NATPE Budapest is repositioning itself in the industry calendar and will take place April 27–29, 2026, two months earlier than in previous years.
The market will return to the InterContinental Budapest, with exclusive screenings and high-level sessions once again hosted at the nearby Dorothea Hotel.
The shift to April is driven by feedback from buyers and exhibitors. By slating NATPE Budapest ahead of the increasingly crowded June window, the new dates better align with buyers’ planning cycles and travel demands — ensuring stronger attendance, earlier deal flow, and a more productive environment for all participants.
“We listened and we’re acting,” said Claire Macdonald, executive director of NATPE. “After an outstanding 2025 edition, it became clear that moving NATPE Budapest to April gives buyers and partners a valuable head start. Buyers are the heartbeat of any sales market, and NATPE Budapest is where real dealmaking happens – not just conversation. This earlier timing maximizes efficiency, boosts deal flow and reinforces NATPE Budapest’s role as the CEE region’s most business-focused event. The shift reflects our ongoing commitment to building the most responsive and results-driven platform for content dealmaking.”
In addition, NATPE Budapest has appointed two new board members: Caroline Hurmson, senior director Acquisition and Content Strategy, Antenna Group and László Fülöp, senior acquisition and contract manager I Kids Channels, AMC Networks International.
The market will span three full days, with programming and the marketplace getting underway on Monday morning and wrapping late on Wednesday afternoon.
The decision follows the momentum of NATPE Budapest 2025, which drew over 750 delegates from more than 65 countries, including more than 400 buyers and 100 exhibitors and partners.
Leave A Comment