hellwach

11th international theater festival for young audiences

in the Hellweg region

May 17-25, 2025

“hellwach”, the 11th international theater festival for young audiences in NRW, took place from 17 - 25 May 2025. Over eight festival days, theater ensembles from numerous countries in Europe, Africa and Central America presented impressive productions for audiences of all ages. This year, theaters from Germany, Belgium, France, Egypt, Ukraine, Mexico, Rwanda and Senegal took part in Hamm and the two cooperating cities of Bergkamen and Lünen.

The audience showed great interest in the diverse artistic approaches presented at “hellwach”. The festival offered residents from Hamm, the surrounding region and international guests the opportunity to meet artists from all over the world and immerse themselves in different stories and cultural theater traditions that are dealt with in the productions for young audiences. The invited groups also used the platform to get to know each other and network. It is particularly important for the “hellwach” team to also invite theaters from outside Europe in order to broaden the view of innovative approaches for young audiences.

Relevant topics such as the living situation of street children in Senegal, the current political situation in Ukraine and the importance of young children in society were at the heart of the productions shown and the discussions in the framework program.

Direct contact between the audience and artists formed an important part of the festival. Essential content was conveyed through play. The positive response from the audience and the participating theaters confirms the success of the concept. The HELIOS Theater team is already looking forward to the next festival in 2027.

Radio report from the series Jugend macht Kunst

WDR3 Mosaik

“It is often said that children and young people are no longer interested in art and culture.
and culture. And yet they do! Quite a few even make a contribution themselves. The
WDR 3 series introduces young people who make art themselves: writing texts, acting in theater
acting, engaging in imaginative role-playing games or making films. The first part of the series
will take an international look. At the Helios Theater in Hamm, where the
the international Hellwach Festival for young audiences is currently taking place, the
Senegalese artist Mamby Mawine is currently visiting. She has founded a cultural project in a poor suburb of
Dakar that offers children theater workshops, school visits - and education.
education. Dorothea Marcus spoke to her.”