The organisers will strive to prepare an interesting programme in spite of severe budget cuts, head of the organisers Vladimir Rukavina told the press while presenting the programme draft, which will be complemented according to potential extra funds.

The 23rd edition of the festival will open with the dance production "Hunting Season" at the dance stage on 26 June and will continue to run between 3 and 11 July after a week break.

The main stage will move from the Drava river to the riverbank, featuring concerts by American jazz-fusion guitar players Al di Meiola and Bill Frisell, Brazilian group Bossa Negra and Hamilton de Holland, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and the international elektro-tango ensemble Plaza Francia.

The traditional Festival Folkart, a section of the Lent events, will be held at the SNG Maribor theatre house, while it will close in one of the open-air stages on 4 July.

The children will still be able to enjoy the Art kamp section of the festival, while the Večer stage will host some acclaimed musicians, including blues singer Ana Popović, Serbian band Riblja Čorba and Croatian punk rock band Hladno pivo.

The final budget of the festival remains unknown, but the organisers estimate it will be cut to EUR 750,000 form last year's EUR 1.2m.

The organisers has been facing budget cuts for the past three years and even threatened to call off the festival last year at the last minute, when the government and the city of Maribor approved extra funds only a week before the event.