Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak Returns With International Stars

Dubrovnik's cultural calendar is set to welcome another celebration of contemporary jazz as the Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak Festival returns to the city's historic Lazareti complex. Now in its sixth edition, the event continues its mission of connecting established international performers with prominent Croatian musicians, creating a programme that celebrates improvisation, artistic expression and musical collaboration. The festival will feature four concerts over three evenings, bringing together different generations and approaches to jazz in one of Croatia's most distinctive cultural settings.

The 2026 programme combines international experience with the creativity of the Croatian jazz scene. Australian-Dutch trumpeter and composer Nadje Noordhuis will appear alongside the KUG Jazz Collective from Graz, while the Mario Bočić Quartet and Ivan Bonačić Quartet will showcase contemporary Croatian jazz. The festival will conclude with a solo piano performance by internationally acclaimed musician Bojan Zulfikarpašić, better known as Bojan Z, whose distinctive musical approach has earned recognition on major stages around the world.

Alongside the concerts, organisers have prepared an educational programme and a photography exhibition celebrating the festival's first five years. The additional activities reflect Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak's ambition to function not only as a concert series but also as a meeting place for performers, aspiring musicians and audiences interested in the development of jazz.

Nadje Noordhuis Opens Festival With KUG Jazz Collective

The festival will begin with a performance by the KUG Jazz Collective featuring Nadje Noordhuis, bringing together talented young musicians from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and an internationally established soloist. The ensemble is formed annually through auditions, offering selected students an opportunity to present original compositions, develop their artistic identities and gain valuable experience performing in a professional concert environment.

Noordhuis, an internationally respected trumpeter, composer and educator, has built a career combining orchestral jazz, contemporary composition and expressive improvisation. Her musical work includes collaborations with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society and the Anat Cohen Tentet, placing her among musicians associated with some of the most ambitious large-ensemble projects in contemporary jazz.

Her recording career includes contributions to two Grammy Award-winning albums and eight Grammy-nominated releases, reflecting the range of her collaborations and the international recognition of the projects in which she has participated. In addition to performing, Noordhuis teaches jazz trumpet at the Graz university, making her appearance with the KUG Jazz Collective particularly relevant to the festival's educational objectives.

The opening concert is organised in cooperation with the Austrian Cultural Forum and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, supported through the Croatian-Austrian Society Dubrovnik. The collaboration provides an opportunity for young international musicians to perform in Croatia while establishing connections with the wider regional jazz community.

Noordhuis will also lead a masterclass and discussion for students of Dubrovnik's Luka Sorkočević Art School. The session will give aspiring musicians an opportunity to gain insight into the creative and professional experiences of an artist who has worked across different areas of contemporary jazz.

Croatian Jazz Takes Centre Stage

The second evening of Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak will focus on two ensembles representing the strength and diversity of Croatia's contemporary jazz scene. The programme opens with the Mario Bočić Quartet, which will present music from its album Wheel of Fortune. Led by saxophonist and composer Mario Bočić, the group combines original compositions with improvisation and the individual musical identities of its members.

Bočić has established himself as a prominent figure in Croatian jazz, recognised for his distinctive saxophone playing and compositional work. His quartet features pianist Hrvoje Galler, double bassist Zvonimir Šestak and drummer Kruno Levačić, bringing together musicians with substantial experience in different Croatian jazz projects and collaborations. Their performance will offer an opportunity to hear material from Wheel of Fortune in a live setting, where improvisation and interaction between the musicians can develop beyond the recorded arrangements.

The album draws on contemporary jazz traditions while leaving space for individual expression, reflecting the artistic approach of a group whose members have performed extensively within Croatia's music scene. The Dubrovnik concert will also serve as an album presentation, giving audiences an opportunity to explore Bočić's recent work through the energy and spontaneity of a live quartet.

The evening will continue with the Ivan Bonačić Quartet, joined by special guest Valerija Nikolovska. Bonačić is known for his work as an instrumentalist and composer, while Nikolovska has developed a distinctive reputation through her expressive vocals and performances combining jazz and soul influences.

For the Dubrovnik appearance, Bonačić and Nikolovska will perform with guitarist Filip Pavić, organist Viktor Lipić and drummer Borko Rupena. The combination of guitar, organ, drums and vocals offers a contrasting musical setting to the preceding saxophone-led quartet, adding another dimension to the festival's programme.

By presenting two different Croatian ensembles on the same evening, the organisers are highlighting the variety of approaches within the domestic jazz scene. While Bočić's project places a strong emphasis on contemporary instrumental jazz, Bonačić's collaboration with Nikolovska introduces a vocal element and a musical palette influenced by jazz and soul.

Bojan Zulfikarpašić to Close the Festival

The final evening will feature a solo piano concert by Bojan Zulfikarpašić, internationally known as Bojan Z. The acclaimed pianist and composer has spent decades developing a recognisable musical language shaped by jazz improvisation, European musical traditions and influences from the Balkans.

Bojan Z has performed at prominent venues and festivals across Europe, Asia and the Americas, establishing himself as a significant figure in contemporary European jazz. His work is characterised by rhythmic invention, adventurous harmonic ideas and an ability to move between energetic passages and more intimate musical expression.

A solo performance offers a particularly revealing format for a pianist of his experience. Without the structure of a larger ensemble, the musician has greater freedom to develop themes, reshape compositions and explore spontaneous musical ideas. For audiences in Dubrovnik, the concert promises an opportunity to encounter Bojan Z's artistry in a setting where the subtleties of his playing can take centre stage.

The performance is being organised in collaboration with Jazz Fest Sarajevo, reinforcing the cultural connections between international jazz organisations and festivals across the region. His appearance will provide a fitting conclusion to a programme that begins with emerging musicians from Graz, continues through established Croatian ensembles and ends with an artist whose career has extended across the international jazz circuit.

Photography Exhibition Celebrates Five Years of Jazz

Beyond the musical performances, Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak will mark its development with a photography exhibition by Vedran Levi titled Mojih prvih pet, translated as My First Five. The exhibition features selected images documenting the festival's first five years, providing a visual record of the musicians, performances and moments that have shaped the event since its creation.

The collection offers visitors an opportunity to explore the festival's history through photography, reflecting the relationship between live music and the visual arts. Concert photography captures details that audiences may overlook during a performance, from the concentration of musicians to interactions between performers and listeners.

By presenting the exhibition alongside the musical programme, the organisers are recognising the role of documentation in preserving cultural events. The photographs provide a record of how Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak has developed over time, while highlighting the artists and audiences who have contributed to its identity.

The masterclass led by Nadje Noordhuis adds another educational element to the festival. Students from the Luka Sorkočević Art School will have an opportunity to engage with a professional musician whose career combines performance, composition and teaching. Such encounters can provide valuable perspectives for young artists considering careers in music, particularly within a genre where improvisation, collaboration and continuous learning play important roles.

Lazareti Provides a Unique Setting for Jazz

The festival's location contributes significantly to its identity. Situated near Dubrovnik's historic Old Town, Lazareti is a former quarantine complex that has become an important venue for exhibitions, concerts and other cultural activities. Its historic architecture provides an atmospheric setting for live performances, connecting the city's heritage with contemporary artistic expression.

The venue also reinforces Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak's character as a cultural event rather than simply a collection of concerts. By bringing musicians and audiences together in a space closely associated with the city's history, the festival creates an opportunity for music to interact with its surroundings.

The sixth edition is organised by Dubrovačka baština, the City of Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, with support from several Croatian and international cultural partners. Collaborators include the Austrian Cultural Forum, HUZIP, Jazz Fest Sarajevo, the Luka Sorkočević Art School, Kavana Lazareti and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.

The festival's continued development also contributes to Dubrovnik's cultural programme outside the peak summer tourism season. While the city is internationally recognised for its historic architecture and summer events, initiatives such as Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak offer additional opportunities for residents and visitors to experience live music during the autumn months.

A Celebration of Contemporary Jazz in Dubrovnik

The 2026 edition brings together several aspects of contemporary jazz within a compact three-day programme. From the youthful creativity of the KUG Jazz Collective and Nadje Noordhuis's international experience to the musical identities of Croatia's leading ensembles and the solo artistry of Bojan Z, the festival offers a variety of interpretations of the genre.

Its educational and exhibition programmes also demonstrate an ambition to create lasting cultural value. By encouraging connections between established artists, students, local musicians and audiences, Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak continues developing its role within the Croatian music scene.

With four concerts, an international lineup and activities celebrating its history, the festival's sixth edition promises to be an important event for jazz enthusiasts in Dubrovnik and beyond.

Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak 2026 brings international artistry, Croatian musical talent and creative collaboration to one of the Adriatic's most distinctive cultural venues. Through its combination of live performances, education and photography, the festival continues to build a platform for jazz while strengthening Dubrovnik's cultural life beyond the traditional summer season.

Festival Programme and Tickets

Dubrovnik Jazz Outbreak 2026

November 6–8

Lazareti, Dubrovnik

Daily ticket €15

Festival pass €30

Tickets will be available at Lazareti one hour before the concerts begin. The programme also includes Vedran Levi's photography exhibition and Nadje Noordhuis's masterclass for music students.