The creative city · Belgrade, Serbia
Creative Belgrade: Art, Music, Theatre, Film, Writing & Design
London has lost what Belgrade still has: writers, artists, actors and musicians living, working and debating in the heart of the city. Discover the galleries, artists, music, festivals, film, literature, photography and design that make Belgrade one of Europe’s great untapped creative capitals.
Updated October 2026
Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Belgrade.
-
Why Belgrade is a city of artists
Creative Belgrade: Europe’s untapped creative capital
London, Paris and Berlin have priced most of their artists out of the centre. Belgrade has not. Painters, writers, actors and musicians still live, work and argue in the heart of the city, and a visitor can feel it everywhere: in the violinist on Knez Mihailova, the band at the next table in a Skadarlija kafana, the jazz drifting from a river barge on the Danube and the queue for a premiere at the National Theatre.
-
Kafanas, cafés and debate
Bohemian Belgrade: where artists still meet
The tradition of artists, writers and musicians gathering in kafanas and cafés to talk late into the night is alive in Belgrade as nowhere else in Europe. Here is where it began, and where to find it today.
-
Since 1971
Belgrade Jazz Festival
One of Europe’s oldest jazz festivals, founded in 1971 and held every October at Dom omladine, with international stars and the best of the Serbian scene. The 42nd edition ran from 21 to 24 October 2026.
The full list: Creative Belgrade, A–Z
The creative city 3
Why Belgrade is Europe’s untapped creative capital, where its artists still meet, and a century of Serbian art.
-
Kafanas, cafés and debate
Bohemian Belgrade: where artists still meet
The tradition of artists, writers and musicians gathering in kafanas and cafés to talk late into the night is alive in Belgrade as nowhere else in Europe. Here is where it began, and where to find it today.
-
Why Belgrade is a city of artists
Creative Belgrade: Europe’s untapped creative capital
London, Paris and Berlin have priced most of their artists out of the centre. Belgrade has not. Painters, writers, actors and musicians still live, work and argue in the heart of the city, and a visitor can feel it everywhere: in the violinist on Knez Mihailova, the band at the next table in a Skadarlija kafana, the jazz drifting from a river barge on the Danube and the queue for a premiere at the National Theatre.
-
A century of Serbian art
Serbian art: from Paja Jovanović to Marina Abramović
From the grand history paintings of the 1890s to the performance art that made Marina Abramović world famous, Serbian art has rarely stood still. Here is a guide to the movements and artists that shaped it, and where to see their work in Belgrade.
Art galleries 6
Free and independent galleries, private museums and the art pavilion in Kalemegdan. For the big museums, see Art, Music + Stage.
-
In Kalemegdan Park
Cvijeta Zuzorić Art Pavilion
The elegant art pavilion in Kalemegdan Park, run by ULUS, the Association of Fine Artists of Serbia, hosts major exhibitions of contemporary Serbian art and the association’s salons.
-
Contemporary art space
Galerija B2
An independent space for contemporary art in central Belgrade, showing monthly exhibitions by Serbian and international artists.
-
Art under the wings of Icarus
Galerija Ikar
An art gallery in the Dom vazduhoplovstva, the aviation club inside Dragiša Brašovan’s landmark Air Force Command building in old Zemun, with changing exhibitions of painting and, each late summer, the international watercolour festival Ikar.
Kneza Pavla Karađorđevića 3, ZemunExplore View on map
-
Free exhibitions on Knez Mihailova
Gallery of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The gallery of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, at the corner of Knez Mihailova and Vuka Karadžića, has staged exhibitions of art, science and history since 1968, together with concerts. Entry is free, and it is open every day except Monday.
Knez Mihailova 35Explore View on map
-
A royal villa on Senjak
Kuća kralja Petra I
The villa on Senjak where King Peter I lived, built in 1896 for the merchant Đorđe Pavlović, is now a memorial and cultural centre with exhibitions, concerts and talks.
Vase Pelagića 40Explore View on map
-
Serbian art since 1950
Zepter Museum
Opened on 1 July 2010 as the first private art museum in Serbia, the Zepter Museum on Knez Mihailova shows Serbian painting and sculpture from the second half of the 20th century to today, in a Secession-style former bank building.
Knez Mihailova 42Explore View on map
Exhibitions & art events 2
The October Salon and the summer festival of the arts.
-
Music, theatre, dance and art
BELEF, Belgrade Summer Festival
Founded in 1991, the Belgrade Summer Festival brings music, theatre, dance and visual art to stages and spaces across the city every summer, bridging tradition and the contemporary.
-
Serbia’s great art show
October Salon
The October Salon, Belgrade’s best-known exhibition of contemporary art, has run since 1960 and reached its 60th edition. Organised by the Cultural Centre of Belgrade, it brings Serbian and international artists to venues across the city each autumn.
Art societies & organisations 5
Artists’ and designers’ associations, the Faculty of Fine Arts and the independent culture centres.
-
Courses, culture and workshops
Božidarac Cultural Centre
A cultural centre on Vračar offering courses and workshops alongside concerts, exhibitions and cultural programmes.
Radoslava Grujića 3Explore View on map
-
Painters and sculptors of tomorrow
Faculty of Fine Arts
Part of the University of Arts in Belgrade, the Faculty of Fine Arts trains painters, sculptors, printmakers and new media artists, and its gallery shows students’ and graduates’ work.
Pariska 16Explore View on map
-
In a former publisher’s warehouse
KC Magacin
An independent cultural centre in the old warehouses of the Nolit publishing house, used by artists’ collectives and organisations for exhibitions, performances, film and debate.
Kraljevića Marka 4Explore View on map
-
Applied art and design
ULUPUDS, Applied Artists and Designers of Serbia
The association of Serbia’s applied artists and designers, from graphic designers and illustrators to ceramicists, fashion and product designers, with its own exhibitions and salons.
-
Serbia’s artists’ association
ULUS, Association of Fine Artists of Serbia
The association of Serbia’s painters, sculptors and visual artists, founded in 1919. ULUS runs the Cvijeta Zuzorić pavilion and its own galleries, with exhibitions, debates and guided tours through the year.
Serbian painters & sculptors 13
Thirteen Serbian artists, from the turn-of-the-century masters to pop, performance and fine art today, and where to see their work.
-
Yugoslav pop art
Dušan Otašević
Born in Belgrade in 1940, Dušan Otašević created a distinctly Yugoslav pop art in the 1960s, drawing on everyday objects and the hand-painted signs of socialist life rather than American brands. His work has been studied by Tate and shown at the October Salon and the Zepter Museum.
-
The sculptor of the Victor
Ivan Meštrović
The great Croatian sculptor created two of Belgrade’s best-known monuments: the Victor, the bronze figure that has looked out over the rivers from Kalemegdan since 1928, and the Monument to the Unknown Hero on Avala.
-
Eagles, wild birds and portraits
Jelena Bibić
A Serbian fine artist working in oil and acrylic, a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade and Serbia’s Tesla Ambassador, known for her striking paintings of eagles and wild birds, her horses and her portraiture, including many portraits of Nikola Tesla and her IDOL series of celebrity portraits.
-
The grandmother of performance art
Marina Abramović
Born and raised in Belgrade, Marina Abramović became the world’s most famous performance artist. Her first performances took place at the Student Cultural Centre in the 1970s, and in 2019–2020 the Museum of Contemporary Art staged her retrospective The Cleaner.
-
Serbia’s surrealist
Milena Pavlović-Barili
A painter and poet who worked in Rome, Paris and New York, where her dreamlike, surrealist images also appeared on the covers of Vogue.
-
Serbia’s first modernist
Nadežda Petrović
Serbia’s great expressionist painter, whose bold colour brought modern art to Serbia. She died as a volunteer nurse in the First World War and appears on the 200-dinar banknote.
-
A founder of Mediala
Olja Ivanjicki
A painter, sculptor and poet who in 1957 co-founded Mediala, the Belgrade art movement that blended fantasy, the old masters and the modern world.
-
Master of the grand painting
Paja Jovanović
One of Serbia’s greatest realist painters, famous for vast historical scenes such as The Migration of the Serbs and for his portraits and scenes of Balkan life.
-
Colour and myth
Petar Lubarda
One of the great Yugoslav modernists, whose powerful, colourful canvases and murals drew on the landscapes and myths of Montenegro.
-
Modernist of the Paris school
Sava Šumanović
A modernist painter who worked in Paris in the 1920s; his Drunken Boat is one of the icons of Serbian modern art.
-
The sculptor of the black horses
Toma Rosandić
A sculptor whose bronze horses, Black Horses at Play, stand in front of the House of the National Assembly. His house and studio on Senjak are now a museum.
-
The painter of the Kosovo Maiden
Uroš Predić
A leading Serbian realist, known for The Kosovo Maiden and Happy Brothers, and for the icons and portraits he painted over a long career.
-
Drawing the human body
Vladimir Veličković
A Belgrade-born painter who made his name in Paris, famous for his dramatic, anatomical studies of the body in motion. His foundation supports young artists.
Classical music 3
Orchestras, the music academy and the guitar festival. For the Philharmonic, opera and ballet, see Art, Music + Stage.
-
Serbia’s music academy since 1937
Faculty of Music
Serbia’s leading music academy, founded in 1937 and the largest faculty of the University of Arts. Its students and professors give frequent concerts and recitals, many of them free.
Kralja Milana 50Explore View on map
-
The world’s guitarists each spring
Guitar Art Festival
One of the world’s leading guitar festivals, held in Belgrade every March since 2000, with concerts by great classical and world guitarists, competitions and masterclasses.
-
Serbia’s broadcasting orchestra
RTS Symphony Orchestra and Choir
The symphony orchestra and choir of Radio Television of Serbia give concerts through the season in Belgrade’s halls, from the classics to contemporary Serbian music, alongside the Belgrade Philharmonic.
Music venues & concerts 4
Where to hear jazz, rock, world and new music live.
-
Live music since 2001
Bitef Art Cafe
A club built for live music, open since 2001, with cover bands at weekends and concerts by artists such as Gregory Porter, Snarky Puppy and Robert Glasper.
Mitropolita Petra 8Explore View on map
-
Concerts, debates and films
Dom omladine Beograda
Belgrade’s youth and culture centre has been a stage for jazz, rock and new music for decades, with concerts, films, exhibitions and debates every week, and it hosts the Belgrade Jazz Festival.
Makedonska 22Explore View on map
-
Art, music and performance
Dorćol Platz
A multidisciplinary arts space in Dorćol for concerts, theatre, exhibitions and festivals, at the heart of the independent scene.
-
Culture and debate on the Sava
KC Grad
Opened in 2009 in an old warehouse on the Sava, KC Grad, the European Centre for Culture and Debate, hosts concerts, exhibitions, debates, book launches, film screenings and an artists’ residency.
Music festivals 4
Jazz, new music, summer concerts and a famous festival in a fortress.
-
Concerts by the rivers
Belgrade Beer Fest
A summer festival of concerts and beer on the riverbank, with Serbian and international bands over several nights.
-
Since 1971
Belgrade Jazz Festival
One of Europe’s oldest jazz festivals, founded in 1971 and held every October at Dom omladine, with international stars and the best of the Serbian scene. The 42nd edition ran from 21 to 24 October 2026.
-
A day trip to the fortress
EXIT Festival
Serbia’s world-famous summer music festival, held in the Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad, about 35 minutes from Belgrade by high-speed train.
-
Thirty years of new music
Ring Ring Festival
The festival of new and experimental music, run by the Ring Ring association since the 1990s, celebrated 30 years in May 2026. The same team runs the Todo Mundo and Pocket Globe world music festivals.
Recording studios 2
Where Belgrade’s music and film sound are made.
-
Recording since 1985
Odiseja Recording Studio
One of the oldest independent recording studios in Belgrade, founded in 1985, recording and mixing music and creating sound design for film.
-
Audio, film, design and games
SAE Institute Belgrade
Part of the international SAE network, the Belgrade campus teaches audio production, music, film, design, web development, animation and games, with professional studios for its students.
Writers’ corner, poetry & literature 5
The Nobel laureate’s home, the book fair, an open-air literary festival and the great libraries.
-
Books above a Roman hall
Belgrade City Library
The city library at the top of Knez Mihailova, with readings and literary evenings, and a Roman hall in its basement.
Knez Mihailova 56Explore View on map
-
Every October
Belgrade International Book Fair
One of the oldest and largest book fairs in the region, where every Serbian publisher shows its new titles, with readings, signings and talks over nine days. The 69th fair ran from 23 to 31 October 2026.
-
The Nobel laureate’s apartment
Ivo Andrić Museum
The apartment where Ivo Andrić, winner of the 1961 Nobel Prize in Literature, lived until his death in 1975, kept as he left it, with his library and manuscripts. It is run by the Belgrade City Museum, and the Ivo Andrić Endowment keeps his legacy alive.
Andrićev venac 8Explore View on map
-
Open-air readings every June
Krokodil Literary Festival
An open-air literary festival every June in the amphitheatre in front of the Museum of Yugoslavia, with writers from across the region and beyond, plus a residency for writers and translators.
-
Serbia’s library since 1832
National Library of Serbia
Founded in 1832, the National Library of Serbia stands beside the Temple of Saint Sava, with exhibitions, readings and a reading room open to researchers.
Photography & classes 1
The city’s photography festival, with exhibitions, workshops and portfolio reviews.
-
Every May
Belgrade Photo Month
An annual photography festival every May, with exhibitions by Serbian and international photographers at venues across the city, plus lectures, workshops, portfolio reviews and an open call for new talent.
Film studies, festivals & production 6
The film school, the festivals and the studios where films are made. For cinemas, see Cinema.
-
Arthouse cinema every November
Auteur Film Festival (FAF)
The Auteur Film Festival shows the year’s best arthouse films from the big international festivals, every November. The 32nd edition runs from 20 to 27 November 2026.
-
Twenty years of real stories
Beldocs
Belgrade’s international documentary film festival, with more than 100 films from around the world each year and an industry programme. The 20th edition runs from 21 to 27 April 2027.
-
Martovski festival, since 1954
Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival
Known as the Martovski festival, this is one of the oldest documentary and short film festivals in Europe, founded in 1954, with competitions and screenings at Dom omladine.
-
Serbia’s film school
Faculty of Dramatic Arts
Serbia’s leading school of film, theatre, radio and television, part of the University of Arts, whose graduates include many of the region’s best-known directors and actors. Its cinema hall and stages host screenings, festivals and student productions.
Bulevar umetnosti 20Explore View on map
-
Filming in Serbia
Film Center Serbia
The national film agency supports Serbian cinema, co-productions and international productions filming in Serbia, and publishes news of Serbian films at festivals worldwide.
-
Eight soundstages near the airport
PFI Studios
One of the largest film and television studio complexes in Southeast Europe, opened in 2010 in Šimanovci, seven minutes from Belgrade airport, with eight soundstages, a backlot with exterior sets and full production services.
Amateur & youth theatre 1
Where young actors take their first steps on stage.
-
Belgrade’s youth theatre
DADOV Youth Theatre
Belgrade’s youth theatre, where generations of young people have taken their first steps on stage, with its own repertoire of plays, an acting and speech school, concerts and film screenings.
Graphic design, illustration & web design 3
Design schools, festivals and platforms for new talent.
-
The world’s creative minds in Belgrade
Belgrade Design Week
A festival and platform that has brought leading architects and designers, from Rem Koolhaas and Bjarke Ingels to Patricia Urquiola and MoMA’s Paola Antonelli, to Belgrade to connect the creative industries with business.
-
Graphic design and illustration
Faculty of Applied Arts
Part of the University of Arts, the Faculty of Applied Arts teaches graphic design, illustration, photography, animation, fashion, interior and product design, with regular exhibitions of students’ work.
-
Young Balkan designers
Mikser
A platform for design and the creative industries founded in Belgrade, known for the Mikser Festival and Young Balkan Designers, which showcases new talent from across the region.
Join the conversation
Welcome to The Belgrade salon. Seen a great exhibition, concert, play or film? Discovered a new artist or a café where the creative crowd meets? Share it here and join the debate.
- Loading the conversation…
Cost guide: Free, € under 1,000 RSD, €€ 1,000 to 3,000 RSD, €€€ more. Festival dates change each year, so check the official websites. For museums, concert halls, opera and theatre, see Art, Music + Stage.
Explore more of Belgrade
28 of the best Restaurants
30 of the best Cafés
21 of the best Bars
13 of the best Nightlife
24 of the best Hotels17 of the best Attractions25 of the best Arts11 of the best Cinema
19 of the best Parks & AdaBelgrade Waterfront WaterfrontZemun ZemunZlatibor & Tara Zlatibor & TaraKopaonik Kopaonik
21 of the best Fitness + Spa19 of the best Medical
131 of the best Shopping
42 of the best Luxury51 of the best PropertyGetting around Transport
55 of the best Motoring