Since 2000, there has been a town-twinning theatre exchange between Gelsenkirchen and Cottbus. From this grew a lively European network culminating in the interTWINed festival. Following stops in Gelsenkirchen, Milan, and Newcastle, the festival will once again take place at the Piccolo Theater Cottbus from 14–20 September 2026. Friends of the growing interTWINed family, as well as many new faces from Germany, Poland, Italy, Ireland, and Estonia, will present their productions to one another during the festival and discuss what they have seen in mixed groups. Theatre-related workshops will take place in these groups throughout the festival.

On this page you will find some impressions from previous editions of the festival, as well as an overview of our workshops for this year’s festival below.