R.o.R Festival

You are invited, from 2 to 5 October, to the brightest festival in the Goriška region once again this year.

R.o.R is an international festival of contemporary, intermedia and performative artistic practices, exploring the fields of interdisciplinary, new media and light art. It transforms both urban and rural spaces into stages for artistic expression. The festival showcases artists working at the intersection of science, art and technology, alongside professionals and scientists from a range of disciplines. As of this year, R.o.R is a proud member of the ILO—International Light Festivals Organisation, placing Nova Gorica on the global map of prestigious light festivals.

In 2023, the festival set a new attendance record—over 18,000 visitors gathered in the centre of Nova Gorica over just four days. In its seven-year history, R.o.R has captured the hearts of both locals and tourists and become an integral part of the cross-border Goriška region’s cultural landscape. Who could forget the spectacular Moon and Mars by Luke Jerram on Bevkov trg? Or the Light Trail, which features works by leading intermedia artists across open-air spaces and local galleries? Our favourite memory remains the psychedelic projections lighting up the monument to Rusjan and the Eda Centre steps—brought to life by the Lightspray Visual collective and, last year, by German artist Claudia Reh (Echtzeitlich).

 

OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL

Thursday, 2 October 2025, at 19:00, Bevkov Square, Nova Gorica

• Opening with the exhibition Light Path.
• At 19:30 concert by the Nova Gorica School of Music Band, conducted by Armando Mariutti, with the participation of a selected soloist choir from the school.

 

LIGHT PATH – OPEN-AIR EXHIBITION

The language of light will illuminate Nova Gorica, guiding visitors through 12 installations and light projections.

Participating artists: Matej Bizovičar, Antonin Fourneau, Radu Ignat, Luke Jerram, Daniel Kurniczak, Hermes H:E:M Mangialardo, Lado Rot, Nano VJs, Simon Šerc & Martina Testen

World premieres 2025:

• Tekoče viaggio (Nano VJs) – video mapping on the City Hall, dedicated to the Soča/Isonzo River and the intertwining of Slovenian–Italian history. https://www.ror-art.com/2025/artists.html#nano
• Nokturno (Simon Šerc & Martina Testen) – an interactive audio-visual installation that follows the rhythm of the night and reveals invisible connections in nature. https://www.ror-art.com/2025/artists.html#mart

A special highlight will also be the GAIA project by British artist Luke Jerram, created in collaboration with NASA, presenting our planet in a majestic way. https://www.ror-art.com/2025/artists.html#luke 

 

INTERNATIONAL SCOPE AND PARTNERSHIPS 

The festival features creators from 8 countries: France, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom.

This new edition also brings numerous new collaborations that have contributed to the quality and diversity of the program:

• IKA – Istrian Cultural Agency
• HUiU – Croatian Association of Multimedia Artists
• Region of Istria
• GLOBE Italia Association
• German Embassy in Ljubljana

The full program is available at https://www.rorart.com/2025/index_en.html#program and in the festival brochure.