Artists, Shows & Entertainment

Berlin, 25 June 2026 – FREO – Independent Ensembles and Orchestras in Germany is launching a digital information portal for politicians, public authorities, the press and the independent music scene, featuring a newly structured website. At the familiar web address www.freo-netzwerk.de, FREO has reorganised its positions, demands, projects and resources relating to the working realities of independent ensembles and orchestras.

facts and fiction won the Grand Prix in the “Spatial Experience” category with “Wa! Germany!” – the ADC’s highest honour. Ten points for Germany and Austria, coming second in the overall rankings. The pavilion brought the circular economy to life in a spatial and interactive way.

From 17–19 July, the “City of Dreams” returns to Weeze Airport. 225,000 visitors, 300 acts across 13 stages, with headliners including Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte, The Chainsmokers and Scooter. 5 days of camping, a pre-party, and newly structured campsite categories.

For over four decades, the awards have supported thousands of musicians – across 120 categories ranging from rock to production. Over 15,000 entrants, 12,000 press reports and a unique archive document the evolution of popular music. Entries for 2026 are now open.

Submissions are now open until 31 August 2026. New: the "Best Creator Event" category for influencer formats; ARCHITECTURE is renamed SPATIAL COMMUNICATION. Proof of sustainability is now mandatory in the EVENT category. The awards ceremony will take place in January 2027 in Dortmund.

Greater safety, more hassle: new guidelines for temporary structures could make it more difficult to erect temporary structures in future.

The reform of GEMA’s cultural funding is causing a stir in the industry and could also have an impact on performers’ fees and event budgets in the future.

The "City of Dreams" returns to Weeze from 17-19 July. 300 acts, including Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte, The Chainsmokers and DJ Ötzi. New: exclusive Face2Face specials in the Cloud Factory - seven DJ duels live on Saturday. Get your tickets now!

Following its successful premiere in 2025, the BDKV's industry award is entering the next round. From 1 July, BDKV members can submit their outstanding projects - from classical music and festivals to comedy and sustainability. A new addition is the "Architect" category, which honours the work of artist mediators for the first time. The award ceremony will take place on 24 November 2026 in Berlin.

From 6-8 October 2026, Hamburg Messe will open its doors to the world of experience technology. On the occasion of the 5th anniversary, there are exclusively 155 Connect Passes free of charge - including networking with experts. Highlights: Tim Routledge, Jascha Süß, Calvin Hollywood & new exhibitors such as Layher and TBF Pyrotec.

A TEA study, to which Forbes refers, confirms that Europa-Park has 57% visitor growth (2005-2024) - 5th place worldwide. The only owner-managed park among the top parks is praised for its strategic destination tourism. Multiple "Best Theme Park in the World" now receives international Forbes recognition.

Under the motto "NIGHTCALL - for LiveCom Excellence", Switzerland's most important industry award is calling the most creative minds and innovative projects in live communication to the stage. 49 outstanding submissions are already online - supplemented for the first time by the XAVER LiveComvention, a participatory "unconference" as a warm-up to the big award night. Topics range from sustainability and AI to the future of hybrid events. Public voting starts on 4 August 2026.