International Visitors Programme

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International Visitors Programme

International cultural mediators encounter North Rhine-Westphalia’s art and cultural scene and create lasting transnational networks.

Since 2009, artists, cultural politicians, cultural mediators, journalists and other protagonists from around the world come to North Rhine-Westphalia in the framework of the international visitors programme. Networks are created, international projects developed and transnational cooperation expanded in a personal dialogue with potential partners and international guests. Participants
Internation

ally acting cultural institutions, creative artists and cultural offices in NRW consult in collaboration with the overseas offices of the Goethe-Institut, embassies and other foreign cultural organisations on the selection of visitors and the composition of the programme. Visitors
Participants in the international visitors programme are curators, artists and creative artists from around the world. They are interested in lasting contacts and future collaboration with protagonists of the art and cultural scene in NRW. They also have command of the English or German language. The visitors are proposed by the partners from the state’s cities and the overseas offices of the Goethe-Institut. Programme
The trip is planned together with the visitors. They generally come to North Rhine-Westphalia for two to five days or tag their visits onto existing stays in the state. Apart from opportunities to exchange ideas with artists, experts and journalists, the programme also offers visits to performances, concerts and exhibitions.

05/06/2026

Day 3: Full festival day at 🎭

The morning began at with “YO SOY” by Teatro al Vacío (Mexico), a dance theatre piece for young audiences that explores identity, acceptance and the question of what defines us through movement, humour and non-verbal interaction.
Afterwards, the group travelled to to attend “Mission Mopscom” by Armada Theater .theater . Combining live music, puppetry and bluescreen technology, the production takes audiences on a time-travel adventure that explores power, critical thinking and the question of how we want to live together.
Following lunch and time for informal exchange, the programme continued at with “1001 Nights or the Power of Storytelling” by and . Inspired by the world of One Thousand and One Nights, the production uses humour, imagination and storytelling to explore how stories connect people and keep memories and experiences alive.

The day concluded with the Citizens’ Dinner at Theater Münster, bringing together scientists, artists, theatre professionals and local audiences for conversations and exchange beyond the stage — one of the festival’s central spaces for encounter and dialogue!

A day full of amazing performances - and today is already the final day of the programme! ✨

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03/06/2026

Day 2: Exploring Münster and Theatre for Young Audiences 🎭✨

Today, our group continues its journey through the 42nd !

The morning began with a guided tour through Münster, starting at St.-Paulus-Dom and offering participants the opportunity to discover the city that is hosting this year’s festival. Afterwards, the group headed to for one of the festival’s central discussion formats.
At the Interactive Panel “Where do I (want to) belong?” participants joined artists, theatre professionals and festival guests in a fishbowl discussion. In the panel, they explored which spaces are intended and designed for whom – Which public spaces give us a sense of belonging? Where is my crowd welcome, visible, included, tolerated, or simply too much?

In the evening, the programme continued at , where the group attended “Burning City” by , KVS and / Junior Mthombeni and SOCHA –

After-Jam Party optional! ✨

See you tomorrow!
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03/06/2026

Day 1: Welcome to WESTWIND Festival 2026 🎭

Yesterday, we officially kicked off our fourth International Visitors Programme of 2026 — and we were delighted to welcome our international guests to Münster for the !
The day began with a welcome meeting with Eva Lenhardt .lenhardt (Head of ) and our guide Nelly Köster before the group headed into the festival programme.

To gain a first impression of the diverse artistic approaches represented at this year’s festival, the group split up and attended two different productions: one part of the group saw “INTO IT” by performing at , while the other attended “BÄÄÄM” by at .
At lunchtime, the group met Angela Merl (Head of Young Theatre and Art & Education ) and David Gruschka (Artistic Director and Founder, .theater ), whose institutions are jointly hosting this year’s festival.

Thank you for the engaging conversation and the valuable insights into the festival’s concept, its collaborative structures and current developments in the field of theatre for young audiences.
The afternoon continued with a festival get-together picnic in Wienburg Park, before the evening concluded with the performance “1984” by theaterkohlenpott at , offering a powerful end to the first day of the programme! ✨
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25/05/2026

Day 3: Circus Encounters from Cologne to Recklinghausen 🎪✨

Yesterday marked the final day of our visitors’ programme at 2026!

The morning began in Cologne with a farewell brunch together with Valentina Barone (International Relations, CircusDanceFestival) at , offering an opportunity to reflect on the past festival days, discuss international collaboration and share perspectives on contemporary circus networks and artistic practices.
In the afternoon, the group travelled to Recklinghausen to visit the Ruhrfestspielhaus , where participants met Olaf Kröck (Artistic and Managing Director, Recklinghausen) and Anna Fentrop (Programme and Production – Contemporary Circus). Thank you for the tour and the shared insights!
Afterwards, participants visited the exhibition “Ragnar Kjartansson: Sunday Without Love” at Kunsthalle Recklinghausen before a shared dinner together with Anna Fentrop.
The programme concluded with the performance “La Langue de Molière: A rebellious ballet comedy” by La Fleur at Halle König Ludwig 1/2 — a powerful and energetic closing to three inspiring days of performances, discussions and exchange.

Thank you to all artists, institutions and partners who made this programme possible — and to our wonderful guests for their openness, curiosity and inspiring conversations throughout the festival! ✨

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Photos: // .lenhardt // // .anvx

24/05/2026

Day 2: Performances, Encounters and Festival Exchange ✨ 
Yesterday, our group continued exploring the programme of 2026 with a full day of performances, discussions and international exchange across Cologne.
The day began at the festival site with the VOICES Talk “reach out – Circus and Audience(s)”, opening up conversations. Afterwards, participants joined the networking lunch “Apero Pro”, creating space for further exchange with festival guests, artists and professionals from the field.

The afternoon continued with the performance “Handle with Care” by Diana Gadish , followed by the CAMPUS SESSION “Circus Dance Practices #1” at the Amphitheatre. Further highlights included the second edition of “360° Circus & Dance” with performances by Company ATA, Liza Van Brakel , EYAS dance project and Yu-Hsien Hsueh at the 360° Aerial Stage, as well as “Tu sens la terre bouger? A celebration” by Cirque Barbette .barbette .
In the evening, the group attended the performance “What is left” by Overhead Project at .koeln , before returning to the festival site for “In Difference” by Jef Everaert & Ma**ca Marinoni .
The day concluded with the “Circus & Film” programme at the festival cinema, offering further perspectives on contemporary circus beyond the stage.

Another inspiring festival day filled with performances and encounters — and today the programme continued! ✨
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📷 Photos: Nelly Köster // an

23/05/2026

Day 1: 2026 Begins 🎪✨

Yesterday, we officially kicked off our third International Visitors Programme of 2026 — and we are very happy to welcome our international guests to Cologne for !
The day began with a welcome meeting with Eva Lenhardt (head of ) and our guide Nelly Köster before the group travelled to ccccc – creation centre contemporary circus cologne .cologne . There, participants met Dominikus Moos (Management and Coordination) for an introduction to the centre and its work.
After lunch and talks together with Vera Schöpfer (director .kultur ), the programme continued at the festival site with a meeting with Tim Behren (artistic director), Valentina Barone (international relations) and further members of the CircusDanceFestival team, offering insights into this year’s festival edition and its thematic focus!
The afternoon and evening were dedicated to performances, talks and festival encounters. Participants attended the IFC-STIPENDIUM presentation by Tana Onochie and initiative feminist circus (ifc) , followed by the CAMPUS WALK-IN “Mental Health & Archives, Traces and History(ies)” by Take Care & Archive Lab.
Further highlights included the “360° Circus & Dance” featuring performances by Shu-Huan Chang , Mohammed Ech-Charquaouy , Johanna Gorzellik and Compagnie Cirk Oblique at the 360° Aerial Stage, before the evening concluded with the performance “Wooooow!” by La Churry .

A vibrant opening day full of exchange, movement and artistic perspectives — and more coming tomorrow! ✨
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Photos: c / .lenhardt / .anvx

21/05/2026

2026 🎭✨

Our next international visitors’ programme will take us to the Impulse Festival for Performance, Theatre & Dance 2026.
For 35 years, the festival — organised by the NRW KULTURsekretariat .kultur — has been one of the most important platforms for the independent theatre scene in German-speaking countries. Presenting outstanding productions from performance, theatre and dance, has continuously shaped contemporary theatrical aesthetics and introduced groundbreaking artistic voices to national and international audiences.

Under the artistic direction of Franziska Werner, the festival continues to develop new formats and perspectives. Since 2025, each festival city presents selections from the programme sections Showcase, Post-West and Impulse meets… in a weekly rotation. Alongside guest performances and co-productions from German-speaking countries, the festival creates spaces for dialogue on transformation processes, East-West perspectives and current questions within the independent arts scene.

In addition to attending the first festival weekend in Düsseldorf, the programme will include discussions with the festival director and curatorial team, encounters with participating artists and visits to theatres and initiatives from the independent performing arts scene.

Before the start of the programme, we will introduce the professionals joining us – more coming soon! ✨
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Photo: c

20/05/2026

WESTWIND Festival 2026 🎭✨

Our fourth international visitors’ programme of 2026 will take us to Münster for the 42nd – Theatre Meeting for Young Audiences NRW. From 1 to 6 June, our international guests will explore one of Germany’s most renowned festivals for theatre for young audiences.
Hosted each year by a different theatre in North Rhine-Westphalia, the 2026 edition is organised in cooperation between Junges Theater Münster and the independent company echtzeit-theater .theater , creating a dynamic exchange between civic institutions and the independent scene.
Alongside a selection of productions from the NRW festival competition, WESTWIND 2026 will present international guest performances, post-show discussions, specialist forums, panels and workshops. The festival creates space for dialogue around participation, communication and artistic strategies in theatre for and with young audiences, while also exploring the role of theatre as a space for political and social engagement for children and young people.

In addition to attending the festival, our programme will include conversations with organisers and artists involved, as well as meetings with further experts and institutions from the field of children’s and youth theatre across North Rhine-Westphalia.

We’re looking forward to inspiring performances, new perspectives and international exchange!

Stay tuned — we’ll soon introduce the international guests joining the programme! ✨
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Photo: TK1984 © Young-Soo Chang

27/01/2026

: Artist Residencies Aug–Dec 2026✨

About
PACT Zollverein’s international residency programme has been at the core of the institution’s work since 2002. It offers artists and cultural professionals from around the world time and space for artistic research, development, and interdisciplinary exchange. The focus lies on process-based work within the fields of stage, urban space, and PACT·LAB — optional showings are possible, but not required.

WhoShouldApply?
Artists and cultural professionals working in performing arts, inter- and transdisciplinary practices, film & moving image, digital and technology-based art, and socially engaged arts. international artists and teams (max. four people) are welcome.

OnOffer
🔸 Residency period: 3–6 weeks (August–December 2026)
🔸 Studio space (69–173 sqm, incl. one barrier-free studio)
🔸 Accommodation (barrier-free & family-friendly by arrangement)
🔸 Weekly grant to cover living expenses
🔸 Travel costs for one return journey per participant
🔸 Technical equipment & professional support
🔸 Documentation of the residency via the PACT Feed

ApplicationCriteria
🔸 Artistic quality and relevance of the proposed project
🔸 Interest in interdisciplinary exchange and process-based work
🔸 Low-emission travel is strongly encouraged

🗓️ Deadline: 23 February 2026
ℹ️ https://www.pact-zollverein.de/en/arbeitsfelder/kuenstlerinnenhaus/residenzen

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Photo: c Dirk Rose

Adresse

Döppersberg 19
Wuppertal
42103

Telefon

+4920269827222

Webseite

https://www.nrw-kultur.de/programme/internationales-besucherprogramm

Benachrichtigungen

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