Impressions
Festival für junge Sprachkunst und Poetry-Slam | 20. Feb. – 22. Feb. 2026
At the Wortsport Contest 2026, the stage belongs entirely to the new generation. Newcomer talents from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol – all born after 2000 – compete against each other in their own competition and show where stage language art is heading in 2026.
Among those taking part are voices such as Olivia Kaufmann from South Tyrol, who writes her texts with the clarity of someone who grew up between mountains, school life and her own curiosity about language.
Nya Ditt travels from Franconia, already reigning champion of the U20 Poetry Slam with her fresh perspective, stage presence and keen sense of nuance.
Arnold Pretzlaw comes from Berlin, whose style oscillates between sound experiments and playful patterns, unfolding a mixture of precision and spontaneity on stage.
Also participating is Andreas Kofler from Vienna, whose texts expose the fractures in society with quiet intensity and who moves beyond linguistic boundaries. And Mira Hampe, who grew up between northern Germany and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, brings her own combination of poetry, drama and a humorous view of the world – covering topics ranging from politics to alpacas. These five are representative of all fifteen young artists competing in the festival: different backgrounds, different worlds – yet united by a desire to experiment and the joy of creating something completely unique and new.
The Wortsport Contest 2026 is the ideal evening for anyone who wants to experience how spoken word, rap, poetry and performance are being fundamentally renewed. A competition full of energy, surprises and young voices that you won't soon forget. This isn't just reading – this is where the next generation of language art is being born.
