Welcome to
Rampenlichter Festival!
Rampenlichter is an international youth cultural dance and theater festival in Germany and a laboratory for the art by young people between the ages of 6 and 27. It takes place every two years in Munich for two weeks and presents various productions by young artists.
Plays at Rampenlichter are eye-opening: they allow insights into the world of children, teenagers and young adults and show their view of the world and how they express themselves artistically. Rampenlichter makes visible what moves and touches young people today. But the festival is also a temporary artistic community – whether as a spectator or as a participant in workshops, as a discussion partner or co-creator of an artistic process – by being together and exchanging ideas with each other, Rampenlichter becomes a laboratory for a future vision of social coexistence based on the principles and power of art and play.
Open call for productions
vorlesen
Be part of Rampenlichter in July, 2025! Application starts on 1st of November 2024 for kids, teens and young adults (age 6-27 years) with their dance, theatre and dance-theatre plays. In 2025, the festival will have a focus for the first time: we will explore together how our joint artistic work can contribute to democracy, participation, diversity and freedom. Your plays are welcome to fit in, but all other topics will – as always – find their space and their stage!
Apply with plays that have been created independently or in co-production with adults! The application form will be online from Nov 1st 2024 to January, 11th 2025. Please check our frequently asked questions down below for more information or contact us if you have any questions according your application and the festival.
Invited groups will spend an inspiring week together with other young artists at the festival in Munich in July 2025. Groups from Munich, other counties in Germany and international groups will come together with their own program – the ArtExchange program for young artists.
We are looking for your plays by and with children from the age of 6, teenagers and young adults up to the age of 27 for the fourteenth Rampenlichter Festival!
We are looking for productions that have been created in co-production with adults, but with significant artistic participation by young artists up to the age of 27, for example in independent projects, in the youth center, in the theater group or in the dance combo.
You are:
- Mixed-abled groups and inclusive ensembles
- Children’s groups from 6 years
- Youth groups up to 27 years
- Munich groups
- International groups
You can apply from November 1, 2024.
You will find the information on this page.
You have Questions?
E-mail and info phone
You can send us your questions at any time by email or call our info phone: Tel. +49 (0) 178 7369706
Office hours Thursdays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and Fridays 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Info appointments in Zoom
We offer two information appointments in Zoom, where individual questions can be discussed afterwards.
The dates are:
June 21 from 2 – 3 p.m.
November 22 from 2 – 3 p.m.
Please register via email.
Application FAQ
You can apply from November 1, 2024:
You will find the information on this page.
Application process
Who can apply?
Productions with non-professional dancers or players between the ages of 6 and 27 can apply. It may be possible to deviate from this age range (e.g. for intergenerational productions).
The pieces can be developed independently, in youth cultural contexts, in cultural education contexts, with schools, with dance and theater houses, in independent associations, by individuals and collectives.
We are looking for plays that have been developed or created with the artistic participation of children and young people, by young people or young adults themselves or in co-production. The manner of artistic co-production and participation must be explicitly described by the project management.
What criteria must my production fulfill?
The selection of plays is based on a variety of criteria and focal points with the aim of focusing on the widest possible variety of different production contexts, project constellations, diversity of productions and themes and the special nature of plays with children and young people.
In the case of co-productions between adults and children or young people, the artistic participation and involvement of children and young people is essential. This must be explicitly named and described in the application form.
When can I apply?
You can submit your application to us from November 1, 2024. To be considered, your application must be received by January 11, 2025 at the latest.
What material should be submitted with the application?
Photos can be submitted. A video recording of a rehearsal in long shot must be submitted via WeTransfer by November 11, 2023.
The video can show an excerpt of the previous work that gives the selection committee an impression of the artistic idea, the working method and the joint process. If it is not possible to submit a video by January 2025, please contact us.
How do I apply as mixed-abled production?
Applications must be submitted regularly via the application form on rampenlichter.com from 01.11.2024 to 11.01.2025. We constantly try to overcome hurdles for an application or participation and support where we can.
If you have any questions or need to make arrangements regarding travel, accommodation, accessibility and assistance on site or other arrangements, please contact our colleague Stephanie Riedle:
Stephanie Riedle
s.riedle@culture-clouds.de
Tel. +49 (0) 89 52300695
Participation in the festival
How long do groups stay at the festival?
All groups spend one week at the festival during the festival period and receive an individual schedule for their week. Length: 7 days for youth groups aged 12 and over (equivalent to 6 nights), 5 days for children’s groups aged 11 and under (equivalent to 4 nights).
The groups spend their days at the festival without time restrictions and other obligations and are obliged to follow their individual schedule with performances, meal times, talks, workshops etc. A day at Rampenlichter includes an exciting all-day artistic program for the entire group and usually ends with a warm dinner for all groups after the evening performance. This also applies to groups from Munich. The availability of the entire group during the festival period must be confirmed with the application.
If required, we will issue certificates of invitation to the festival so that school exemptions can be applied for.
What includes the program for invited groups?
In addition to the performance of the plays, participation in Rampenlichter is based on the fact that the young artists get to know each other and work together artistically. In various meeting formats, groups exchange ideas, experiment and try out new things, learn new techniques with and from each other and talk about their own artistic practice.
Each group receives an individual ArtExchange schedule consisting of visits to performances of other productions, workshops by or for other groups or students, workshops by professionals and various discussion formats. In some cases, the program consists of guided excursions with a program (e.g. performative city tour, yoga in the park or workshops with cooperation partners). Participation in ArtExchange is compulsory for the entire group. Accompanying persons are not scheduled as participants.
Which costs are covered?
Rampenlichter covers the costs of accommodation and breakfast for the entire group, including accompanying persons, for national and international groups.
All groups, including those from Munich, receive drinks throughout the day and festival catering including lunch and a warm evening meal on the festival site. In addition, the costs for public transportation in Munich will be covered if required. Any royalties and GEMA fees will also be covered by Rampenlichter.
Munich groups may be able to apply for funding from the City Youth Welfare Office for production costs, the form and conditions will be available on our website from November 1, 2024.
What costs are not covered?
Unfortunately, Rampenlichter cannot cover any travel costs. Travel to and from the event must be paid by the groups themselves. No production costs, fees or royalties can be paid.