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Call for applications: Next Generation Forum 2025

The 41st Westwind Festival invites 10 young theatre professionals, trainees or students from German-speaking countries to actively participate in the festival as the “Next Generation Forum 2025”

Westwind 2025, the 41st NRW theatre convention for young audiences, will take place in Düsseldorf from 31 May to 6 June. It will be hosted by Junges Schauspiel in cooperation with FFT Düsseldorf and tanzhaus nrw. Participants can look forward to ten must-see NRW productions for young audiences, international guest performances, workshops, discussions and formats as well as opportunities to mingle with members of the local children’s and youth theatre scene and network with theatre professionals from NRW and all continents. Theatre maker Hannah Biedermann will head the 2025 edition of the Next Generation Forum. Westwind Festival gives forum participants the possibility to be directly involved in the festival and receive an expense allowance. Just select one of the following areas of concentration—please indicate your 1st and 2nd preference.

  • Journalism & theatre criticism
  • Specialist talks & symposia
  • Performing in public spaces

Who can apply: Young professionals, students or trainees from fields such as dramaturgy, journalism, playwriting, directing, acting, performance art, dance, cultural management, set design, costume design, plastic arts, set carpentry, costume tailoring and scenic music as well as theatre, dance & music education

Application deadline: 31.01.2025

The detailed application form including contact address can be downloaded HERE

Stipulation for eligibility: Continuous presence in Düsseldorf required from 1:00 pm on 30 May until approx. 8:00 pm on 6 June 2025 as well as participation in the onboarding zoom meeting on 17 March 2025 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and a further zoom meeting to be planned individually.

What the Next Generation Forum offers:

– Admission to all festival events
– Accommodation
– Meal provisions
– Travel cost reimbursement (up to max. €100)
– Expense allowance of €350 for the week and preparatory meetings

Hannah Biedermann is a freelance director and performer who, following her studies in scenic arts in Hildesheim, develops performative and interactive formats for children and teens that go beyond classical narratives. Her plays always seek to address socially relevant issues and explore theatrical approaches. In 2007, she founded the theatre collective pulk fiktion, whose productions have been invited to various festivals and have won several awards. She also directs at theatres such as Schauspielhaus Bochum, Nationaltheater Mannheim, Junges Ensemble Stuttgart, Junges Theater Basel and many more. In 2017, she was distinguished with the FAUST Award in the category “Best Director of Children’s and Youth Theatre” and in 2023 she received the ASSITEJ Prize for special merits in theatre for young audiences.

Photo:  Stephan Pramme