Nordwind Festival

In 2026, the distinction between truth and fiction has turned blurry. Not only societal discourse, but also individual perception is a subject and sign of constant uncertainty. What we understand as a verified fact, as an established truth, or as a secured reality increasingly proves to be the result of complex media, visual, and linguistic constructions. Fake news,
deepfakes, algorithmically generated images and narratives, and targeted disinformation influence public opinion, shift political majorities, destabilize democratic systems, and
fundamentally alter global power structures. Truth no longer appears as a given, but rather as contested territory. Against this backdrop, the NORDWIND Festival, from December 2–13, 2026, is dedicated to exploring the borderlands where truth and lies, genuineness and deception, authenticity and staging overlap. The focus is not solely on the current global political situation, but also on the inner logic of theater and the performing arts themselves. Including the production SURVEILLÉE ET PUNIE by Philippe Cyr & Safia Nolin / Théâtre Prospero on the big Kampnagel stage, an exhibition by the exceptional Danish artists’ collective SIGNA at the Hamburger Kunsthalle (p. 80), the concert RIOT DAYS by Pussy Riot at Übel & Gefährlich, and the world premiere of SECRET SUN by the Hamburg-Berlin collective Sounding Situations at St Gertrud’s Church.