Bucharest has received one of the most important international recognitions in the global events industry, after iMapp Bucharest won the Silver Trophy at the Eventex Awards 2026. The award places Romania’s capital among the world’s major creative event destinations, in a competition that brought together 1,405 projects from 58 countries across six continents.
The project “iMapp Bucharest: From Enescu’s Rhapsody to Gumball 3000’s Global Stage” won Silver in the “Art Event” category at Eventex Awards 2026.
Bucharest competed alongside major international productions and events, including the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, Eurovision 2025 in Basel, the light installation on Burj Khalifa, and Sziget Festival.
The distinction confirms Bucharest’s growing international profile as a cultural and creative capital, capable of hosting large-scale artistic experiences with global visibility.
The project was created by CREART, the Centre for Creation, Art and Tradition of the Municipality of Bucharest, together with Mindscape and the partners of the anniversary edition iMapp Bucharest #10.
Eventex Awards 2026
The 2026 edition of the Eventex Awards was the most competitive in the competition’s history, with 1,405 entries submitted from 58 countries and six continents.
Founded in 2009, Eventex Awards recognises the most innovative events, agencies and experiential marketing productions worldwide. Each edition is evaluated by an international jury comprising leading professionals from the global events, marketing, and creative industries.
For Bucharest, the Silver Trophy represents more than an award for one event. It is an international validation of the city’s ability to transform public space into a cultural stage and to bring together heritage, technology, music and urban spectacle.
23,000 Square Metres of Projection and 200,000 Spectators
iMapp Bucharest 2025 took place on September 20 and 21 during the Bucharest Days celebration.
For two evenings, the festival transformed the façade of the Palace of Parliament into a spectacular multimedia stage, using one of the largest projection surfaces in the world.
The anniversary edition attracted more than 200,000 spectators and brought together Romanian cultural heritage, contemporary visual art, music and international urban culture in a large-scale public event.
Brâncuși, Enescu and Zamfir in Dialogue with New Technologies
The 2025 edition of iMapp Bucharest – Winners League was organised under the theme “Art is All Around”.
The programme highlighted Romanian cultural identity through video mapping works dedicated to Constantin Brâncuși and George Enescu, created by Carmen Lidia Vidu and Mindscape Studio, with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute and Artexim.
One of the event’s special moments was the collaboration between HVMZA and master Gheorghe Zamfir. The performance brought together electronic music, video mapping and the distinctive sound of the pan flute, creating a contemporary reinterpretation of a powerful Romanian cultural symbol.
Gumball 3000 in Bucharest @iMapp
On September 21, Bucharest also became an official host city for Gumball 3000, the famous international rally, which reached its 26th edition. More than 100 supercars arrived in the Romanian capital, joined by celebrities, influencers, athletes and participants from over 40 countries.
The presence of Gumball 3000 added an international dimension to the lifestyle and entertainment aspects of the anniversary edition of iMapp Bucharest, bringing the city even closer to a global audience.
An Internationally Awarded Romanian Cultural Brand
iMapp Bucharest is a member of the International Light Festivals Organisation and has become one of Romania’s most internationally recognised cultural projects.
The festival was awarded at the AV Awards in London in 2020 and received a Telly Award in the United States in 2023 for the global campaign “Enlightenment”, which was projected in 75 cities around the world.
The 2025 edition was organised by the Municipality of Bucharest through CREART, with the support of the Romanian Parliament, Chamber of Deputies.
With this new international recognition at Eventex Awards 2026, iMapp Bucharest strengthens its position as a major cultural event in Europe and reinforces Bucharest’s image as a city where heritage, technology and contemporary creativity meet on a truly global stage.
