19th Jazz Showcase at Müpa Budapest: where the future of jazz takes the stage
If you are visiting Budapest at the end of January and love live music, the 19th Jazz Showcase at Müpa is one of the most exciting ways to dive into the city’s contemporary culture. Running from 30 January to 1 February 2026, this three-day festival brings together rising Central European talents, international guests and established stars in a single, atmospheric venue on the Danube.
What makes Jazz Showcase special in 2026
Jazz Showcase is not just a series of concerts – it is Central Europe’s leading jazz talent fair, where a professional jury and the public discover the next generation of jazz musicians. In 2026, the event gains an extra international flavour as part of the Hungarian–Serbian cultural season, welcoming emerging artists from both countries and creating a vibrant musical dialogue between the two scenes. The format remains simple and appealing: free afternoon talent-showcase concerts in the Festival Theatre, followed by ticketed evening performances from acclaimed acts.
For foreign visitors, it is a great chance to experience an insider side of Budapest’s music life: you can listen to tomorrow’s jazz stars in an intimate setting, then stay for big-stage shows by top-level bands without ever leaving the building. The atmosphere is relaxed but focused, making it just as suitable for serious jazz fans as for curious travellers looking for a memorable night out.
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Dates, venue and practical details
The 19th Jazz Showcase takes place from Friday 30 January to Sunday 1 February 2026 at Müpa Budapest (Palace of Arts), located at 1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell utca 1, right by the Danube in the city’s cultural district. All afternoon talent-showcase concerts in the Festival Theatre start at 16:30 and are free of charge, while the main evening concerts begin at 20:30 and require tickets.
Tickets for the evening headliner shows – including the Vladimir Kostadinović Quartet, Jazz Showcase Big Band and Okvsho +experience – range from 3,900 to 6,900 HUF, and are available online as well as on site. Müpa also streams selected performances online, making it possible to follow some concerts even if tickets have sold out. If you arrive by car, note that Müpa’s underground garage offers free parking on the day of any paid performance for visitors with valid tickets, which is a useful perk for those staying further from the centre.
Daily programme highlights
Over three days, Jazz Showcase presents six young ensembles in the afternoon and three major evening concerts that highlight different faces of contemporary jazz. Each afternoon, a pair of emerging bands takes the stage in the Festival Theatre, performing in front of an international jury and a mixed audience of professionals, locals and tourists. After the concerts, host László Jazzkovács introduces the groups in both Hungarian and English, making the experience accessible even if you are new to the scene.
On Friday 30 January, the programme opens with Sharp5 at 16:30, followed by the Péch Lóránt Quartet at 18:00, both offering fresh takes on world music-inspired jazz and modern improvised music. The evening headliner is the Vladimir Kostadinović Quartet at 20:30, led by the Serbian-born drummer and composer whose energetic, contemporary sound has earned him international recognition; this concert is ticketed and also available online.
Saturday 31 January continues the talent hunt with Pocket Pick at 16:30, an electronic jazz project that blends fusion, jungle, drum and bass and hip-hop influences, and the Németh Bendegúz Quartet at 18:00. At 20:30, the Jazz Showcase Big Band – a unique ensemble combining former talents, leading Hungarian jazz musicians and current and past jury members under the artistic direction of guitarist Attila László – takes over the Festival Theatre, presenting classics of the big band repertoire alongside Hungarian compositions.
On Sunday 1 February, the final afternoon brings The Black Tea Group at 16:30 and Tacet Jazz Quintet at 18:00, rounding off the line-up of six selected young bands. The festival closes with Okvsho +experience at 20:30, a Zurich-based duo of brothers Georg and Christoph Kiss whose music sits on the border of jazz and hip-hop, folding in Brazilian favela funk, broken-beat, nu-samba and neo-soul influences for a colourful, groove-driven set.
How the talent showcase works
One of the most engaging aspects of Jazz Showcase is that you are not just a passive listener – you are part of the discovery process. Six young ensembles, chosen by a preliminary jury, play their free afternoon concerts in front of a professional panel of international experts. While the jury evaluates them on site, the audience can cast votes online for their favourite acts, giving visitors a real say in which bands might return to Müpa in future seasons.
Winning groups can look forward to valuable prizes, including additional concert opportunities at Müpa and with partner institutions, which means you may be hearing them at a very early stage of a promising international career. It is a rare chance to see how a major European cultural institution supports young artists, and for music lovers it adds an extra layer of excitement – you can say you saw a band before they broke through.
Why Jazz Showcase is perfect for Budapest visitors
For travellers, Jazz Showcase is a compact, three-day window into Budapest’s creative energy, wrapped in one accessible festival. Müpa Budapest is widely regarded as one of Europe’s leading cultural centres, and attending a concert here allows you to experience the city beyond its classic sights, from a seat in a state-of-the-art theatre with excellent acoustics and Danube views. The mix of free and paid events makes it easy to drop by for an afternoon session or plan a full evening around a headline show, depending on your budget and schedule.
The 2026 focus on Hungarian–Serbian cultural exchange, the blend of modern big band sounds, experimental electronic jazz and hip-hop-infused nu-jazz, and the international jury and audience voting all contribute to a festival that feels both local and global. Whether you are a dedicated jazz enthusiast or simply looking for a unique way to spend a winter weekend in Budapest, the 19th Jazz Showcase invites you to immerse yourself in three days of pure improvisation, discovery and live music at Müpa.
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