Bogotá Sacred Music Festival Confirms Dates and Concordia Theme
Bogotá’s Sacred Music Festival now has firm dates for its 15th year. Organizers have confirmed the festival runs September 4 to October 4, 2026, under the theme “La Concordia.”
Key Facts
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What happened. Organizers set the 2026 festival for September 4 to October 4, under the theme “La Concordia.” -
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How big. The 15th edition brings more than 1,000 artists from 16 countries to roughly 25 venues. -
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What it means for you. Visitors this month can catch two world premieres and several free concerts across the city center. -
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The catch. Not every concert is free. Big-name shows at Teatro Colón and Teatro Mayor use paid tickets sold through TuBoleta. -
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Who it affects. Music fans, expats settling into Bogotá, and anyone curating a fall travel calendar around Colombia. -
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What comes next. The closing concert on October 4 pairs Mozart with a Spanish orchestra at Teatro Colón.
Firm dates fill in the picture
The Rio Times reported in July that Bogotá’s Sacred Music Festival, known by its Spanish acronym FIMSAC, would turn 15 in 2026. At that point organizers had not yet released exact dates for the year.
That gap is now closed. The Festival Internacional de Música Sacra de Bogotá will run from September 4 through October 4, 2026, exactly one month of programming.
The festival’s official season page confirms the dates directly. Spanish-language outlets including El Tiempo and El Espectador have also reported the same window this month.
A theme built around harmony
Each year FIMSAC picks a Latin motto to frame its program. For 2026, organizers chose “La Concordia,” which translates roughly as harmony or accord.
The theme fits a festival built on interfaith dialogue. Past years used “La Consagración” in 2024 and “La Gloria” in 2025, both tied to major choral works.
This year’s version centers on a brand-new piece written for the occasion. French composer Julien Faure wrote “Missa pro Vita et Concordia,” or Mass for Life and Concord, specifically for the opening night.
What opens and closes the festival
The opening concert falls on September 4. Colombia’s National Symphony Orchestra and National Choir perform alongside American violinist Rachel Barton Pine.
That program includes music by German composer Max Bruch plus the world premiere of Faure’s new mass. It is one of two world premieres announced for this edition.
The second comes from French early-music specialist Marcel Pérès. He conducts his own new work, inspired by centuries-old manuscripts held at Bogotá’s cathedral archive.
The closing concert on October 4 turns to Mozart. Spain’s Galicia Symphony Orchestra joins Colombia’s National Choir for the composer’s Violin Concerto No. 5 and his Coronation Mass.
Venues span churches and concert halls
FIMSAC has always mixed sacred and secular spaces. This year’s program uses close to 25 locations across Bogotá.
Anchor venues include Teatro Colón, the Catedral Primada de Colombia, and Iglesia San Ignacio. Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, the festival’s usual concert-hall base, also hosts major shows.
International groups add range to the lineup. Britain’s Tallis Scholars, France’s Ensemble Organum, and a Mongolian-Iranian group called Sedda Ensemble all appear this year.
Organizers also planned events beyond concerts. These include workshops, contemplative sessions with Tibetan singing bowls, and a visual-art exhibition titled “Rituales del Espíritu,” or Rituals of the Spirit.
Not every show is free
FIMSAC has long promoted itself as an accessible festival, with most concerts open to the public at no charge. That general pattern still holds for 2026.
But this year’s marquee shows are ticketed. Local paper Semana reported that paid concerts are already on sale through TuBoleta, Colombia’s main ticketing platform.
Organizers have not published individual ticket prices in a way The Rio Times could independently confirm. Readers who want a seat at the opening or closing night should check TuBoleta directly for current pricing.
Why this matters beyond Bogotá
A month-long festival with over 1,000 visiting artists brings real foot traffic downtown. Hotels, restaurants, and taxi drivers near the historic center all feel the bump.
For expats and long-term visitors, FIMSAC is also a low-cost way to sample Bogotá’s cultural life. Many concerts remain free even as the festival’s reputation and scale keep growing.
The festival’s extension into smaller Colombian cities this year, including Manizales and Mompox, is also notable. It signals organizers are testing whether the model travels beyond the capital.
Fifteen straight years of programming also says something about institutional staying power. Few cultural events in the region can point to a decade and a half without interruption.
More: Bogotá Sacred Music Festival Turns 15 with Free Global Concerts, The Rio Times’ earlier report on this year’s 15th-anniversary milestone.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the exact dates for the 2026 Bogotá Sacred Music Festival?
The festival runs from September 4 through October 4, 2026. That covers a full month of concerts and related events across the city.
What does the 2026 theme “La Concordia” mean?
It translates roughly as harmony or accord. Organizers built the opening-night program around a brand-new mass written specifically to reflect that idea.
Are all the concerts free?
Most of them are, in keeping with FIMSAC’s long-standing reputation for accessible programming. Headline shows at Teatro Colón and Teatro Mayor are the exception, and require paid tickets through TuBoleta.
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