Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026 takes place from 24 to 26 June 2027.

Reflexe & Reflexionen

Reflexes &amp; Reflections

<ul> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{985994fa-3b91-487d-906b-61668dcbd5ad},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2026/kalender}}}">Calendar</a></li> <li><a href="${link:{uuid:{f225f00c-b13e-4caa-bcd7-433ac4ad04c9},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/die-reihe/team-kontakt}}}">Team</a></li></ul>

Programm 2027

2027

Programme 2027

Reflexe und Reflexionen

cookieConsent

Reflexe & Reflexionen 2026

times

Berliner Festspiele 75

appFooterBfsLogo

Gropius Bau linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals0

Jazzfest Berlin linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals1

MaerzMusik linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals2

Musikfest Berlin linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals3

Performing Arts Season_neu

appFooterFestivals4

Theatertreffen linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals5

Treffen junge Szene linksbündig_neu

appFooterFestivals6

appFooterLinks0

appFooterLinks1

appFooterLinks2

appFooterLinks3

appFooterLinks4

appFooterLinks5

appFooterLinks6

appFooterLinks7

appFooterLinks8

appFooterSocials0

appFooterSocials1

appFooterSocials2

bkm-logo_en

appFooterSponsors0

appHeaderButtons0

appHeaderMenuFestivals0

links0

links1

appHeaderMenuGroups0

links2

appHeaderMenuGroups1

links3

appHeaderMenuGroups2

appHeaderMenuLinks0

As part of “Reflexes and Reflections”, the Berliner Festspiele organise artistic-discursive theme days at irregular intervals, which deal with social problems and controversial topics.

Fallback-Bild Reflexe_Reflexionen

reflexe-und-reflexionen-config

No events of Reflexes &amp; Reflections today

ctas0

ctas1

ctas2

Today’s Events

Video Installation

todayButton

program

Key Visual Reflexe & Reflexionen 2026

Reflexe_Reflexionen _sw

4-Day Focus curated by Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel

The Great Disorder

visibility

slides

rere2025_mission_accomplished_belanciege_key_visual

slides0

In “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE”, Hito Steyerl, Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze and Miloš Trakilović investigate how data analysis practices within the fashion industry are used in targeted advertising on social media and what dangers thus arise for liberal democracies.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE

rere25_freedom_sonata_key_visual

slides1

In “Freedom Sonata”, dance artist Emanuel Gat, together with a group of dancers of diverse heritage and styles, re-examines the form of the sonata. He creates complex scores, which the dancers make their own live on stage.

Freedom Sonata

rere2025_late_night_programm

slides2

Max Uthoff, political cabaret artist and host of the ZDF programme “Die Anstalt”, teams up with Enissa Amani, comedienne and activist. Together, they discuss the snap election results and explore the question: what’s left to laugh about?

German Federal Election 2025. What’s Left to Laugh About?

Artistic Programme

ctas

BFS26_Newsletter_Icon_schwarz

smartInfo

The Berliner Festspiele newsletter keeps you up to date on ticket sale starts, new events and selected highlights.

Stay connected. Stay informed.

01116

teasers

ctaButton

bfs26_ringbahn_mit_stationen

teasers0

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele, the artist Akira Takayama invites the public to take guided tours on the Berlin Ringbahn that will enable them to encounter ghosts of alternative futures.

What If Berlin

Fallback-Bild Performing Arts Season

teasers1

The fourth edition of the Performing Arts Season focuses on myths and rituals – with works by international artists such as Marina Abramović, Marie Chouinard and Dumb Type. Advance tickets are available.

Performing Arts Season

Fallback-Bild Musikfest Berlin

teasers2

The Musikfest Berlin brings together leading international orchestras, renowned conductors and outstanding soloists in a diverse concert programme – ranging from opera productions to contemporary works. Advance tickets are available.

Musikfest Berlin

Fallback-Bild Tanztreffen der Jugend

teasers3

More than 60 productions from across Germany applied to take part in this year’s Tanztreffen der Jugend. Following the jury’s selection process, the 10&nbsp;productions chosen for the final programme have been announced. The programme schedule has been published, advance ticket sales are open.

Tanztreffen der Jugend

More Berliner Festspiele

01117

bfs26_internationales_literaturfestival_berlin

Under the motto “You are born with your face turned everywhere”, the 26th International Literature Festival Berlin (ILB) will bring together over 100 authors from more than 40 countries at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

International Literature Festival

Save-the-Date-allgemein

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026

Advance ticket sales for this year’s edition of Reflexe &amp; Reflexionen begin on 10&nbsp;June at 14:00.

Advance Ticket Sales

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2026 will take place from 27&nbsp;August to 30&nbsp;August.The Berliner Festspiele are a cultural institution closely connected with the changing history of Berlin and the partition of Europe. But what marks out the present state of the world? What are the political, social and cultural consequences derived from a global order that is increasingly shaped by wars, imperial power grabs and multipolar lines of conflict? The four-day focus Reflexes &amp; Reflections Die gro&szlig;e Unordnung (The Great Disorder) will examine the effects of these developments on liberal democracies and international co-operation. A special highlight is the conversation with former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on the evening of 29&nbsp;August&nbsp;2026. She will discuss the challenges of the current geopolitical shifts for open societies together with the curators of Reflexes and Reflections, Saba-Nur Cheema and Meron Mendel. Prominent speakers from the worlds of politics, academia and the arts – including Adam Tooze, Meera Nanda and Steffen Mau – will shed light on the future of liberal institutions and alliances, the continuity of colonial violence, lines of conflict within Germany’s post-migrant society as well as artistic and curatorial reactions to a world in disorder.&nbsp;

The next edition of Reflexe &amp; Reflexionen is scheduled to take place from 24 to 26&nbsp;June 2027. The programme will be published in spring 2027.

Reflexe &amp; Reflexionen 2027

The Reflexes &amp; Reflections theme days are a programme series organised by Berliner Festspiele. In times of increasing polarisation of social debates, it aims to create open and controversial spaces for discussion. Reflexes &amp; Reflections brings together artistic and discursive positions to negotiate social problems and contentious issues.

About Reflexes &amp; Reflections

filters

Upcoming Events

rr26_20260827_die-grosse-unordnung_neuanfang-oder-ende-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-8

rr26_20260830_kunst--und-meinungsfreiheit-unter-druck_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-118

rr26_20260827_die-grosse-unordnung_neuanfang-oder-ende-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-50

rr26_20260830_kunst--und-meinungsfreiheit-unter-druck_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-130

rr26_20260829_nach-dem-postkolonialismus_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-21

rr26_20260830_welches-wissen-fuer-die-zukunft-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-39

rr26_20260829_nach-dem-postkolonialismus_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-74

rr26_20260830_globale-konflikte-in-der-postmigrantischen-gesellschaft_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-53

rr26_20260830_globale-konflikte-in-der-postmigrantischen-gesellschaft_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-13

rr26_20260829_bundeskanzlerin-a--d--angela-merkel-im-gespraech-mit-saba-nur-cheema-und-meron-mendel_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-44

rr26_20260830_welches-wissen-fuer-die-zukunft-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-60

rr26_20260830_welches-wissen-fuer-die-zukunft-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-1

rr26_20260830_welches-wissen-fuer-die-zukunft-_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-55

rr26_20260829_internationale-buendnisse-unter-beschuss_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-92

rr26_20260829_internationale-buendnisse-unter-beschuss_seitenbuehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-53

rr26_20260829_bundeskanzlerin-a--d--angela-merkel-im-gespraech-mit-saba-nur-cheema-und-meron-mendel_grosse-buehne_c_berliner-festspiele_foto_camille-blake-26

media

Impressionen Reflexe & Reflexionen 2026

Impressions 2026

Impressions 2026

Certainly since the re-election of Donald Trump it has become clear that a violent, multipolar world order is evolving. Autocratic tendencies that are now also manifesting themselves in former liberal democracies are converging with returning fantasies of great imperial power. Meanwhile East-West and North-South axes are gradually becoming less significant in charting political relations in a radically changing world.As a result, the legacy of liberal institutions and international co-operation is being questioned. A postcolonial perspective, fed by criticism of Western policy, is also insufficient to describe current geopolitical conflicts. At the same time, major global conflicts impact Germany’s postmigrant society and threaten social harmony.The third edition of Reflexes &amp; Reflections, again was curated by the political scientist <a href="${link:{uuid:{d68c7e9b-05aa-428b-aeb7-563012c11ddc},repository:{artists},path:{/bfs-mediathek/C/saba-nur-cheema}}}">Saba-Nur Cheema</a> and the historian <a href="${link:{uuid:{6750d4bb-3e82-4177-bcf9-b29e55fd9a39},repository:{artists},path:{/bfs-mediathek/M/meron-mendel}}}">Meron Mendel</a>, also marked the 75th&nbsp;anniversary of the Berliner Festspiele. As a cultural institution that is linked to Berlin’s eventful history, in their anniversary year the Berliner Festspiele examined the consequences of the current geopolitical upheaval for open societies.Where should socially and culturally engaged individuals and institutions now turn? Which new co-ordinates offer a degree of orientation? In considering these problems, among the prominent speakers from the fields of politics, academia and culture, the voices of Berlin schoolchildren were also heard for the first time.

rere26_videobild_nach_dem_postkolonialismus

The third edition reflected an increasingly violent, multipolar world order, marked by the rise of autocratic tendencies and the waning relevance of traditional geopolitical frameworks. Against this backdrop, what points of reference remain for social and cultural actors and institutions - and which new ones are emerging?&nbsp;The panels and discussions of Reflexes &amp; Reflections are published in the Berliner Festspiele media library and, in collaboration with the Festival Internacional Teatro a Mil (Santiago de Chile), they also will be made available on their website with Spanish subtitles.&nbsp;

Reflexes &amp; Reflections in the Media Library

Public disputes today are louder, more intense and more hostile than ever. Right-wing and authoritarian parties are gaining increasing support. Many people feel they are not being heard. Others complain of being unable to express their opinions. And in many parts of society, trust in the mediating power of state institutions and established media is declining.n view of this imbalance, Berliner Festspiele assessed the current state of affairs: How is our culture of debate failing? What role do social media, inequality and ideological conflicts play in this? And how can a lively praxis of public debate be encouraged? These questions were considered in the second edition of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections” in March 2025, which was once again curated by political scholar Saba-Nur Cheema and historian Meron Mendel. This time, the focus was on the future of debate culture.On three packed days devoted to this theme, prominent speakers discussed in a series of panel discussions, lectures and workshops the possibilities of liberating public discourse from its enduring but unproductive state of arousal. Participants included Jeffrey Goldberg, Alice Hasters, Yasmine M’Barek, Hasnain Kazim, Gilda Sahebi, Mithu Sanyal, Stefan Niggemeier and Deniz Y&uuml;cel.Artistic perspectives on processes of social negotiation were offered by the dance piece <a href="${link:{uuid:{ef75b370-61ac-4141-a551-683781849dc2},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/freedom-sonata}}}">“Freedom Sonata”</a> by Emanuel Gat and the video installation <a href="${link:{uuid:{65c2a467-f3cc-42dd-b854-94f63ee521c5},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/mission-accomplished-belanciege}}}">“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: BELANCIEGE”</a> by Hito Steyerl, Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze and Miloš Trakilović. Alongside all the serious questions that were discussed as part of “Reflexes &amp; Reflections”, there was also room for a sense of humour: shortly after the 2025 German Federal election, comedian <a href="${link:{uuid:{c46e2e10-63d3-4b2b-aad5-7080f06aeb99},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/bundestagswahl-2025-was-gibts-noch-zu-lachen}}}">Max Uthoff</a> and comedienne and activist <a href="${link:{uuid:{c46e2e10-63d3-4b2b-aad5-7080f06aeb99},repository:{website},path:{/bfs-de/reflexe-und-reflexionen/programm/2025/kalender/bundestagswahl-2025-was-gibts-noch-zu-lachen}}}">Enissa Amani</a> commented on the election results. They asked themselves: what’s left to laugh about?

Reflexes &amp; Reflections 2025

main

As part of ‘Reflexes and Reflections’, the Berliner Festspiele organise artistic-discursive theme days at irregular intervals, which deal with social problems and controversial topics.

Festivals & Programme Series

Upcoming

The Berliner Festspiele organise a range of festivals and art exhibitions, concerts, dance and theatre performances, readings, lectures, debates and much more throughout the year. These events are presented at a range of locations across Berlin but are concentrated primarily at their own two venues: the Gropius Bau and the Haus der Berliner Festspiele.

Berliner Festspiele

Programm

Programme

Reflexes & Reflections

Berliner Festspiele linksbündig_neu

Fallback-Bild Berliner Festspiele

In accordance with the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC), you must consent to the use and storage of cookies when you visit our website. In addition to the strictly necessary, functional cookies, we recommend that you also activate further cookies in order to be able to use all the functions on our website.

furtherInformation

bfs26_festspielgeschichten_teaser

In our Festspiele Stories series, we highlight some of the many facets of the 75-year history of the Berliner Festspiele. Explore our Media Library for behind-the-scenes insights, as well as new and historical perspectives and personal recollections connected to the history of the Berliner Festspiele.

Festspiele Stories

bfs26_jubilaeum_text_3_2

Theatertreffen-Blog Header

In 2026 the Berliner Festspiele celebrate their 75th anniversary. A selection of events programmed throughout the entire year engage take the anniversary as their theme or mark the occasion with works at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, the Gropius Bau, the Philharmonie, on Berlin’s Ringbahn and at other locations in the city. Outstanding international that liberal societies and their cultural institutions face in a new, multipolar world order. artists such as Marina Abramović, Gabriele St&ouml;tzer and Akira Takayama will set the agenda both thematically and aesthetically. Entitled “Die gro&szlig;e Unordnung” (The Great Disorder), the four-day focus Reflexes &amp; Reflections will also enquire about the challenges.

75 Years of the Berliner Festspiele

0111

The massacre, hostage-taking and rocket attacks by Hamas have shaken us deeply. The grue-some attack on Israel on 7&nbsp;October left us stunned and initially lost for words.

The Berliner Festspiele on Current Events in Israel, Gaza and Germany

With this letter of intent, we, the signing cultural organizations, express our intention to welcome, host and stage Ukrainian theatre artists in our venues, to make Ukrainian dramatic work visible to the European community.

Support of the Ukrainian Cultural Scene

Key Visual Musikfest Berlin 2026

Musikfest Berlin sw

011112

Major Orchestras and Vocal Ensembles as Guests in Berlin

011118

More than 60 productions from across Germany applied to take part in this year’s Tanztreffen der Jugend. After the expert jury had the opportunity to view the shortlisted works live, the jurors selected 10&nbsp;productions for the final programme. The programme schedule has been published, advance ticket sales are open.

The exploration of myths and rituals shapes the fourth edition of the Performing Arts Season with works by Marina Abramović, Mario Banushi, Marie Chouinard, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker / Rosas, Ictus, Bl!ndman, Dumb Type, Damien Jalet / Kohei Nawa and Gisèle Vienne. The programme is published and ticket sales are on.

tt26_A_Year_without_Summer_c_Nicole_Marianna_Wytyczak

With A Year without Summer by Florentina Holzinger, the last of the 10 most remarkable productions selected for Theatertreffen 2026 will be presented this autumn. The performances will take place at the Volksb&uuml;hne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. Remaining tickets may be available at the box office.

A Year without Summer

Fallback-Bild Jazzfest Berlin

slides3

In 2026, the line-up welcomes audiences to make new discoveries and features outstanding representatives from a variety of scenes, spanning a highly diverse cultural and musical landscape. At the same time, it celebrates two pioneering voices – Anthony Braxton and Alexander von Schlippenbach – who have shaped the global scene for decades. The programme will be published on 10&nbsp;September, advance ticket sales start on 17&nbsp;September.

Jazzfest Berlin

bfs26_berlinale

0117

The Berlinale as a guest at Haus der Berliner Festspiele

76th Berlin International Film Festival

bfs25_internationales_literaturfestival_berlin

0118

as a guest at Haus der Berliner Festspiele

25th international literature festival berlin

pas25_ultimo_helecho_c_nina_laisne_05

0119

Nina Laisné and François Chaignaud with Nadia Larcher

Último helecho

bfs26_focus_japan

An Initiative of the Berliner Festspiele 2026/27

As part of their anniversary season, the Berliner Festspiele in partnership with the Japanese-German Center Berlin dedicate a special focus to performative and musical arts from Japan, featuring works by the Kanze Noh Theater, Damien Jalet / Kohei Nawa, Akira Takayama, Dumb Type and the Otomo Yoshihide New Jazz Quintet. Through contributions to the programmes of Musikfest Berlin, the Performing Arts Season, Jazzfest Berlin and MaerzMusik, alongside an original project unfolding across the city, this initiative draws on a long history of exchange and resonance between the Berliner Festspiele and artistic expressions of Japanese culture.

Focus Japan