FESTIVAL LJUBLJANA X SPOTIFY

Cultural institutions often face the challenge of distance when addressing younger generations. In the eyes of young audiences, classical music, opera, and jazz are often perceived as inaccessible or reserved for those who already know and understand these genres. Our challenge was to bring the 74th Ljubljana Festival closer to an audience that discovers music and content through algorithms and Spotify playlists. The issue was not the music itself, but the language. Classical music needed to be translated from the language of institutions into the language of emotions, moods, and lifestyles.

We designed an innovative digital strategy that brought Festival Ljubljana to Spotify for the first time. Instead of presenting the program in a traditional way, based on genres or music theory, we translated festival events into the language of playlists and musical identities. We created five thematic Spotify playlists, each representing a different type of listener or mood. For the playlist names and descriptions, we used a contemporary and playful tone that feels closer to younger generations.

We extended the campaign from the digital environment directly into the streets of Ljubljana.

• We designed a series of Tam-Tam posters that functioned as physical versions of Spotify playlists. Each poster included a Spotify code that, when scanned, instantly took passers-by into the world of the selected music.
• We also created an interactive landing page where users could vote for their favorite playlist and take part in a prize draw for festival tickets.
• Ticket sales were designed as a continuation of this experience. Instead of using a generic call to purchase tickets, we invited users to experience live on the festival stage the feeling they had discovered through the playlist.

With this campaign, Festival Ljubljana entered Spotify for the first time and positioned itself as a contemporary cultural institution that successfully brings its content closer to younger audiences. The campaign created a strong visual presence in the city, with posters serving as a bridge between the urban environment and the digital experience. Through this project, we wanted to show that with the thoughtful use of contemporary platforms and language, classical art can be brought closer to new generations and presented in a way that is accessible, engaging, and relevant.