer!

What's happening at the harbour? On the opening day of the Reykjavik Arts Festival on June 1, incredible creatures will appear around Reykjavik harbour when circus group Hringleikur and Pilkington Props come together in a new and large-scale Icelandic street theatre production for the whole family.

The Sea Monsters will go on the move after the opening ceremony, continuing their journey around the country and visiting four additional locations.

June 1 at 3:00 PM - Reykjavik (Miðbakki)

June 4 at 5:15 PM - Akranes (Small Boat Harbor v/Faxabraut)

June 8 at 3:00 PM - Ísafjörður (Westfjords Heritage Museum)

June 12 at 5:15 PM - Húsavík (Naustagarður, Húsavík Harbor)

June 15 at 3:00 PM - Neskaupstaður (Norðfjarðarkirkja)

Salka Guðmundsdóttir, editor of the Reykjavik Arts Festival, recently interviewed Eyrún Ævarsdóttir from Hringleikur and playwright Hildur Knútsdóttir. The podcast is in Icelandic.

The Arts Festival Hub is the throbbing heart of the festival, offering a variety of exciting events - open to all, free of charge!

The upcoming Reykjavík Arts Festival will take place from June 1 - 16 2024.

Reykjavík Arts Festival hosts outstanding artistic creations from all corners of the world while also nurturing a powerful and vibrant relationship with its audiences, widening the circle to include as many as possible so that they may enjoy the arts on their own terms.

Reykjavík Arts Festival celebrates diversity and prioritises accessibility and respect for the environment in all decision making. Programming is driven by courage, professionalism, joy and big thinking.

This year's programme features a great variety of events. See our complete programme here. Tickets are now available for all ticketed events. The festival also offers a large number of free events.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2024 Reykjavík Arts Festival!

Sea Monsters

Welcome to Reykjavik Arts Festival!

Programme

Lise Davidsen

Óþægileg blæbrigði

Voices Away

Arts Festival Hub

Klúbbur Listahátíðar

The Arts Festival Hub is the throbbing heart of the festival, offering a variety of exciting events - open to all, free of charge!

News

2024 Programme Launch!

A diverse flora of visual arts

Warning: Sea Monsters!

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