Celebrating Democracy - Sommerblut Kulturfestival 2025

Over 4,500 visitors, 21 exciting productions and guest performances, 60 performances at 14 different venues in 12 days. From 30.04.-11.05.2025, the Sommerblut Kulturfestival invited visitors to experience democracy, get involved and try out new forms of coexistence.
Together, we opened the festival at Schauspiel Köln with “Harmonia” by Unusual Symptoms and choreographer Adrienn Hód and danced late into the night at Carlsgarten. We explored virtual spaces with “SONA - Seeing Sound” and places of right-wing violence in "un_unterbrochen. Talking about right-wing violence".  We imagined a democratic future together with Alice Haster and Virginnia Ogechi Krämer in “Reimagining Democracy” and in “the future is unwritten” by Studio Trafique. With “She doesn't lokk her age”, we delved into the fountain of youth at the Residenz am Dom and with “Das Erdreich” into the mysterious world of mushrooms on the edge of the Hambach open-cast mine. The Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum became a “Democratic Playground” and a place for negotiating identity and borders in “On My Way Home”. We were guests at the Orangerie Theater and the Bürgerhaus Stollwerck and brought “Kiosk” to life with you through music and atmosphere. During the “MAD PRIDE”, we made ourselves loud and strong against the right, before celebrating “Big Bääm” with a big bang in the Alte Feuerwache.

In 2025, we had a festival that showed how important democracy is, but also what dangers it is exposed to. Art and culture are fundamental to democracy: they promote dialog, honesty, reflection and open up spaces for change. By depicting (or not) what is, they bring urgent social issues into focus.
We look back on a Sommerblut cultural festival that connected us, that was collaborative and accessible, and that left us with a renewed sense of strength. But also a festival that showed how important every single voice is for democracy. We are grateful for all the visitors, artists, helpers in front of and behind the stage and the joy of shared culture that we were able to experience with all of you. And thank you to all our supporters, whether small or large, each of your contributions makes Sommerblut possible. 

We look forward to next year with you. 
Your Sommerblut team.