Morgenland Festival Osnabrück 2026

City of Peace and Music of the Middle East

Osnabrück has seen itself as a City of Peace since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Morgenland Festival takes this claim seriously, creating a space since 2005 where music from the Near and Middle East, the Caucasus, the Maghreb, and their diaspora communities can be heard. The festival has gained international recognition over the past two decades and is considered one of the most important forums for intercultural musical dialogue in Europe.

2026 Theme: Voices of the Diaspora

The theme 'Voices of the Diaspora' is dedicated to the artistic voices shaped in the diaspora – musicians who live and create between their cultures of origin and new homelands. It addresses contemporary global movements and makes audible how migration and flight transform and enrich artistic language.

New Artistic Direction

With Iranian clarinetist Shabnam Parvaresh, a new artistic director takes the helm in 2026. She has made an international name for herself as a sought-after soloist and composer. Her programming combines the highest musical quality with a clear stance on social issues.

Artists 2026

Confirmed artists include South Indian singer Ganavya, who blends her classical Carnatic tradition with contemporary jazz; British-Bahraini trumpeter Yazz Ahmed with her highly acclaimed Arab-British jazz program; and the duo Kit Downes (piano/organ) and Shiva Feshareki (composition/turntables).

Venues and Exhibition

The festival takes place at several locations in the city center: Lagerhalle, Kunsthalle, St. Marien Church, Bergkirche, Kleine Freiheit, and Kunstraum hase29. The accompanying exhibition 'Topographies of Resistance' showcases artistic works related to the festival theme.