The 11th edition of iMapp Bucharest will take place in Constituției Square on September 19 and 20 under the theme PAST. FORWARD. The free event will feature seven international video mapping competition winners and a special moment celebrating Romanian gymnastics legend Nadia Comăneci.

The façade of the Palace of Parliament, covering approximately 23,000 square meters, will once again be transformed through large-scale digital projections.

This year’s theme explores the relationship between past and future through memory, heritage, technology, and imagination, the organizers said. Each of the seven works in the competition will offer a different perspective on time and memory while incorporating the Palace of Parliament into its narrative.

“The fact that iMapp Bucharest has reached its 11th edition says something important about how the city’s public has come to view the event: not only as a large-scale show, but as a cultural landmark,” ARCUB director Mihaela Păun said. “Over 11 years, iMapp has managed to create a tradition around digital art and bring new perspectives and artists into dialogue with a very broad audience.”

The seven artists and studios competing in the Winners League were selected through partner festivals in Hungary, Japan, Germany, France, China, the United States, and Brazil.

An international jury will select the winner of the Jury Prize, while spectators can vote for their favorite work by sending a standard-rate text message to 1755. The entry receiving the most votes will win the Audience Award.

The 2026 edition will also include a special video mapping show marking 50 years since Nadia Comăneci’s historic performance at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and highlighting her impact on international sport.

The two-day program will also feature music, entertainment, and outdoor experiences, with the participating performers due to be announced later.

Organized by Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB as part of Bucharest Days, iMapp Bucharest is open to the public free of charge.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: ARCUB)