Theater der Welt Chemnitz 2026

From June 18 to July 5, 2026, Chemnitz will be in the international spotlight: Germany's largest international theater festival, “Theater der Welt” (Theater of the World), is coming to Chemnitz – directly following the 2025 Capital of Culture year. For three weeks, Chemnitz will become a meeting place for artists, audiences, and theater enthusiasts from all over the world. On stages, in urban spaces, and at unusual locations, a lively celebration of the performing arts will take place, transcending boundaries and bringing together stories from all corners of the globe.

Nine international curators from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, Greece, Jordan, India, Senegal, and China are responsible for designing the festival program. In November, they will meet in Chemnitz to select around 40 outstanding productions – works they have previously viewed in their regions. The result will be an inspiring panorama of current theater forms, languages, and perspectives.

The festival is organized by the Chemnitz theaters, the Festival Academy Brussels, and the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 GmbH. Since its founding by the International Theater Institute (ITI) in the late 1970s, Theater der Welt has been considered one of the most important festivals on the international theater scene—a showcase for new aesthetic developments and social discourse. Every three years, the Theater der Welt festival is held in a different German city. After stops in Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt/Offenbach, the festival returns to Saxony 30 years after Dresden in 1996 – once again making Chemnitz the stage of the world.