FRATZ International — Festival for the Very Young

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.