Karlsruhe – November 02, 2026 -- The 23rd ARD Hörspieltage run from November 5 to 8, 2026, and most of the program is free to attend. This year's motto is "Nothing Serious," with humor as the focus of the German-speaking world's most important audio drama festival.
Venues expand to a museum for the first time
The festival takes place at the ZKM and the HfG, and for the first time at the Kunstmuseum. SWR leads the organization, and Mareike Maage directs it. Actor and DJ Lars Eidinger will play a set at the Kunstmuseum on opening night.
A panel opens the festival by asking what makes us laugh
The four-day event starts with the discussion "Worüber lachen wir?" ("What do we laugh about?"). Audio drama director Leonhard Koppelmann, comedian Aurel Mertz and film director Isabel Schneider take part. Podium talks, audio dramas and live acts explore what humor is and how it has changed over time.
Six productions and several live shows fill the schedule
Six audio drama productions from the ARD, Deutschlandfunk, Austria's ORF and Swiss radio will be presented. The live program includes:
- the premiere of the live audio drama "Am Meer lag München nie"
- "Holmes & Watson – Detektive am Rande des Ruhestands," staged by Lauscherlounge and author Jacqueline Meintzinger
- the podcast "1001 Nacht" as a stage show
- the audio drama revue "Viel um die Ohren," hosted by Thomas Böhm
Actor Lilith Stangenberg, author Kristine Bilkau and director Martin Heindel join the revue. Stangenberg appears on Friday, November 6, as a guest for the audio drama "Frank: Sonette," in which she also performs. She says she loves audio dramas because they let her "see" with her ears, and she listens most while cooking.
Visitors can also take part in the foyer, with music workshops led by Tommy Neuwirth and a "Humororakel." Satirical interventions come from Neuwirth and Stefan Stuckmann. The festival will award the "max15" prize for the independent audio drama scene and the "Kinderhörspielpreis der Stadt Karlsruhe."
"Die Nacht des Hörspiels" brings comedy talk and beatboxing
The festival's highlight mixes talk and music. Böhm and his guests discuss language and dialects as raw material for sketches, and why humorous storytelling is so hard. The panel features cultural scholar Mithu Sanyal, comedy authors Stefan Stuckmann and Mariella Tripke, and actor Cathlen Gawlich. Excerpts from the funniest audio dramas of all time will play, and the beatboxer band "The Razzzones" hosts the evening.
Children's day requires free tickets
Sunday is Kinderhörspieltag. Kirsten Boie's children's live audio drama "Prinzessin Rosenblüte" receives its premiere, and the famous "Maus" and Nina Heuser present two live audio dramas. Because of high demand, visitors need free tickets for Sunday's live audio dramas, interactive audio dramas, readings and podcast shows. Reservations open Saturday, November 7, at 12:00 via the SWR Ticketservice. On Sunday, November 8, they can also be booked via QR codes posted at the ZKM. All other program items remain freely accessible.