FRATZ International — Festival for the Very Young
International Theatre and Dance Festival for Children Aged 0 to 6 — held biennially at various locations in Berlin
2026
About FRATZ International
FRATZ International — edition 2026
FRATZ International 2026 brings theatre and dance for the very young to several Berlin venues from October 9th to 15th, 2026. The focus is on eight productions from Sweden, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and India, selected from 145 international applications. As in previous years, the festival is accompanied by a professional symposium and specifically targets venues in districts with limited theatre offerings for young families.
Highlights FRATZ International 2026
- 8th edition — October 9th to 15th, 2026
- 8 productions from 6 countries: Sweden, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, UK, India
- Jury selection from 145 international applications
- Premiere Baobab by Cíntia Rangel and Theater o.N.
- FRATZ Research Labs with Indian artists: Neer and Build
Programme FRATZ International 2026
Programme of the 8th edition (jury selection from 145 applications):
International Guest Productions
- ABC – A Painters Alphabet — Kompani Giraff (Sweden), for children aged 3+.
- BÄÄÄM — tanzfuchs PRODUKTION (Germany), for children aged 3+.
- BOSQUE — Flores TeatroDanza (Mexico), for children aged 2+.
- Shelter — Simone de Jong Company (Netherlands), for children aged 3+.
- The Sticky Dance — Second Hand Dance (United Kingdom), for children aged 3 to 5 years.
Premiere by Theater o.N.
- Baobab — Cíntia Rangel and Theater o.N., dance production for children aged 2+.
FRATZ Research Labs India
- Neer — Swapnika Reddy (India), playful exploration for children aged 2 to 4 years.
- Build — Sidharth Varma (India), for children aged 3 to 5 years.
The complete programme with venues in Berlin districts, times, and tickets will be published on fratz-festival.de; the professional symposium runs in parallel.
Prices FRATZ International 2026
Ticket reservations via fratz-festival.de, by phone +49 178 6876106, or by email to [email protected]. Performances take place in small venues — capacities are very limited, early booking recommended.
Practical information — FRATZ International
Getting There
Main venue Theater o.N. at Kollwitzstraße 53 in Prenzlauer Berg, within walking distance of the U-Bahn stations Senefelderplatz (U2) or Eberswalder Straße (U2 / Tram M1, M10). Further venues are spread across various Berlin districts and will be announced in the festival magazine and on fratz-festival.de.
Tickets
Ticket reservations via fratz-festival.de, by phone at +49 178 6876106, or by email to [email protected]. The individual venues have very limited seating capacities — early reservation recommended.
Good to Know
All performances are explicitly designed for children aged 0 to 6. Admission rules (e.g., minimum age per piece, max. accompanying persons) vary per production and are indicated when purchasing tickets. Accessibility information available under "Information about the Venue" on theater-on.de.
Theatre for Two-Year-Olds — A Berlin Hallmark
Art and culture must be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, social, or cultural background — it was from this conviction that Berlin's Theater o.N. founded the FRATZ International festival in 2013. Target audience: children aged 0 to 6. This makes FRATZ the only performing arts festival nationwide designed exclusively for the youngest — dance, object theatre, sound explorations, performances intended for one- and two-year-old audiences. Theater o.N. itself has been located at Kollwitzstraße 53 in Prenzlauer Berg since 1995, emerging from the legendary Theater Zinnober, founded in 1980 at Kollwitzplatz.
Eighth Edition from October 9th to 15th, 2026
In 2026, FRATZ International will take place for the eighth time — from October 9th to 15th. An expert jury has selected five productions from 145 international applications, supplemented by a premiere from Theater o.N. and two works that emerged from the FRATZ Research Labs 2024 with Indian artists. Sweden, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and India are represented.
Decentralized in Berlin
The decentralized programming is important: FRATZ performances take place not only in established venues but also in temporary locations in districts with limited children's cultural offerings. Thus, the festival brings curated international programmes to neighbourhoods where families rarely encounter contemporary dance and object theatre — a mission that FRATZ has pursued since its inception and which makes it special in Berlin's festival calendar.
More Than a Festival: Symposium and Research Labs
FRATZ International is not just a showcase but also an international industry meeting point: alongside the festival activities, a professional symposium and research labs are held, where artists, educators, scientists, and programmers discuss current developments in theatre and dance for very young audiences. The Research Labs with Indian artists from 2024 will feed back into the festival programme in 2026 as independent productions.
Rooted in the Pankow District
FRATZ International is produced in the federal state of Berlin (city-state), with its organizational home in the Pankow district (Theater o.N., Prenzlauer Berg). Theater o.N. is one of Berlin's oldest independent children's theatres and has shaped the discourse on theatre for the very young in Germany for decades — the festival is the international extension of this work.
Where it takes place FRATZ International
FRATZ International at a glance
History of FRATZ International
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