Apply for the OPEN! People's Theatre - Festival of Shops for Rent!

Between April and June 2026, the fifth edition of the **OPEN! Festival of Available Shops** will take place in Józsefváros, organized by **KÉK - Contemporary Architecture Center** and **RÉV8** with the support of the Józsefváros Municipality. The goal of the festival is to help long-vacant commercial spaces find new tenants in the area around Népszínház street, bringing new vitality to the neighborhood. **What is the OPEN! Festival of Available Shops about?** The OPEN! Festival is more than just a cultural event: it is a **cooperative form of real estate brokerage**. During the program, vacant commercial spaces in Budapest will be occupied by initiatives and businesses looking for a location, selected by a professional jury with local connections. **Owners and tenants can experiment with their collaboration with reduced risks**, allowing them to make informed decisions about continuation by the end of the festival. **Who is the OPEN! Festival for?** The selected **businesses can move into previously vacant commercial spaces for free during the festival**, receive business development training, and test their ideas in a real environment. The program **creates value for local residents** as well, bringing quality, locally responsive businesses and community initiatives to the area, which can enrich the neighborhood in the long term. The festival also brings undeniable benefits to a third party, **Budapest**: vacant shops come alive, the urban landscape improves, the local economy strengthens, and creativity flourishes. **How to apply and the review process** The organizers are **seeking project ideas from various fields** – be it cultural, community, social initiatives, or services targeting locals and their intersections. Idea creators can **apply until January 26, 2026** to try their business, business plan, or service in real conditions. In addition to seven municipal commercial spaces, **the organizers welcome applications from private shop owners** to offer as many options as possible for new businesses. Winning entries will be selected by a **professional jury**, with the announcement of results expected on February 9, 2026. The **two-month, cost-free festival period starting in mid-March 2026** – during which tenants will only bear utility costs – will allow businesses to present themselves not only during shop opening hours. **The festival will be accompanied by community programs organized in shops and public spaces** so that newcomers can establish direct connections with local residents and thus reach a new audience. **Important links:** Calls for applications and registration: [https://nyitvafesztival.hu/felhivas/](https://nyitvafesztival.hu/felhivas/) List of available commercial spaces: [https://nyitvafesztival.hu/uzletek-2026/](https://nyitvafesztival.hu/uzletek-2026/) The OPEN! Festival of Available Shops, held as part of the InclusiveCity project, is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation from the National Research Development and Innovation Fund, as part of the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) partnership, co-financed by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program. Copyright 2025 InclusiveCity