Open the Arts Festival
International Dance and Art Festival in Saarlouis — Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz, Improv Theater, Comedy, and Clowning
2026
About Open the Arts
Open the Arts — edition 2026
The 2026 edition follows the established three-day format: workshops from Friday to Sunday, evening parties from Friday to Sunday, and the Open Arts Stage as an open performance format. Beginners are especially welcome — the Sunday workshops are specifically designed for them.
Highlights Open the Arts 2026
- 17 workshops in Lindy Hop and related arts
- Three live band parties
- Beginner program on Sunday
- International audience from across Europe
- Theater am Ring as the main venue
Programme Open the Arts 2026
Friday, April 17, 2026
- Afternoon — Festival opening, workshops begin
- Evening — First Festival Party with live band (Swing 1930s–1950s) and DJ Team Lindy Hop Saarbrücken
Saturday, April 18, 2026
- Morning and Afternoon — Workshops in Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz, Improv Theater, Clowning, Comedy, Movement
- Evening — Main Party with live band, Open Arts Stage, performances
Sunday, April 19, 2026
- Morning — Beginner Workshops for Lindy Hop, Solo Jazz
- Afternoon — Advanced workshops
- Evening — Farewell Party with live band
Registration and tickets: openthearts.de
Prices Open the Arts 2026
Full festival passes around €200–€250, day passes and party-only tickets are cheaper. Early bird discounts available.
Practical information — Open the Arts
Getting There
By train to Saarlouis Hauptbahnhof — RB from Saarbrücken in 20 minutes. By car via the A8 (Saarlouis exit). Theater am Ring is centrally located, with parking facilities nearby.
Tickets and Registration
Via openthearts.de. Early bird discounts available.
What You Need
Comfortable dance shoes (leather-soled or dance shoes for smooth floors). Sportswear/dance attire for workshops, casual outfit for evening parties (1930s/1940s style welcome, but not required).
Beginners Welcome
Beginner workshops on Sunday, taster sessions before parties. No prior experience necessary.
When Swing Reaches the Saarland
The Open the Arts Festival in Saarlouis is one of the few international dance and movement art festivals in the Saarland. The concept is unusual: classic Lindy Hop workshops are combined with Solo Jazz, improv theater, comedy, clowning, and physical movement art. For three days, the Theater am Ring on Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring transforms into an international meeting point for dance and performance.
Who Comes Here
The festival attracts dancers from all over Europe — Lindy Hoppers from Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Milan are common. At the same time, Open the Arts specifically targets beginners: there are beginner workshops on festival Sunday, taster sessions before the parties, and weekly beginner courses starting in early March in Saarbrücken.
Workshops and Courses Offered
- 17 workshops at various skill levels
- Lindy Hop (main discipline) — the swing dance form of the 1930s and 1940s
- Solo Jazz — dance form without a partner
- Improv Theater
- Comedy and Clowning
- Movement Art
Three Evening Parties with Live Bands
The highlight of each festival session is the three parties: each with a live band playing music from the 1930s to the 1950s. DJs from the Team Lindy Hop Saarbrücken will also be present. Open Arts Stage — an open stage — gives dancers and performance artists the opportunity to showcase their own contributions.
Organization
The festival is organized in cooperation between Lindy Hop Saarbrücken, the leading swing dance club in Saarland, and the European City of Saarlouis. The Theater am Ring serves as the main venue, with additional spaces in the city used for workshops.
Saarlouis as a Festival City
Saarlouis — a fortress city in the Saarlouis district, founded in 1680 by Louis XIV — has developed into a festival city in recent years: from Emmes (concert festival) to the Max Ophüls Film Festival in the vicinity, to Open the Arts. The compact city center and good accessibility (train from Saarbrücken in 20 minutes) make the city an ideal festival backdrop.
Where it takes place Open the Arts
Open the Arts at a glance
History of Open the Arts
Edition 2025 Apr 2025Festivals similar to Open the Arts
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