Culture & Events

Tirana is bustling with events this summer, and we’ve listed a few highlights here. Beside posters on the streets, the websites of Tirana XXL (www.tiranaxxl.al), the city’s parks department (www.aprtirana.al) and Visit Tirana (www. visit-tirana.com/things-to-do/events) are good sources of up-to-date events information. It that fails, ask anyone with an interesting haircut.

FESTIVALS

TIRANA EUROPEAN YOUTH CAPITAL 2022 A major festival with international youth-related events spread throughout the year, www.tiranaeyc2022.al/en.

JKN INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL WEEKS A festival presenting the sounds, images, aromas and tastes of 18 countries, conceived as an international cultural parade and extended throughout the year. Throughout 2022, schedule at www.jkn.al.

TIRANA PHOTO FESTIVAL 9-23 September, Galeria e Artit, Rruga e Kavajës 5 The country’s largest photography event. www.tiranaphotofestival.com

NATIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM EVENTS Full information at www.mhk.gov.al. Spring art exhibition, 1-15 June; European Day of Cultural Heritage, 26-30 September. A photo exhibition about archaeological parks. Egypt’s cultural weeks, 19-30 September.

SPORTS EVENTS

UEFA Europa Conference League final, Roma v Feyenoord Rotterdam: 25 May, National Stadium; Tiranathlon: 29 May, Farkë lake.

BEACH FESTIVALS

Head to the coast for some of Albania’s best festivals this year.

SOUTH OUTDOOR FESTIVAL 29 April - 3 May, www.southoutdoor.al. Sports, culture, tradition, music, nature and food festival in Borsh. Also with sports activities and excursions with Landways.

UNUM FESTIVAL 1-6 June, www.unumfestival.com. Electronic music festival at Rana e Hedhun beach in Shëngjin, with 50 international and local acts over the course of 5 days and 4 nights.

HOSPITALITY ON THE BEACH 1-7 June, www.hospitalityonthebeach.com. A drum & Bass music festival at Tisno’s Garden Resort in Dhërmi.

KALA FESTIVAL 8-15 June, www.kala.al. A boutique festival with laid-back music, wellness activities and food on Dhërmi beach.

A night at the opera, by Albina Caci

OPERA & BALLET SCHEDULE

L’Elisir D’amore 5, 6, 7, 8 May Verdi off Flash mob (La Traviata) (Pazari i Ri ) 11 May Verdi off - Ballo in suits 12 May Ballet Monger 15, 16 May Tonin Harapi, requiem concert 17 May Verdi off (Rigoletto) (Grand Park) 18 May AP Cycle, Golden necklace “Voice of the soul” Lefter Çipa concert 27 May Symphonic Concert 28 May G.Verdi “Un Ballo in Maschera” 2, 3, 4, 5 June Concert “Artists of the future” & Carmina Burana (Grand Park) 21 June British concert 25 June Generation after generation “Sounds of my city” (in Korça, Përmeti and Erseka) 25 June (in Fieri, Lushnja and Tepelena) 16 July Symphony Concert 27 June Ballet “La Stravaganza” 29 June Ballet “Metangata & Tanzminiature” 30 June American Concert 4 July Bridges of culture - British Concert (Grand Park) 21 June Concert “Bylbyli sings” (Grand Park) 20, 21 July

ANJUNADEEP FEST 15-22 June, www.anjunadeep.com. Five nights of music, connection and discovery in Dhërmi.

ION FESTIVAL 7-14 September, www.ionalbania.com. A music event in Dhërmi that’s a real holiday experience, with electronic music’s best artists.

TIRANA FILM FESTIVAL

The 20th edition of Tirana’s film festival is promising to be bigger and better than ever before, with visits by local, regional and international filmmakers, screenings of hundreds of fiction, documentary, animation, experimental short films and videos from dozens of countries. The festival is unique for showing the works of young Albanian film, video, and media artists, and by directors from Kosovo. The screening venue is the Millennium Cinema. Tirana Film Festival, Cinema Short Film Festival, 2430 September, www.tiranafilmfest.com.

ART SPACES

Tirana’s beating art heart. See also the Destil Creative Hub on p.42.

TIRANA EKSPRES The railway warehouse where Tirana’s most exciting ‘art space’ started off was unfortunately bulldozed, but they’ve popped up again near the main market to organise art exhibitions and events ranging from performances, shows and film screenings to party nights.QE-6, Rr. Hoxha Tahsin, tel. +355 69 656 90 03, www.tiranaekspres.com. Open 08:00-24:00. Open for events only, usually 21:00-24:00.

TULLA CULTURE CENTER A wonderful space for alternative culture, art and music and a cafe too.QI-2, Rr. Hiqmet Delvina 4/2, tel. +355 69 382 96 19, www.tulla.tv. Open 09:00-17:00; Sat, Sun 11:00-15:00. Free entry.

CINEMAS

Films are usually shown in their original languages with Albanian subtitles. Tickets generally cost from between 400600 lek. The Tirana International Film Festival takes place every year in September.

CINEPLEXX Seven screening rooms showing mostly blockbuster films. Cineplexx also has screens at the QTU mall on the Durres highway.QTirana East Gate mall (TEG), tel. +355 44 50 02 40, www.cineplexx.al.

MARUBI FILM & MULTIMEDIA ACADEMY Regular free screenings of a wide range of films inside the city’s only film school, northeast of the centre near the Kinostudio bus line terminus.QRr. Aleksandër Moisiu 78, tel. +355 69 207 95 17, www.afmm.edu.al.

MILLENNIUM Recent American films in their original language with Albanian subtitles. Book in advance for evening and weekend screenings.QF-5, Rr. Murat Toptani, tel. +355 4 225 36 54, www.kinemamillennium.com.

CULTURAL CENTRES

Not only do these foreign-run centres allow locals and foreigners alike access to many materials, they are important promotors of international culture, and support many events.

ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE Borrow French books or language-learning materials. QD-4/5, Rr. Barrikadave 122, tel. +355 4 222 56 97, www.aftirana.org. Open 10:00-20:00; Sat 09:00-13:00; closed Sun.

AMERICAN CORNER Browse American literature, history books, periodicals and more at this centre beside the US Embassy. Also at the USAID center.QH/I-6, Rr. Elbasanit, tel. +355 4 224 72 85. Open 08:00-20:00; closed Sat, Sun.

BRITISH COUNCIL The UK cultural and educational centre.QE-2, Rr. Sami Frasheri, tel. +355 4 224 08 56, www.britishcouncil. org/albania. Open 09:00-17:00; closed Sat, Sun.

GOETHE INSTITUT The German cultural centre has a reading room with textbooks and literature inside the National Library.QH-5/6, Rr. Skënderbej 1, tel. +355 4 224 5510, www.goethe. al/sq. Open 09:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00; Sat 08:00-14:00; closed Sun.

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURA The Italian Institute of Culture offers cultural events and language courses.QH-6, Sheshi Skenderbej, Pallati i Kultures, Kati II, tel. +355 4 237 95 79, www.iictirana.esteri. it/IIC_Tirana/it. Open 10:00-12:30; Tue, Thu 10:0012:30, 15:00-17:00; closed Sat, Sun.

THEATRE, OPERA & DANCE

ARTURBINA THEATER QRr. Sami Frashëri, tel. +355 4 222 30 22, www. teatrikombetar.gov.al. Open 09:00-13:00/16:0019:00.

OPERA, BALLET & POPULAR ENSEMBLE THEATRE Performances by Tirana’s enthusiastic opera company, with English surtitles shown above the stage.QE-4, Sheshi Skënderbej, Palace of Culture, tel. +355 4 222 74 71, www.tkob.gov.al. Ticket office open 10:00-14:00, 16:00-20:00. Tickets 500-2500 lek.

THE PUPPET THEATRE (TEATRI KOMBËTAR I FËMIJËVE) Occasional puppet shows for children in a grand old building.QE/F-4, Rr. Çamëria, tel. +355 4 222 24 46, www. qkkf.gov.al. Open 08:00-20:00.