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60th Zagreb International Folklore Festival exhibition of photographs by Vido Bagur

14 – 28 July 2026

A photograph of a female person in a traditional Croatian costume by Vidoslav Vido Bagur.
© Vidoslav Vido Bagur

From 14 to 28 July 2026, the National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) will be hosting an exhibition showcasing the work of a prominent Croatian folklore researcher Vido Bagur documenting four decades of his collaboration with the Zagreb International Folklore Festival.

Organised as part of the lead-up to the Festival’s 60th edition, which will be taking place in Zagreb from 15 to 19 July, the exhibition will feature a selection of Bagur’s photographs of the Festival’s participants, atmosphere and most memorable moments.

A forty-year intimate chronicle of cooperation in safeguarding Croatia’s folklore  

Collaborating with the Festival for over fifty years, Bagur has been chronicling the Festival not only as a researcher, but as an important member of the Festival’s management team as well. Some fifty photographs presented at the exhibition thus capture all segments of the Festival’s organisation, ranging from initial rehearsals to performances on the Festival’s stage. Letting the exhibition visitors backstage, Bagur’s photographs offer an intimate view of the Festival by showing performers concentrating before taking to the stage, making final check-ups or taking a moment to rest.

Ushering in one of Croatia’s major heritage events since 1966

The exhibition’s opening will be ushering in the Festival’s rich main programme, which will include performances by folk groups and clubs which appeared in its first edition, held in 1966.

A segment from a video on the website of the Zagreb International Folklore Festival featuring photographs from the Festival’s first, 1966 edition.
A segment from a video on the website of the Zagreb International Folklore Festival featuring photographs from the Festival’s first, 1966 edition. Source: https://msf.hr/.

Being much more than a mere documentary record, the exhibition will also be a tribute to so many Croatian folklore enthusiasts whose dedication and efforts related to the preservation of Croatian folklore go far beyond the Festival and permeate their everyday lives. Having caught through his lens this deep love of heritage in their gestures, looks and daily situations, Bagur, himself one of the most distinguished such individuals, has created an invaluable treasure trove whose gems the exhibition will spotlight.