Description
From Grade 8 Onwards
At a time when democratic values are increasingly under pressure, Oper Köln will become a vibrant laboratory for political participation for one week. We invite school classes not only to discuss democracy, but to actively practice it. Let’s „Power Up“!
A diverse programme of performances, panel discussions, readings, participatory art projects, community music activities, simulation games, and hands-on democracy workshops awaits participants in and around Offenbachplatz.
In cooperation with Schauspiel Köln, the NS Documentation Centre Cologne (NS-DOK), Gürzenich Orchestra „für alle“, Cologne Public Library, Offene Jazz Haus Schule, Children for a Better World, Pro Peace, Junges Literaturhaus Köln, and Museumsdienst Köln.
School classes can participate either as part of a project week or by attending individual events.
INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
Each festival day consists of two parts: a workshop and a joint programme event for all participants. Activities take place in and around the opera house. Both components are held on the same day. School classes may register for individual festival days or for several days.
Students choose their workshops according to their personal interests and work in small groups rather than as a class. This creates exciting encounters, new perspectives, and plenty of opportunities for exchange. Each class may register five to six students per workshop offering. An exception applies to participation in “APP: BUILDING DEMOCRACY”, which is only available on a course/group basis. A special arrangement also applies on Friday, 20 November 2026: on this day, all students will participate together in a shared programme activity.
Please discuss workshop preferences with your students before registering and enter the names of participants.
On Friday afternoon, we will celebrate the conclusion of the Democracy Festival with a Get Together, featuring music, presentations of selected workshop outcomes, and complimentary food and drinks. All young participants and accompanying teachers who have taken part in the week’s programme are warmly invited.
COSTS
Participation in the workshops is free of charge. Only the theatre performance on Thursday is subject to a fee: DER KÖNIG VERSCHENKT WAS (€6.50 per ticket). A VRS public transport ticket is included with the performance ticket. No public transport ticket is included on the other festival days.
REGISTRATION PERIOD
1 September 2026 – 30 September 2026
Participation places will be allocated by lottery.
SPECIAL PROGRAMME
APP: BUILDING DEMOCRACY (NS DOCUMENTATION CENTRE)
This programme begins before the Democracy Week.
Building Democracy brings the idea of game-based democracy education out of the museum and into the „real“ world. Through this game, groups can explore their immediate surroundings in the city or countryside and investigate questions and issues that matter to them. Based on their findings, they develop and carry out actions designed to raise awareness and inspire change.
The game can be integrated into everyday school life over a period of several days or weeks and repeatedly encourages participants to take action.
- Online introduction for all participating course leaders: 15 October 2026, 3:00 p.m. (Zoom)
- Continuation in the classroom until Democracy Week
- Final workshop during Democracy Week at Offenbachplatz
PROGRAMME
You can find more information about the programme for each festival day HERE.
