Impulse Festival 2025

The Impulse Festival for Performance, Theatre & Dance has been the most important platform for independent theatre in the German-speaking world for more than 30 years. It presents a selection of around ten outstanding and challenging works that were produced outside the municipal theatre apparatus and thus question and expand theatre as a medium through alternative approaches and aesthetics. These include established positions as well as discoveries that present a wide variety of different theatrical forms.

Under new artistic director Franziska Werner, the focus of the festival is being steered increasingly in new directions. In addition to the ten guest performances and the SHOWCASE co-productions, the focus this year was on the guest region of eastern Germany. The experiences of transformation there offer an artistic, aesthetic and discursive environment for both local and supra-regional audiences and protagonists. The independent scene in NRW will stand as host.

The visitors’ programme included attending performances, events as part of the EAST guest region as well as the NRW host independent scene, and participation in accompanying discussions and artist talks. Also took place in depth discussions with the festival team, networking with other international guests and visits to theatres in the region.