Spotlight On: Festival Culture brings the festival industry together at the Reeperbahn Festival

The LiveKultur Federal Foundation, the LiveMusikKommission and Knust are joining forces at the Reeperbahn Festival to create a new platform for professional exchange, debates on cultural policy and personal encounters. “Spotlight On: Festival Culture” is aimed at festival organisers, event promoters, associations, emerging talent and other key players in the live culture sector.

Expert panels on current challenges facing the festival industry

Three expert panels will address key issues facing the German festival scene.

On Thursday 17 September, the session “Festival Study 2025: One Industry, Many Realities”, running from 12:00 to 13:30, will examine differences between genres, scenes and regions. The focus will be on the question of what consequences this has for the sector and cultural policy.

This will be followed from 14:00 to 15:30 by the panel “#KulturSichern & Taking a Stand: Festivals as Democratic Infrastructure”. Discussions will centre on the social role of festivals and cultural venues, potential alliances with civil society, and the development of resilient structures in the face of growing political pressure.

On Friday, 18 September, the session ‘Festival Season 2026/2027: Festivals as a Political No-Man’s-Land?’, running from 16:00 to 17:30, will examine the political scope for action available to festivals. This will also cover strategies that organisers can use to respond to social change and political pressure.

International networking and supporting emerging talent

Another key focus is on exchange within the European festival landscape. As part of the ‘Meet the European Festivals’ matchmaking event, YOUROPE will bring together festival organisers from various countries on Friday from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm. The event aims to foster new contacts, collaborations and the international transfer of knowledge.

From 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm, the BDKV’s Future Talents Day is aimed at young people wishing to embark on a career in the events industry. There, young professionals will meet companies and experienced industry figures and gain insights into various fields of work.

Helga! Festival Award gets a new look

The programme also includes the Helga! Festival Award, which will be presented on Thursday from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm at Knust. Since 2013, the award has recognised outstanding achievements, innovative concepts and commitment within the German festival scene.

In 2026, the award will be organised for the first time in collaboration with associations, institutions and networks from the festival sector. The partners involved include the BDKV, the LiveMusikKommission, Initiative Musik, the German Music Information Centre, the Federal Foundation LiveKultur and Höme. The reorganisation aims to integrate the industry’s professional perspective more closely into the individual categories.

Concerts at Knust and on Lattenplatz will complement the industry and community programme on both days.

Access to Spotlight On: Festival Culture

The designated professional, community and emerging talent events can be attended even without a standard Reeperbahn Festival ticket. A separate, free Spotlight On: Festival Culture ticket is required.

A standard Reeperbahn Festival ticket is required for the showcases at Knust. The concerts at Lattenplatz are also accessible without a festival pass.

Further information and the free ticket are available on the ‘Spotlight On: Festival Culture’ website.