Apply now for co-curation of Theater der Welt 2026

Germanys most important international performing arts festival 'Theater der Welt' (Theatre of the World) will take place in 2026 in the City of Chemnitz. The Festival Academy is honoured to be partnering with Die Theater Chemnitz and the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, together with the German Section of the International Theatre Institute to redefine the boundaries of festival curation. We are delighted to announce a unique opportunity exclusively for curators from The Festival Academy’s/ITI Academy’s Alumni community:

We are jointly calling for experienced curators to apply for co-curating Theater der Welt 2026. We are searching for curators who are committed to the transformative power of the arts and who are interested to be part of an innovative approach to curation.

The curational approach we envision with ‘Theatre of the World 2026 in Chemnitz - A Festival of the International Theatre Institute (ITI)’ is based on our belief in the power of collective imagination. In a world increasingly defined by boundaries, divisions, and singular narratives we need counter-stories to be told. Our approach is a statement of art's capacity to transcend borders and to create dialogue. We aim to provide a platform for artists from underrepresented regions from all around the globe to share their narratives.

We call for curators who are not just adept in the arts but also visionary in their commitment to equity and inclusivity. The enivsioned curational process demands a collaborative spirit in a team that weaves together the threads of the main themes of partnership, equality, sustainability, interdisciplinarity, and digitality into a coherent narrative for the festival to activate art’s potential for transformative change.

The European Capital of Culture Chemnitz, die Theater Chemnitz and The Festival Academy believe that festivals are bridging platforms through which we can create connections that remind us of our collective humanity. Theater der Welt 2026 Chemnitz wants to be an invitation to curators, artists, as well as audiences to explore, to embrace, and to celebrate our shared human experience.

The co-curation programme will offer the opportunity to up to 8 young curators from The Festival Academy and ITI Academy Alumni community from all over the world to co-curate the artistic programme of the festival in a 2-year long process which will be supported by various capacity building activities and guided by mentors (experienced festival leaders, local cultural workers and cross-sector experts).

Find out more about the programme, the application procedure, the partners and details of the offer here.