- The Bad Hersfelder Festival welcomes Elke Hesse as its freshly installed head honcho.
Elke Hesse, an Austrian cultural maven, has been tapped to take over as the new artistic director of Bad Hersfelder Festspiele starting from 2026 to 2030.items announced by Bad Hersfeld's independent mayor Anke Hofmann on Wednesday.
Hesse will step into the shoes of Jörn Hinkel, who will call it quits after the 2025 season. Hesse has a history with Bad Hersfeld, serving as the festival's artistic director from 2006 to 2009, making her the first woman to hold the position in the festival's theater history.
Festival to celebrate 75th anniversary in 2026
"I'm stoked to be back at the helm of Bad Hersfelder Festspiele after almost 20 years," said the Viennese-native, who has been running the MuTh concert hall of the Vienna Boys' Choir since 2010 and plans to continue in that role along with her new gig. Hesse also serves on the supervisory board of Vienna State Opera and a music university in Vienna, as well as a professor.
With her wealth of experience, Hesse aims to make the festival, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2026, future-ready. She plans to focus on innovation, renewal, and development while preserving the tradition of Bad Hersfelder Festspiele and ensuring artistic excellence.
Reaching out to new audiences
Hesse intends to intensify the festival's outreach activities to explain and introduce it to new audience segments. She also stresses the importance of maintaining a tight bond between the festival and the city's residents throughout the year, not just during the festival season. This includes diverse citizen projects with a festival center serving as a hub for exchange.
Her strategy also includes modern and forward-thinking financing models, as well as boosting the "Bad Hersfelder Festspiele" brand through a contemporary communication strategy. She aims to see the festival featured in international arts and culture media. For the 75th anniversary in 2026, Hesse promises a lively season in Bad Hersfeld, saying, "There will be celebrations."
Over 100,000 visitors this year
Hesse's appointment was met with approval by Hesse's Minister of Culture, Timon Gremmels (SPD). "Elke Hesse brings invaluable experience from her past in Bad Hersfeld. Her connection to North Hesse and her long-standing expertise in the cultural scene make her the ideal candidate to further develop the festival," he said in a statement. Gremmels is optimistic that Hesse will add to the artistic brilliance of the festival.
The Bad Hersfelder Festspiele, held in the eastern Hessian town of Bad Hersfeld, are among the largest and most traditional festivals in Germany. This year, the event drew in over 103,000 visitors up to its finale on Sunday.
The Commission approved Hesse's appointment as the new artistic director of Bad Hersfelder Festspiele, commencing from 2026 to 2030. Under Hesse's leadership, The Commission hopes to see her initiatives to make the festival future-ready, reaching out to new audiences and promoting the festival globally.
