Croatian city Pula announces its return to the global music map with 15 major events and an extended concert season at the Arena.
After a lackluster concert season, the city of Pula has big ambitions for next summer — aiming to bring the world’s biggest music names back to the iconic Arena, including the legendary Carl Cox.
The information was revealed to Istarski.hr by Goran Mihovilović, the new member of the Amphitheatre Events Committee, who presented part of the plan for the summer of 2026.
“We’ve had a poor season at the Arena considering its potential. The problem was that we were passive for years, waiting for others to contact us. My first task was to change that approach and reach out to the world’s leading production houses,” said Mihovilović.
He added that the goal is for the concert season to run from May 1st to September 1st, featuring around 15 major events.
Alongside Carl Cox, the list of potential performers for next summer includes Iron Maiden, Nick Cave, Sting, David Byrne, and One Republic.
The new event plan is based on creating exclusivity and prestige for performances in the Arena. The city understands that the venue is small for mega-concerts, but the goal is to attract top global names through exclusivity — with artists performing several nights in a row, establishing a kind of residency.
The main difference compared to past concert organization is that the city now plans to contact promoters and artists directly, rather than waiting for applications through public tenders.
“If we can arrange for Coldplay or U2, I’d always support having such an artist perform seven nights in a row — it would be incredible promotion for Pula and our local economy. The Arena is an enormous asset that we must use wisely to promote the city and extend the tourist season,” explained Mihovilović, adding that everything for next summer should be finalized by the end of September.
The Pula Arena has long been more than just a historical landmark — it’s a stage for exclusive events. Over the years, it has often transformed into a massive dance floor, the latest example being this summer’s performance by Jean-Michel Jarre.
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