Art needs friends. We need you!

By becoming a member of the Freundeskreis HELLERAU e.V., you’re building a relationship with HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts as well as with the people connected to this institution: artists from near and far, fellow members of the Freundeskreis, visitors, and the HELLERAU team.

Through your membership in the Freundeskreis HELLERAU e.V., you also provide financial support to HELLERAU. Annual membership fees are used exclusively to fund artistic projects or cultural initiatives and events.

Through your commitment to HELLERAU – this place that is so special to Dresden and far beyond – you help further anchor HELLERAU in Dresden’s urban community and support the continued development of the festival grounds.

For example, in recent years, the Freundeskreis has made possible the annual summer party marking the end of the season, bringing together the team, local partners, and the artists. As a special initiative, it submitted its own grant application to equip the Kulturgarten with outdoor furniture and event tents. Equally important was the support provided for a grant application submitted to the European Union in 2025. In 2026, the Freundeskreis provided organizational support for the Tanzplattform Deutschland 2026 in Dresden. These are just a few examples that demonstrate how crucial the Freundeskreis consistently is to HELLERAU’s major projects.

Throughout the year, HELLERAU offers it's Friends contemporary international program in the fields of music, dance, performance, and media art. HELLERAU is one of the largest international production houses in Germany and has an extensive network across Europe and worldwide. Through the events HELLERAU offers to its Friends, members gain insight into this exciting programming. For each event, HELLERAU organizes a Freundeskreis Special – such as discussions with choreographers, dancers, or musicians – provides opportunities to attend rehearsals, and offers insights into and context for its plans for the coming years.

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Program for members of the Freundeskreis in Fall and Winter 2026

• 30.10.2026 Attendance at the performance “Partitur des Körpers” by Katja Erfurth
• 13.–15.11.2026 Cultural trip to Frankfurt am Main to visit the Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm and the Rhein-Main Dance Festival
• 04.12.2026 Attendance at the performance “Sacre & Magnificat” by Marie Chouinard: Members of the Freundeskreis may once again bring one guest for free (Bring Your Friends)
• 06.12.2026 Freundeskreis-Special mit Führung with a guided tour of Villa Wigman: Katja Erfurth, Chair of the Board of Villa Wigman e.V., will lead a tour of the former workplace of dancer Mary Wigman – a place that remains a venue for dance even today, following extensive renovations that are not yet complete.

Traveling with the Freundeskreis

Once a year, HELLERAU, in collaboration with the Freundeskreis, organizes a cultural trip to partner theaters or festivals in other German cities, accompanied by Artistic Director Carena Schlewitt. These trips provide insight into the work of international independent production companies and offer the opportunity to meet colleagues in other cities. These cultural trips are therefore more than just festival visits: We meet artistic directors and program directors of the festivals and institutions, and discuss artistic visions and the challenges facing the cultural sector. In the process, we also get to know HELLERAU’s partner theaters and discover what connects these international production companies. Every cultural trip also includes special artistic experiences off the stage – visits to exhibitions with personal guided tours led by museum directors or curators, as well as unique city tours. There’s plenty of time for conversations and shared meals, because the Friends’ Circle isn’t just a cultural network, but also a community of people who share their enthusiasm with one another.

You can be part of it!

Membership in the Freundeskreis HELLERAU e.V. means, above all, many new discoveries and the joy of the arts!

As a member of the Freundeskreis HELLERAU e.V.

• you’ll be personally informed about program highlights
• you’ll receive invitations to the start of the season and festival openings
• you’ll be invited to select rehearsals, showings, and artist talks
• you can attend a selected performance once a year, alone or with a guest, free of charge at HELLERAU’s invitation
• you’ll receive guided tours of the building – from the roof to the basement
• you’ll be invited to the summer festival in the HELLERAU Cultural Garden
• you can participate in the annual cultural trip to another city

Membership Fees

Individuals: starting at 50 €/year
Couples: starting at 90 €/year
Eligible for discounts: starting at 35 €/year
Corporate and supporting memberships: starting at 400 €/year

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