Bochum Creative Rally 2026 — 8th Edition

Seven Evenings, Seven Artists, Seven Stages

The Bochum Creative Rally is a festival format with a clear structure: seven consecutive evenings, each featuring a different artist on a different stage in Bochum. The 8th edition will take place from June 19 to 25, 2026. The patron is Lord Mayor Thomas Eiskirch — the city supports the festival, which showcases Bochum's cultural diversity and cultivates the concept of curated one-person shows.

The 2026 Program

Friday, June 19, 2026 — 7:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
“Too Old for Boy Bands” feat. Thomas Anzenhofer & Dean Newman
Festival opening with the duo of actor Anzenhofer and songwriter Newman — a mix of songs, stories, and biographical humor.

Saturday, June 20, 2026 — 5:00 PM

Metropolis Kino
Helmut Sanftenschneider
An evening at Bochum's Metropolis art-house cinema — known for its arthouse films and special screenings.

Sunday, June 21, 2026 — 8:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Peter Großmann
Bochum cabaret artist Peter Großmann with his solo program.

Monday, June 22, 2026 — 8:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Wurst & Wendland
The duo from Bochum with a political-satirical program.

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — 8:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Jo & Klaus Hartmann
A musical-literary evening by the Hartmann brothers from Bochum.

Wednesday, June 24, 2026 — 8:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
“Wie cool war das denn?! — A Journey Back to the 80s”
A nostalgic show with 80s hits, anecdotes, and fashion fun.

Thursday, June 25, 2026 — 8:00 PM

Oval Office, Schauspielhaus Bochum
Sven Bergmann plays Yiruma
Festival finale: Pianist Sven Bergmann interprets the piano works of South Korean composer Yiruma — known for “River Flows in You” and “Kiss the Rain”.

The Rally Concept

Various Locations as the Festival Idea

The term “Rally” is programmatic: Spectators move through various Bochum locations, experiencing different stages and venues. The Oval Office at the Schauspielhaus Bochum is the main venue, but the Metropolis Kino and other unusual locations are also part of the program. This diversity of venues is the festival's identity.

Seven Different Artists

A different artist each evening — no repeats, no galas. The curation selects the talent Bochum and the Ruhr area have to offer. A mix of established stars and new voices.

Free Admission

Remarkable: All seven evenings are free. Tickets are available from June 1, 2026, on the festival website. Limited by seating capacity.

Bochum as a City of Culture

With approximately 370,000 inhabitants, Bochum is the sixth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and boasts an excellent cultural infrastructure — the Schauspielhaus Bochum, one of Germany's most important spoken theaters, the Anneliese-Brost-Musikforum Ruhr, and several art-house cinemas. The Bochum Creative Rally is an effort to make this infrastructure and local artists visible.