ViaThea Görlitz — International Street Theatre Festival

30 Years of Street Theatre on the Neisse

ViaThea is one of Germany's oldest street theatre festivals. Founded in 1995 — six years after the fall of the Wall and three years before the reunification of Görlitz-Zgorzelec as a European City — it was conceived as a place where street theatre could bridge the historical division of Görlitz on the German side and Zgorzelec on the Polish Neisse bank. Today, the event is a firm fixture on the European street theatre calendar: Over 420 groups from 40 nations have performed on the squares and in the alleys of the twin city over 30 years.

The City as a Stage

Görlitz, with its Baroque old town centre, is one of Central Europe's most beautiful preserved cities — the film backdrop for «Inglourious Basterds», «Grand Budapest Hotel», and «The Reader». For four festival days, Untermarkt, Obermarkt, Demianiplatz, Marienplatz, the Old Town Bridge to the Polish side, courtyards, churches, and former industrial sites become performance venues. Acrobatics, mime, clown theatre, walking acts, giant puppets, fire shows, dance theatre in public spaces — all with free admission.

2026 — Anniversary Under the Motto «UTOPIA»

The 30th anniversary edition in 2026 runs under the motto «UTOPIA. On the way to Paradise!» and celebrates the festival as a place of possibility, playfulness, and cross-border dreaming. Theater Titanick — one of Germany's most renowned street theatre companies — will present the world premiere of «Creatures» to mark its own 35th anniversary. In addition, there will be guest performances by European ensembles, a preparatory workshop for young artists from June 30th to July 2nd, and an expanded programme surrounding the anniversary — retrospectives, book presentations, and a special evening «A Jubilee Full of Magic» at the theatre.

Görlitz and the Upper Lusatia Region

Görlitz, Germany's easternmost city, lies on the Neisse river directly on the Polish border. With just under 56,000 inhabitants on the German side and 28,000 on the Polish side, Görlitz-Zgorzelec forms a true European City: two languages, two currencies, a shared old town, separated only by a bridge over the Neisse. Visitors to the festival should stay an extra day — to see St. Peter's Church with its sun organ, the Silesian Museum, take a trip to the Zittau Mountains Nature Park, or stroll over to Zgorzelec.