stARTfestival 2026 concludes: International impulses and contemporary music resonate strongly

Leverkusen, June 25, 2026 – After eleven weeks filled with concerts, dance productions, artistic encounters, and formats for fostering young talents, the stARTfestival 2026 has successfully concluded. Under the motto "The sound of feeling," Bayer Arts and Culture brought together artists of different generations, origins, and disciplines from April to June – once again focusing on the combination of international excellence, cultural diversity, and long-term talent development.

Around thirty events at various venues offered the audience a wide spectrum: from chamber music and contemporary classical music to dance and performance, as well as cross-genre formats. The festival's content centered on questions of identity and cultural frameworks.

"The stARTfestival sees itself as a place of encounter and artistic dialogue. The positive audience response and the high quality of the contributions have shown how relevant such spaces are, especially in times of societal change," says Christoph Böhmke, Head of Bayer Arts and Culture.

International artists and special festival moments

Highlights included the performance of French cellist Gautier Capuçon with the Chamber Orchestra Vienna–Berlin, the performance by world star Alisa Weilerstein with contemporary reflections on the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the rendition of Bach's Mass in B minor with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra at Knechtsteden Monastery.

A special theatrical event was presented by Theater Rotterdam, addressing societal questions about the body, freedom, and the dance ban in Iran through striking imagery with performer Nastaran Razawi Khorasani – a production shown in Germany for the first time.

The German National Theatre Weimar was a first-time venue for the stARTfestival. Ms. Thomas and Mr. Martin – Thomas Neuwirth alias Conchita Wurst and Martin Zerza – presented a variety evening blending chanson, cabaret, and Viennese song. In dance, the collaboration with tanzmainz stood out: Paloma Muñoz's choreography "In the Poppy Field" unfolded a dense visual world about community, memory, and solidarity.

American tubist and stARTacademy scholar Joshua Williams delivered one of the festival's strongest performances with the Jazzrausch Big Band. With the sold-out concert, the young musician audibly surpassed himself – bringing club atmosphere to the Erholungshaus with driving techno and rich bass. The festival's grand finale was delivered by the New York string quartet Brooklyn Rider with the European premiere of "Frida's Dreams" by Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank – made possible as a commissioned work by Bayer Arts and Culture in collaboration with international partner institutions such as New York's Carnegie Hall and London's Wigmore Hall.

Fostering young talents as the core of the festival's profile

Even in 2026, the promotion of young talents remained central: The stARTacademy supports selected artists over several years, creating opportunities for encounters with established musicians and performance opportunities at the festival. Alongside Joshua Williams, Brazilian violinist Guido Sant’Anna was among this year's academy members in the lineup.

Outlook 2027

Preparations for the stARTfestival 2027 are already underway. A central highlight will be the new partnership of the stARTacademy with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) – one of the world's most renowned chamber orchestras. Starting in 2027, selected stARTacademy scholars will rehearse intensively with ASMF musicians and present the results together at the stARTfestival. Additionally, the ASMF will actively support Bayer Arts and Culture in the international search and selection of new talents.

The new concept will kick off with Austrian mezzo-soprano Anja Mittermüller, who will be the first new member of the stARTacademy from 2027, working in joint rehearsals with the ASMF and stARTacademy scholars Giorgi Gigashvili and Guido Sant'Anna. Another new member is composer Josh Alexander, who has joined the stARTacademy.

Music belongs to everyone – join in!

A special project within the partnership is a community concert in Wuppertal in May 2027: Amateur musicians from the region can apply starting in autumn 2026 to rehearse together with members of the Bayer Philharmonic and the ASMF. The program they develop will be performed as the "Bayer Bootcamp Orchestra" on the stage of the Historic City Hall Wuppertal – a first that underscores Bayer Arts and Culture's commitment to bringing music as a unifying force into society.

Further information about the 2027 program will be announced in the autumn.

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Guided by its mission "Health for all, Hunger for none," the company aims to benefit people and the planet through its products and services – helping to address the fundamental challenges of a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to making a significant contribution to sustainable development with its businesses. At the same time, the company aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality worldwide. In the 2025 fiscal year, the company employed around 88,000 people and generated sales of 45.6 billion euros. Research and development expenses amounted to 5.8 billion euros. More information is available on the internet at www.bayer.com/en

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