Spot­light On: Fes­ti­val Cul­tu­re 

With Spotlight On: Festival Culture, we’re creating—for the first time at the 2026 Reeperbahn Festival—a space for everyone who wants to shape, rethink, and experience festivals. At Knust, we’ll bring together festival organizers, industry experts, and up-and-coming talent for two days. Panels, matchmaking sessions, community activities, concerts, and the Helga! Festival Award will provide opportunities for exchange, networking, and fresh inspiration. Together with the LiveKultur Federal Foundation and LiveKomm, we’ll address the current challenges, social issues, and developments in festival culture. Other partners include Knust, Yourope, Dutchband, and CoreGo.

Here is an overview of the program taking place at Knust; see below for more information on the individual events.

The festival kicks off on Thursday with a panel discussion „Festivalstudie 2025: Eine Branche, viele Wirklichkeiten“. Drawing on the findings of recent studies, representatives from various festivals will discuss regional differences, common challenges, and the diversity of the German festival scene.

The panel will then „#KulturSichern & Haltung zeigen: Festivals als demokratische Infrastruktur“ a look at the social significance of festivals. The focus is on cultural participation, democratic responsibility, and the challenges faced particularly in rural regions and eastern Germany.

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., we will be presenting the Helga! Festival Award. Since 2013, it has recognized outstanding achievements, innovative concepts, and exceptional dedication within the German festival scene. In 2026, the award will be organized for the first time in collaboration with associations, institutions, and networks in the festival industry.

We are looking for festivals that provide lasting inspiration to others and from which the industry can learn—regardless of genre, size, or location.

Festivals can nominate themselves or be nominated by other industry professionals.

• Mein größtes Vorbild (Patenschaft: BDKV)
• Die goldene Mitte (Patenschaft: LiveKomm)
• Klein aber OHO (Patenschaft: Initiative Musik, Deutsches Musikinformationszentrum (miz) und Bundesstiftung LiveKultur 

For the Fan Favorite Audience Award—presented by Höme—we are looking for entries via Public Voting Festivals, that thrill the audience.

On Friday, the „Meet the European Festivals“-Matchmaking, In collaboration with Yourope—The European Festival Association, it brings together selected European festivals with young talents, industry newcomers, and creative minds. Those interested can apply by September 4.

On the panel „Festival Saison 2026/2027“ we will discuss developments in cultural policy, upcoming challenges, and strategies for ensuring the festival industry remains viable in the long term. The program will be complemented by a garage sale, networking opportunities, a reception, and live concerts at Lattenplatz.

Admission is granted with a free Spotlight On: Festival Culture ticket, available through the Reeperbahn Festival ticket shop. This ticket grants access to Knust on Thursday, September 17, until 7:00 p.m., and on Friday, September 18, until 6:00 p.m.

Alternatively, the program is also accessible with the Reeperbahn Festival Conference ticket.