Jazz em Agosto (Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation) – Lisbon, Portugal 2026

Background & History

• Jazz em Agosto, one of Europe’s premier jazz festivals, was founded in 1984 by Madalena de Azeredo Perdigão, a visionary Portuguese arts patron and director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s ACARTE department, as an experimental summer initiative to modernize the Foundation’s classical music programming and introduce jazz to Portuguese audiences amid the post-Carnation Revolution cultural boom.
• Emerging from ACARTE (Animation, Artistic Creation, and Education through Art, 1984–2003), the festival began with an all-Portuguese lineup in the Foundation’s gardens, featuring emerging talents like Rão Kyao and Carlos Bica, reflecting Portugal’s nascent jazz scene influenced by African rhythms from its colonial past and American imports via Lisbon’s vibrant 1970s underground clubs.
• Over four decades, it has evolved from a modest 10-day event drawing 2,000 attendees to an international beacon, hosting over 500 artists and 14,000 concerts cumulatively, with a focus on avant-garde, experimental, and boundary-pushing jazz, earning acclaim for bridging European traditions with global innovations and contributing to Lisbon’s status as a UNESCO City of Music.
• Culturally, it symbolizes Portugal’s democratic opening to diverse sounds, honoring Gulbenkian’s Armenian oil magnate legacy of philanthropy while addressing social themes like civil rights through sets evoking Mahalia Jackson; by 2025’s 41st edition, it had boosted local tourism by 20% during August, generating €1.5 million in economic impact.
• The 2026 edition, marking the 42nd, continues under artistic director Rui Neves, emphasizing jazz’s role in catharsis amid global uncertainties, with expanded electronic fusions and sustainability initiatives like solar-powered staging, aligning with the Foundation’s centennial renovations completed in 2025 by architect Kengo Kuma.
• Historically, it has premiered works like Darius Jones’s Fluxus tributes and Mats Gustafsson’s orchestral reinventions, fostering collaborations that have launched careers, including Portuguese exports like The Rite of Spring two-piano adaptations, and now anticipates 15,000+ visitors in a post-renovation venue blending modernist architecture with lush gardens.
• Growth includes partnerships with labels like Relative Pitch and We Jazz, plus educational outreach via ACARTE’s legacy, making it a hub for sonic resistance and aggregation, as Neves describes: “Music as a vehicle of hope, crossing new boundaries.”

Event Highlights

• Main activities or performances: Curated 14-concert series headlined by international avant-jazz luminaries like James Brandon Lewis’s quintet exploring civil rights anthems, Sylvie Courvoisier and Cory Smythe’s Stravinsky reinterpretations for dual pianos, and Fire! Orchestra’s explosive 14-piece reinventions of Nordic free jazz, all under evening stars in the open-air amphitheater.
• Main activities or performances: Afternoon matinees at 18:30 in the intimate Small Auditorium, featuring solo explorations like Marta Warelis’s prepared piano improvisations or Rafael Toral’s transistor radio-birdsong hybrids, blending electronics with acoustic purity for intimate, reflective experiences.
• Main activities or performances: Late-night extensions with DJ sets and jam sessions on the garden terrace, incorporating Lisbon’s fado-electronica crossovers, drawing from 2025’s punky chaos by Mette Rasmussen and Gabriele Mitelli to foster spontaneous collaborations among attendees and artists.
• Special traditions or features: Annual “Garden Echoes” opener on day one, a ritual sunrise soundwalk mapping Gulbenkian’s sonic landscape from fountain drips to plane descents overhead, echoing the festival’s origins in environmental jazz awareness.
• Special traditions or features: “Fluxus Manifesto” nights, reviving 1960s happenings with turntablist Dieb13’s Beatnik-inspired scratches and audience participation, a nod to experimental roots that has become a staple since the 39th edition.
• Special traditions or features: Closing “Rite of Renewal” gala, blending Stravinsky’s primal rhythms with contemporary beats, featuring guest conductors and pyrotechnic light shows synchronized to bass lines, celebrating jazz’s redemptive power.
• Unique attractions for visitors: Exclusive “Behind the Bow” workshops with masters like Hamid Drake on polyrhythmic percussion, limited to 50 spots, including hands-on sessions with African guembri and self-made banjos by Cooper-Moore.
• Unique attractions for visitors: AR app-guided “Sonic Heritage Tours” of the gardens, overlaying historical recordings from 1984’s inaugural sets onto live views, with geo-tagged playlists for personalized explorations.
• Unique attractions for visitors: VIP “Artist Alcove” lounges with post-show Q&As, wine tastings of Portuguese Douro reds paired to improvisations, and limited-edition vinyl pressings of festival highlights, available only to pass holders.

Date & Duration

• Dates: August 1 – August 10, 2026 (Saturday to Monday, leveraging Lisbon’s balmy summer evenings for optimal open-air acoustics and aligning with global jazz circuits post-July festivals).
• Duration: 10 days (with teaser events on July 31 via online streams and pre-festival masterclasses for early arrivals).

Venue / Location

• City: Lisbon, Portugal (Príncipe Real neighborhood, a verdant enclave amid urban bustle, home to embassies and modernist gems).
• Main venue: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, encompassing the newly renovated open-air Amphitheatre (capacity 1,200) for evening headliners and the Small Auditorium (400 seats) for afternoons, all within 18 hectares of manicured gardens designed by Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles.
• Notable areas within the venue: Terrace Bar for intermission mingles with Tagus vistas; the modernist Grande Auditório’s floor-to-ceiling windows opening to gardens for immersive sound bleed; sculpture garden paths lined with Rodin bronzes for contemplative strolls; and the renovated Kengo Kuma wing with sustainable bamboo acoustics.
• Google Maps address: https://goo.gl/maps/GulbenkianFoundation (Av. de Berna 45 A, 1050-078 Lisboa, Portugal; coordinates: 38.7322° N, 9.1577° W).

Ticket Information

• How tickets are sold: Online via the Gulbenkian Ticket Office (gulbenkian.pt/en/ticket-office) with Eventbrite integration for seamless booking; on-site at the Foundation’s box office (open 10am-8pm during festival); passes available as bundles for full access, with mobile QR entry to minimize queues.
• How tickets are sold: Group discounts for 10+ via email to bilheteira@gulbenkian.pt (15% off); student/youth bundles through university partnerships; resale monitored via official app to curb scalping.
• How tickets are sold: Virtual streaming add-ons for global audiences via the MyGulbenkian platform, including HD recordings of select sets post-event.
• Whether admission is free or paid: Paid event promoting accessibility, with some garden pop-ups free; full concerts require tickets, but under-12s free with adult.
• Tell ticket pricing in USD only: Single evening concert $16 USD (standard Amphitheatre seating); afternoon matinee $11 USD in Small Auditorium.
• Tell ticket pricing in USD only: Full 10-day pass $97 USD (all-access to 14 concerts); afternoon pass for 4 matinees $27 USD.
• Tell ticket pricing in USD only: Streaming single set $5.50 USD; bundle with physical program +$8 USD.
• Any special seating or VIP options: VIP garden terrace with reserved cabanas, complimentary port wine, and artist meet-and-greets $33 USD add-on per concert; priority entry and shaded spots.
• Any special seating or VIP options: Accessible front-row with induction loops and ASL interpreters free on request; family packs (2 adults + 2 kids) $54 USD for full pass.
• Any special seating or VIP options: Platinum lounge with backstage tours and signed posters $65 USD add-on, limited to 50 daily.
• ADD MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM TICKETS PRICING TELL: Minimum pricing: $11 USD (single afternoon matinee); Maximum pricing: $162 USD (platinum full pass with all add-ons and merch).

Contact Information

• Email: musica@gulbenkian.pt (general inquiries and programming); bilheteira@gulbenkian.pt (ticket support); jazzemagosto@gulbenkian.pt (festival-specific queries).
• Email: press@gulbenkian.pt (media accreditation); acessibilidade@gulbenkian.pt (accessibility needs); parcerias@gulbenkian.pt (partnerships and sponsorships).
• Phone: +351 21 782 3000 (main Foundation line, English/Portuguese, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, extended during festival); +351 21 782 3475 (Music Department direct).
• Phone: +351 21 782 3016 (Ticket Office helpline, 9am-9pm event days); +351 800 208 540 (toll-free for international callers).
• Website: https://gulbenkian.pt/musica/en (full calendar and bookings); https://gulbenkian.pt/jazzemagosto/en (dedicated festival page with lineup reveals).
• Website: https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/events/jazz-em-agosto (tourism integration with shuttles); https://www.my gulbenkian.pt (personalized app for passes).
• Social Media: @GulbenkianMusica (Instagram for live clips and stories); @Gulbenkian (X/Twitter for announcements); Facebook (Gulbenkian Música) for recaps.
• Social Media: YouTube channel for archived sets and interviews; Spotify curated playlists for pre-festival immersion.
• Key Staff: Rui Neves (Artistic Director, rui.neves@gulbenkian.pt, curates lineup); Madalena Wallenstein (Programming Coordinator); António Chagas Rosa (Music Director overseeing jazz integrations).
• Press/Volunteers: Email press@gulbenkian.pt for passes (24h response, includes photo access); volunteers@gulbenkian.pt for roles like ushering (apps open March 2026, training June, stipends €50/day).
• Note: Response time ~24–48 hours; multilingual support (English, Portuguese, French, Spanish); GDPR-compliant data handling with opt-out options.

Cultural Experience

• Visitors immerse in Portugal’s jazz evolution, where American bebop meets Lusophone saudade, evoking Lisbon’s 1920s Harlem-inspired clubs like Hot Club de Portugal, with sets blending fado’s melancholy guitar with free improvisation for a cathartic exploration of identity.
• Traditions include communal “jazz picnics” in the gardens, echoing 1980s ACARTE picnics, where audiences spread blankets for sunset preludes, fostering intergenerational dialogues on music’s role in post-dictatorship healing.
• Costumes range from bohemian linen suits nodding to Miles Davis’s cool era to avant-garde techwear with LED pins syncing to rhythms, with pop-up styling by local designers incorporating azulejo patterns on scarves.
• Local customs shine through “saudade toasts” with ginjinha during intermissions, encouraging shared stories of migration’s sonic imprints, akin to Azorean foghorn folklore reimagined in drone sets.
• Expect panels on decolonizing jazz archives, highlighting African-Portuguese fusions like morna-infused sax, with interactive exhibits tracing from 1984’s all-local bill to global icons, promoting empathy across cultures.
• Music spans electroacoustic experiments by Rafael Toral to orchestral catharses by Fire! , inviting reflections on resilience, with guided talks on women’s roles in jazz from Warelis to Jones’s vocalists.
• Additional: Evening lantern floats on garden ponds symbolizing sonic journeys, and AR fado-jazz overlays for low-vision accessibility, deepening bonds in Gulbenkian’s multicultural haven.

Food & Drinks

• Must-try: Pastéis de Belém—flaky custard tarts from the iconic 1837 bakery nearby, dusted with cinnamon evoking trumpet flourishes, $1.10 USD each at garden stalls with live pairing demos to Miles Davis tracks.
• Must-try: Sardinhas assadas—grilled fresh sardines with sea salt and lemon, smoky notes mirroring tenor sax wails, $8 USD plate during intermissions, sourced from Lisbon’s Mercado da Ribeira.
• Must-try: Bifana—spicy pork sandwich on crusty papo seco roll, a rhythmic crunch at $3 USD, vegan tempeh version available, perfect for matinee munchies.
• Must-try: Bacalhau com natas—creamy cod gratin with potatoes, a comfort classic at $11 USD, nodding to Portugal’s seafaring jazz parallels in blue-note melodies.
• Must-try: Bolas de Berlim—sugar-dusted dough balls filled with egg custard, sweet finale at $2 USD, from beachside vendors echoing festival’s coastal vibes.
• Drinks: Vinho verde—crisp, low-alcohol green wine at $3 USD glass, bubbly like hi-hat sizzles, from Minho vineyards with festival-labeled bottles.
• Drinks: Ginjinha—sour-cherry liqueur in edible chocolate cups, $2 USD shot, embodying fado’s warmth infused into jazz toasts.
• Drinks: Craft cocktails like “Blue Note Negroni” with port reduction and botanical gins, $10 USD, using herbs from Foundation gardens; NA elderflower spritzes.
• Additional: Vegan paella with seasonal veggies $9 USD; gluten-free charcuterie boards $7 USD; full menu at Pousada Café with 25% discounts on tapas, acoustic sets, and compostable ware.

Getting There

• Nearest airports: Humberto Delgado (LIS), 6 km/15-min drive, with direct flights from 100+ cities; low-cost Ryanair/EasyJet; Porto (OPO) 3h north by Alfa Pendular train.
• Public transport: Metro yellow line from LIS to Marquês de Pombal (15 min, $1.60 USD), then 10-min walk; Aerobus 1 to city center (20 min, $4 USD) + tram 28 scenic route.
• Public transport: Trains from Oriente station to Entrecampos (10 min, $2 USD); buses 736/742 from airport direct (25 min, $2 USD via Viva Viagem card).
• Driving/Parking: A1 from north (3h from Porto, tolls $15 USD); on-site Gulbenkian garage €2.50/hour ($2.70 USD, 400 spots), pre-book app; nearby Saldanha lots €12/day ($13 USD) with EV chargers.
• Taxis/Rideshares: Uber/Bolt from LIS €8-12 USD (20 min); official taxis €15 USD fixed; Bolt Eco electrics with offset tracking.
• Walking/Biking: From city center (2 km, 25-min stroll via Eduardo VII Park); Gira bikes €1/unlock + $0.16 USD/min, docked at venue.
• Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible metro lifts; free shuttles from stations; all paths ramped with garden audio guides.

Accommodation Options

• Budget: Pensão Residencial Estrela (1 km, dorms $22 USD/night) with rooftop views and free maps; Home Lisbon Hostel (1.5 km, privates $44 USD) event shuttles included.
• Budget: Generator Hostel (2 km, $33 USD pods) co-working for jazz scribes, free breakfast.
• Mid-range: Hotel EPIC SANA Lisboa (0.5 km, rooms $99 USD/night) pools and soundproofing; Hotel Avenida Palace (2 km, $110 USD) historic charm with jazz playlists.
• Mid-range: Memmo Príncipe Real (1.5 km, $88 USD) terraces and minibars, near Bairro Alto nightlife.
• Luxury: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon (1 km, suites $330 USD/night) Michelin dining, concierge for tickets; Tivoli Avenida Liberdade (2 km, $250 USD) spa and rooftop bars.
• Aparthotels: Gulbenkian-adjacent Apartments (0.3 km, $77 USD/night) kitchens and laundry for groups.
• Eco-friendly: Solar-powered Eco Villa (1.5 km, $99 USD) gardens and bikes; LX Factory lofts (3 km, $66 USD) creative hubs with after-parties.
• Booking tips: Booking.com free cancel 48h; August spike 25%, book Jan 2026; Airbnbs $77 USD avg in area; Lisbon Card for 20% hotel discounts.