My longing for a happy ending is immense—an ending just like a fairy tale, where everyone lives happily ever after. Especially in this world, which seems to have fallen completely out of joint, as wicked wolves and witches (mostly warlocks) are currently poaching, murdering, and tormenting with particular aggression. The devilish war-witch Hegseth, the devious little (Caroline) Leavitt-hood, the wicked former ICE Princess, the storytellers from Silicon Valley and from parties, autocracies, and regimes shifting ever further to the right—they are all up to no good, preying on a few clapping frogs, Little Red Riding Hoods, or Town Musicians. It’s getting uncomfortable. More and more wars, countless conflicts, crises, and humanitarian catastrophes (they all appear within these five booklets) for which there seems to be no space left in the news because—bricklebit! retch!—the Wolf takes up so much room: ME! More and more money for weapons, for armaments—the "job machine" of the arms industry. Defence stocks are soaring; when will we start speculating on "out-defence" stocks? Meanwhile, education, health, social welfare, or even culture become increasingly unattainable for people like Cinderella. It is already very uncomfortable. Is that it? Once upon a time…? Can we really not do better? I believe the question for a new, self-assured pacifism is ringing out with a deafening crash. Or perhaps wishing does help after all? I firmly believe in an "It shall be, one day!" Cinderella and Henriette of Orange agree, by the way (the three of us are of one mind). Moers 2026 stands for countless possibilities and invitations to chase away the wolf—or the wolves—or to transform them back into members of a good "Unimoersum" through reintegration programmes. Though, historically speaking, we do a terrible injustice to wolves, as well as to supposed witches and warlocks (see info box).
Supported by brave artists, fabulous specialists, solitaires, non-contrarians, regional talents, courageous Tom Thumbs, and clever youths, all the way to humble giants of contemporary music and improvisation, 2026 will host the longest moers festival ever. It unfolds in various formats, spread across countless venues throughout the city, while distant fairy-tale traditions rise wing-borne from the pavement of the Kastellplatz. There, whimsical trolls from Iceland, the Brazilian forest guardian Curupira, or the poor child Kamunjang Agi from South Korea will appear. What awaits us is a joyous and uplifting togetherness of schools, nurseries, music schools, groups from NRW, and ensembles and guests from all over the world. All because the Federal Government, the State, the City, the Kunststiftung NRW, and many other "possibility-wizards" want it so. And on Thursday, we celebrate the nationwide day of action ‘Cohesion in Diversity’—vital! But heed this: do not get lost in the five-part programme guide, for each day has its own lovingly folded leporello. Fill your basket in the legend-woven festival village, don’t spend all your time fiddling with your phone, use Arto’s magic key, and rather lose yourself in the Soundwald, where the unconscious becomes audible. By Sunday evening at the latest (I promise!), it will get cosy once more. Let us celebrate the 55th moers festival together and use it as a liberating escape from reality.
Wishing you much inspiration and Âventiure sur la Place du Castel!
Clap! — Your Frog King
In the 16th century, between 40,000 and 60,000 people were executed for witchcraft in Central Europe. To this day, people are held responsible for crises, diseases, and crop failures. In the Congo, the burning of "enfants sorciers" ("bewitched children") was officially banned only a few years ago. It is still practised. And the wolf? Today, it is a protected species.