Founded in 1993, Ex Ponto is the international festival of performing arts originally presenting artists from territories of the former common state Yugoslavia, and afterwards also including the participants from other parts of Europe and the world. The project originated by Damir Domitrović Kos and was initially established as a movement but Ex Ponto gradually evolved in an international theatre festival and the largest project of B-51 Cultural Society.

The name of Ex Ponto Festival is related to life of the Roman poet Ovid who was – due to his creative endeavours – banished from Rome to Tomis, on the Black Sea. He is a symbol of creativity in the exile which has made part of artists’ life for millennia; similar circumstances upon the dissolution of Yugoslavia brought to Slovenia many artists, in particular from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, Ex Ponto is also the title of the prose poems written by Ivo Andrić, the Bosnian writer and Nobel laureate; the idea of bridges and bonds between nations and cultures regardless of the political conditions.

The first Festival's period (1993 – 1998) was in particular based on the exchange of cultural programmes between Ljubljana and festivals in cities from the region of former Yugoslavia, discussion on political topics, social and ethnical issues in Slovenia and abroad, as well as preservation of contacts between protagonist in the field of culture from Slovenia and those from former common country.  Period was completed with a festival organised in Ljubljana (presenting programme of Bosnian artists) and guest-tour of a selected Slovenian programme in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Second period (1999 – 2004) was the time when the joint theatre co productions emerged and introduced new communication dimension. Large international theatre co productions were the result of long-term strategy and determination of organisers. The Festival's red thread remained topical issues usually ignored by public.

With its tenth anniversary, Ex Ponto's programme expanded to eastern and western Europe and further promotion of festival co productions. The festival performances of the third period (2004 – 2006) addressed the topical subjects of modern forms of violence, devaluation of traditional human values and – following Slovenia's admission to the European Union – also the issue of overcoming physical boundaries.

In its fourth period (2006 – 2009), the Festival's concept was clearly oriented to contemporary performing forms and artists selected on the basis of a carefully considered subject. 2009 edition of Ex Ponto addressing the subject of Family completed the trilogy Politics / Faith and Religion / Family which – through various theatre approaches – dealt with the influence of socio-political categories on the role of an individual and his ingenuity in the modern time.

Starting in 2010, the Festival addresses subjects related to the individual, his personal issues and dilemmas. In this period the reflections in the social phenomena will be addressed from a different perspective. Ex Ponto 2010 subject was Taboo? and its presence in the various fields of human personal and social activity.

The period from 2011 – 2013 upcoming Festival's edition will follow established orientations and re-consideration of topics such as The End or the Beginning? (2011), New or Old Values? (2012) and Where is the Limit? (2013); all within the context of the individual, his integration in the society and changes caused by political turmoil, economic recession and the processes of globalisation. The questions addressed by the subject Where is the Limit? Combined with the 20th anniversary of Ex Ponto shall conclude the 2010 – 2013 period and provide grounds for new Festival's accomplishments.