LITHUANIA · MCN MEMBER SINCE 2024
VILNIUS
A CITY WHERE MUSIC LIVES EVERYWHERE
605,270 residents in the city · 708,627 across the metropolitan area
WHAT MAKES A MUSIC CITY
A city earns that name when it —
Supports its creators, performers, venues and communities
Integrates music into strategic urban planning and policy
Invests in cultural and live-music infrastructure
Promotes international collaboration and artist mobility
Strengthens the local music industry and creative initiatives
And actively contributes to the city's identity
A city where music lives everywhere
In Vilnius, music is not confined to concert halls. It moves through public spaces, independent venues, clubs, cultural centres, festivals and neighbourhoods - forming an essential part of the cultural identity of a city of 605,270 residents (708,627 across the metropolitan area).
From experimental music and electronic nightlife at Estrada, Paviljonas, Opium Club and the Minimal Mondays series, to jazz at Jazz Cellar 11, classical tradition at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Jascha Heifetz Competition, and contemporary sounds carried by Radio Vilnius, Palanga Street Radio, Start FM and AGATA - Vilnius supports a remarkably diverse ecosystem. A strong culture of music education, independent creation and community-led initiatives continues to bring new artists, audiences and ideas into the city's musical life.
01 - WHAT MAKES A MUSIC CITY
CARE
Spaces such as SODAS 2123 provide room for experimentation and collaboration, bringing together artists, studios, rehearsals and performances. Independent venues and clubs including Tamsta, Kablys, Gallery 1986 and Draugų Vardai contribute to the city's live and electronic scenes, alongside the Kirtimų Kultūros Centras community centre and grassroots initiatives creating platforms for emerging and alternative voices.
Music also extends into the public realm. Street Music Day, concerts celebrating Vilnius' birthday (Rudens Lygiadienis and the "As Young As Vilnius" festival among them), the Vilnius Lights Festival (Vilniaus šviesų festivalis), major performances at Vingis Park, and the Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival Dainų šventė bring music into shared urban spaces and connect contemporary cultural life with Lithuania's musical traditions.
Two incubators - the Audiovisual Arts Industry Incubator and the Užupis Art Incubator - support artists turning creative work into sustainable practice, while the Filharmonija concert hall anchors the city's classical programming.
"Music brings life, character and energy to Vilnius. It connects people, shapes the city's atmosphere and helps Vilnius remain an open, creative and continuously evolving city."
Valdas Benkunskas
Mayor of Vilnius
02 — MUSIC ECOSYSTEM
Building a stronger music ecosystem
Vilnius is increasingly approaching music not only as cultural expression, but as part of the city's wider development - across four connected scenes.
LIVE & INDEPENDENT
Spaces for experimentation
SODAS 2123 brings together artists, studios, rehearsals and performances under one roof. Independent venues sustain the city's live scene alongside community radio and grassroots initiatives platforming emerging and alternative voices.
SODAS 2123 · Community radio & grassroots initiatives
PUBLIC SPACE & FESTIVALS
Music in shared urban spaces
Street Music Day, concerts marking Vilnius' birthday, major performances at Vingis Park and the Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival Dainų šventė connect contemporary cultural life with Lithuania's musical traditions.
Vingis Park · Dainų šventė · Street Music Day
NIGHTLIFE & ELECTRONIC
A diverse electronic scene
From experimental music to electronic nightlife, Vilnius' clubs and independent venues contribute to a live and electronic scene that runs alongside the city's jazz, contemporary and classical traditions.
Tamsta · Kablys · Gallery 1986
MUSIC POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE
Looking beyond individual events
Through the Vilnius Night Office, the city works with venues, artists, cultural organisations and stakeholders on the infrastructure, relationships and policies needed for a resilient music ecosystem - including the Dainykla initiative, supporting grassroots live-music venues. In 2024, the municipality allocated €1,498,249 to arts funding - though niche and non-commercial genres still receive less support than popular and classical programming, a gap the network's policy exchange is helping Vilnius address.
Vilnius Night Office · Dainykla
03 — VILNIUS X MCN
From member to host, in one year
Vilnius joined the Music Cities Network in 2024, connecting its local music ecosystem with an international community of cities working on many of the same opportunities and challenges. That relationship quickly developed beyond participation alone.
2024
MEMBER SINCE
2025
HOSTED THE SUMMIT
17
PROFESSIONALS WELCOMED
15
CITIES IN THE NETWORK
The 5th MCN Member Summit
For Vilnius, membership creates a platform to exchange knowledge, learn from different approaches to music policy and city development, strengthen international connections and bring experience from other music cities back into the local ecosystem.
In June 2025, Vilnius hosted the 5th Music Cities Network Member Summit, welcoming music professionals from across the network for three days of strategic sessions, working groups, knowledge exchange and visits to the city's cultural infrastructure.
Beyond the summit
Vilnius' engagement with the network extends well past hosting one event - representing the city's music ecosystem at conferences and exchanges across Europe.
Tallinn Music Week
Tallinn, 2026
Murmurs — international music conference
Vilnius, 2026
c/o pop — German music industry conference
Cologne, 2026
Stadt Nach Acht — night-time economy conference
Berlin, 2025
Fallen Flags — musician exchange project
Aalborg, 2025
Riga Night Forum
Riga, 2025
Amsterdam Dance Event
Amsterdam, 2024
04 — Member Voice
To me, being part of the Music Cities Network means collaborating with diverse cities to tackle the unique challenges of our music ecosystems. Together, we share knowledge and best practices to empower local artists and strengthen our communities, fostering a vibrant cultural landscape"
"
Gabija LiaugminaitĖ
Project Manager, Vilnius Night Office
Board Member, Music Cities Network e.V.
Her favourite place in the city's music scene is the DJ booth at Palanga Street Radio's hut in Žvėrynas - where she played her very first DJ set.
Vilnius Night Office
Vilnius is represented within the Music Cities Network by the Vilnius Night Office, an organisation working across nightlife, culture and the night-time economy. Its work connects local stakeholders, develops initiatives supporting cultural spaces and contributes to the longer-term development of Vilnius' music and night-time ecosystems.
MEMBER SINCE
2024
REPRESENTING ORGANISATION
Vilnius Night Office
MAIN MCN REPRESENTATIVE
Gabija Liaugminaitė
MCN ROLE
Board Member
COUNTRY
Lithuania
Vilnius as a member city is represented by:
