According to the Public Relations and International Affairs of the Kish Free Zone Organization, Hamid Hadi, secretary of the sixth Kish Music Festival, referring to the event's history, said: The Kish Music Festival has so far been held in five editions with themes such as ensemble performance of classical Iranian music, music of the southern coasts of Iran, ethnic ritual movements, and regional women's music of Iran, and in the sixth edition, regional music and indigenous rituals with a focus on the presence of female artists have been attended to.
Hadi, referring to the festival's content themes, said: work and life chants, musical maqams, indigenous and local rituals, the capacity of artists from less privileged areas, and lesser-known instruments are subjects of attention in this edition. Encouraging artists to create works based on indigenous musical culture and utilizing the capacity of ethnic music to introduce Kish and strengthen cultural and artistic tourism are also among the festival's other goals.
Ethnic women's ritual movements and music; the two main sections of the festival
The secretary of the sixth Kish Music Festival regarding this edition's structure said: The festival will be held in two sections - regional women's music of Iran and ethnic ritual movements of Iranian peoples - and after receiving and evaluating applicants' works, six groups from each section and twelve groups in total will be selected to participate in the final stage.
Hadi about the evaluation criteria of works said: In the music section, indicators such as adherence to tuning and rhythm, performance technique, group members' coordination, selection and arrangement of pieces, authenticity and musical expression, innovation, and creative execution will be evaluated. In the ritual movements section, authenticity and creativity in performance, movement technique, attention to cultural commonalities, stage etiquette, and audience connection will be among the evaluation criteria.
He added: Regional women's music groups can participate in the festival with a minimum of three and a maximum of six members, and ritual movement groups will be present in this event with a six-member composition including two musicians and four performers of ritual movements. Participation in the festival's different sections has no age limit and the use of ethnic and local dress appropriate to each region's cultural authenticity has also been considered.
Hadi explained the method of presenting works: Regional women's music groups must present two group performances along with solo performances by two prominent musicians of the group. In the ritual movements section, two group performances, solo performances by two prominent musicians, and performances by two prominent members of the group for review by the selection committee have been considered.
He named identifying talented musicians as another program of this edition and added: Attention to obscure and lesser-known instruments of Iran's regions will also be pursued in the talent identification process. The festival winners will receive the festival statue, a certificate of appreciation, and a cash prize at the closing ceremony.
Developing cultural interactions with the presence of foreign groups
The secretary of the sixth Kish Music Festival, referring to the international section of the event, said: The possibility of receiving and reviewing works of music groups from abroad within the framework of the festival call has been foreseen to provide the groundwork for expanding cultural interactions and recognizing musical commonalities with neighboring countries, especially the countries of the Persian Gulf region.
He about how to participate in the festival said: Applicants must register and submit group member details and samples of their works through the festival website at https://kishhonar.ir/. The number 09027128204 has also been designated for contacting the secretariat and following up information related to the festival's various stages.
Hadi concluded: The poster and call for the sixth edition of the festival were unveiled and published on 5 October, and the process of receiving works began on 5 October and will continue until 22 October, and the closing ceremony of the sixth Kish Music Festival titled Ritual and Voice will be held on 11 November 2026 coinciding with Kish Week.