TKESHI
New Media Art & Diverse Music Festival
TKESHI emerged from the desire to break through urban monotony and (re)unite with nature.
Open Statement
TKESHI began in 2020 as an event series. Since then, we have managed to establish a full-scale new media art and diverse music festival at a unique location, at the pine forest near Kojori, just outside Tbilisi. Over the years, we have hosted around 230 Georgian and international artists, presenting audiovisual performances, installations, and a variety of public activities.
Our vision has always been rooted in taking new media art and audio visual practices to open, natural environments — connecting people through art, sound, and nature. At the same time, we are committed to supporting the growth of the new media art scene and ecosystem in Georgia. Considering that since 2021, Tbilisi has held the status of a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.
However, since late 2024, Georgia has entered a period of political crisis. The passing of repressive laws, the manipulation of elections, and increasing state pressure on civil society — including the independent cultural and creative sectors — have all intensified. Today, independent artistic initiatives in Georgia face daily struggles to survive and function under oppressive conditions.
This year, TKESHI Festival — like many other open-air cultural initiatives — was officially denied permission by Tbilisi City Hall to hold the event at its usual forest location, citing "safety concerns." Although we began working on the 2025 edition a year in advance, the political destabilization that escalated in the autumn of 2024 cast serious doubt on whether the festival could go forward at all.
This open statement from the TKESHI team aims to share our current situation and the decision to open a new chapter for the festival in Lisbon.
Against the backdrop of Georgia’s ongoing political crisis and increasing pressure on civil society—including the refusal by local authorities to grant access to our traditional forest venue—and in the absence of public funding or municipal support, TKESHI is continuing its work through independent resources and international collaboration.
This is a challenging and risky decision — but we are looking forward to meeting our audience once again, with a diverse and exciting program ahead.
TKESHI opens its Lisbon chapter
This is more than a new location—it is an invitation to connect, collaborate, and build new cultural networks across borders. We invite artists, audiences, partners, and communities to join us in shaping what comes next.
TKESHI continues. Join us in Lisbon.