KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen

New Director, New Phase

2026 marks a turning point in the history of KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen. Brigitta Muntendorf, a renowned composer, performer, and festival organizer, takes over as artistic director. Muntendorf is known for her genre-crossing works at the intersection of contemporary music, performance, installation, and pop culture. Her first edition sets programmatic accents — with an even stronger opening towards performance, club culture, and participatory formats — while consistently maintaining the site-specific productions that have made the festival famous.

23 Productions, 100 Events

The 2026 program comprises 23 productions, spread across approximately 100 individual events. Most productions are in-house or co-productions with international partners. Genres and formats range from music theatre (opera hybrids, new works, workshop performances) to concerts (contemporary classical, performances, pop), club culture (DJ sets, sound installations, performance parties), performances (theatre, dance, lecture-performances), installations (sound, light, multimedia) to dance (solo, ensemble, participatory formats).

700 Artists from All Over the World

Around 700 artists from more than 30 countries are involved in 2026. The international programming is a hallmark of the festival: acts from Berlin, Vienna, New York, Tokyo, London, Lagos, São Paulo, and many other metropolises meet in Hannover. Both established stars and young newcomers will be present — the KunstFestSpiele are considered an important platform for discoveries and reunions.

Venues: From the Great Garden to the City Districts

Herrenhäuser Gärten — especially the Great Garden as the main venue — form the center of the festival. The Galeriegebäude, the Orangerie, Schloss Herrenhausen, the Berggarten, and the Georgengarten will be used. In addition, there are unusual venues in Hannover's city districts: industrial halls, vacant shops, churches, parks, backyards. This decentralization is part of the program — art should reach out into the city and not just take place in representative locations.

Tradition Meets Avant-Garde

Since 2010, KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen has complemented the traditional event program of the Herrenhäuser Gärten (summer concert series, International Fireworks Competition, Kleines Fest) with a decidedly contemporary art festival. The festival has gained an international reputation that extends far beyond the region. Critics from major national newspapers — Süddeutsche, FAZ, Zeit, taz — report regularly and in detail, and international trade publications follow suit.

Tickets in Many Price Categories

Tickets are available in many price categories — from premium seats for major productions to affordable student rates. Individual performances and installations are accessible free of charge. Festival passes allow access to multiple events at a preferential price.