Traditional Romanian crafts, contemporary textile design and live folk music come together in central Bucharest from 1 to 4 October 2026. Bucharest, Art and Crafts – Living Heritage in the City (București, Artă și Meșteșug – Patrimoniul Viu în Oraș) brings four days of demonstrations, exhibitions and cultural events to 7 Piața Alexandru Lahovari, with free admission.
Visitors can meet traditional craftspeople, watch pottery and woodworking demonstrations, discover textiles inspired by Bucharest’s architecture and enjoy a concert by Trei Parale.
Where: 7 Piața Alexandru Lahovari, Bucharest
When: 1–4 October 2026
Admission: Free
Exhibition dates: The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției) remains open until 20 October 2026.
The Living Village (Satul Viu): Meet Romanian Craftspeople
The inner courtyard becomes The Living Village (Satul Viu), a space where craftspeople from different regions of Romania demonstrate their skills and share the stories behind their work.
Visitors can watch glass painting, pottery, woodworking, and corn-husk weaving, alongside demonstrations of beekeeping and the production of grape must and wine. The programme offers opportunities to speak directly with the participants about techniques and knowledge passed down through generations.
Among the participating artisans is Nagy Margareta, who received Romania’s Living Human Treasure (Tezaur Uman Viu) title in 2022. She will demonstrate traditional corn-husk weaving.
Constantin Lepădatu will present woodworking techniques learned from his father, Iordan Lepădatu, who received the same distinction in 2024.
The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției): Textile Design Inspired by Bucharest
Designer Dragoș Dogaru presents The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției), an exhibition exploring the relationship between Romanian textile traditions and contemporary design.
The exhibition brings together four textile projects inspired by historic Bucharest. Reinterpreted Romanian motifs meet the Art Deco influences of the city’s interwar architecture, connecting traditional patterns with the forms and textures of urban design.
The works include jacquard textiles manufactured in Bucharest, knitwear produced through craft cooperatives and traditional techniques reinterpreted using Romanian wool.
The opening reception takes place on Thursday, 1 October, from 18:00 to 19:00. The exhibition remains open until 20 October 2026, beyond the four-day event.
Living Heritage (Patrimoniul Viu): Conference and Gala
On Saturday, 3 October, from 17:30 to 19:00, Living Heritage in the Contemporary City (Patrimoniul viu în orașul contemporan) brings heritage specialists, traditional craftspeople and the public together for a discussion about the role of intangible cultural heritage in urban life.
The conference explores how traditional skills, practices and knowledge are preserved, shared and reinterpreted in contemporary communities.
From 19:00 to 19:30, the Living Heritage Gala (Gala Patrimoniului Viu) celebrates those who contribute to preserving and passing on this cultural heritage.
Trei Parale: Live Romanian Folk Music
The event closes on Sunday, 4 October, from 19:00 to 20:00, with a Trei Parale concert in the performance hall.
The Bucharest-based ensemble builds its repertoire through research into traditional musical culture, including village visits, meetings with musicians, historical field recordings and collections of musical folklore.
Its performances feature instruments such as the fluier, caval and tilincă, all traditional wind instruments, alongside the cobza, violin, bagpipes and percussion. The group’s music also features in the films Aferim! and Chira Chiralina.
Event Programme
Thursday, 1 October 2026
15:00–19:00: The Living Village (Satul Viu), with craft demonstrations and encounters with traditional artisans in the inner courtyard.
15:00–19:00: The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției), textile design exhibition in the gallery.
18:00–19:00: Opening reception for The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției).
Friday, 2 October 2026
11:00–19:00: The Living Village (Satul Viu), with craft demonstrations in the inner courtyard.
11:00–19:00: The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției), exhibition in the gallery.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
11:00–19:00: The Living Village (Satul Viu), with craft demonstrations in the inner courtyard.
11:00–19:30: The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției), exhibition in the gallery.
17:30–19:00: Living Heritage in the Contemporary City (Patrimoniul viu în orașul contemporan), conference in the performance hall.
19:00–19:30: Living Heritage Gala (Gala Patrimoniului Viu) in the performance hall.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
11:00–19:00: The Living Village (Satul Viu), with craft demonstrations in the inner courtyard.
11:00–20:00: The Legacy of Tradition (Moștenirea Tradiției), exhibition in the gallery.
19:00–20:00: Trei Parale concert of traditional Romanian music in the performance hall.
