Unsound Festival 2027

What it is. Unsound is an international festival of contemporary, experimental and leftfield music that has run for more than two decades, built around a curatorial theme each year rather than a single genre. The 2026 edition is titled 'Soft Power' and, as in several recent years, is split across two cities: Warsaw and Krakow, linked by a dedicated Unsound Train. Programming is not repeated between the two cities, so the Krakow leg has its own distinct lineup.

Dates and schedule. The Krakow edition runs Thursday 8 October to Sunday 11 October 2026, following the Warsaw leg (2-6 October) and a train journey between the two cities on 7 October. The 'Soft Power' theme explores, in the festival's own words, ideas of influence exercised through culture rather than force, alongside questions of intimacy, vulnerability, authority and scale.

Where it happens. The main Krakow venue is Hotel Forum, a former Communist-era hotel on the Vistula riverbank that Unsound has used as a hub in recent years, hosting the festival's club nights. Additional programming runs across Lazania Nowa Theatre, the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, Krzysztofory Palace, Bunkier Sztuki and Puro Hotel, which has hosted ambient brunch sessions in past editions.

Lineup. Confirmed Krakow-leg names include Actress, Marina Herlop, Lorenzo Senni (performing a premiere show), Kode9, Nikki Nair, Juliana Huxtable, JASSS and Sarah Davachi, among dozens more artists across the four days. Some acts widely associated with Unsound 2026 overall, including Liars performing their 'Drum's Not Dead' 20th-anniversary show and Tim Hecker, are booked for the Warsaw leg (both around 4 October) rather than confirmed for Krakow specifically, based on the official schedule; check the festival's own day-by-day programme before assuming any single act plays the Krakow dates.

Tickets. Festival passes went on sale earlier in 2026 and the combined Warszawa-Krakow full pass (1200 PLN) has since sold out. A Krakow-only three-day Club Pass covering Hotel Forum's club nights (Thursday to Saturday) is priced at 390 PLN regular / 340 PLN student. Individual event tickets are also on sale for shows across the city, with per-event prices starting from roughly 70-79 PLN; some individual tickets have been reported selling from around 750 PLN for premium tiers at specific shows, so prices vary significantly by event.

Getting there. Krakow is served by John Paul II International Airport (Balice), roughly 15-20 minutes from the city centre by train or taxi. Hotel Forum and most listed venues sit within or close to central Krakow and are reachable on foot or by the city's tram network from the Old Town or main train station.

Tips. Because full multi-day passes have already sold out for 2026, plan around individual event tickets and the Krakow-only Club Pass rather than assuming a full pass will be available closer to the date. Confirm which artists are booked for the Krakow leg specifically (rather than Warsaw) on Unsound's own schedule before travelling for a particular act.