Barrierfree Sustainability Newsletter - - - - -

NORDEN - the nordic arts festival

This was NORDEN 2022

Great concerts, enthusiastic visitors, exciting readings and completely new topics - and twelve days of almost nothing but good weather: The NORDEN Festival looks back on an all-around successful fourth edition on the Königswiesen! 35,000 visitors came to the idyllic festival site on the Schlei during the twelve days of the festival. Far more than in 2021.
"We are very happy with this development," said on Sunday (September 11) Manfred Pakusius, who together with his partner Marno Happ organizes the festival since 2018. And the Schleswiger*innen have taken the festival to their hearts: The especially cheap early bird festival passes for the NORDEN Festival 2023 were sold out within a few hours, as were the 500 early bird tickets.


The special concept of the festival, which the organizers tailored especially for the area on the banks of the Schlei, was successful again this year: Hand-picked artists* and bands from Northern Germany, Scandinavia, Poland and the Baltic States, as well as from the Netherlands for the first time this year; readings in the Culture Tent and in the newly created Atrium; artistry, circus shows, performances and comedy in the newly built Manege im Park. All this in an artfully designed area, which unfolded its full magic only after nightfall, when trees, the typical NORDEN huts and the symbolic animals of the festival were illuminated. Uncounted are the cell phone photos that were snapped especially of the new, colorful, five-meter-tall jellyfish at the end of the wooden path.


1                                       (c) Maike Keller

Nordic female power this year came from the fantastic Norwegian trio I See Rivers, from the cheerful, groovy Lithuanian punk band ShiShi, the Swedish rock tube Linn Koch-Emmery, who bravely sang against the steady rain, and last but not least from the exhilarated, energetic singer Cäthe from Hamburg. Unforgettable highlights on the Schleibühne stage were provided above all by the Dutchmen from The Cool Quest, the Hamburg old-timers Die Sterne and, on the last Saturday, the superbly performing musicians of the band Husten around the charismatic singer Gisbert zu Knyphausen. But there was also plenty of good-mood music that turned the audience into a jumping, dancing crowd: Guacáyo, La Mano Letal, Bubbeli, I-Fire and, most recently, EUT created a party atmosphere at NORDEN.


The topics of environment and sustainability have been a focus at NORDEN from the very beginning. For example, there is only reusable tableware at the festival, which is washed at a central station. Greenpeace and other environmental organizations have their own booths, and the electricity comes from renewable energy sources. Now the organizers are taking a further step towards inclusion and accessibility. For the first time, mobile induction loops were used, making it much easier for deaf or hearing-impaired people to understand the readings. Some events were simultaneously translated into German sign language. There was also cooperation with the Schleswiger Werkstätten, supported by the Rotary Club of Schleswig-Gottorf. A highlight was also the reading by Julius Werner & Manuel Zube ("Manni sucht das Weite"): "Here, inclusion is not only lived, but also celebrated. And that's exactly how I perceive it here at NORDEN," said author Julius Werner. The topic of inclusion is to be explored further in the future.

The visual arts were given a whole new status at the festival this year. This was represented by the art market at the canal, where regional artists* could present (and sell) their works. "Art has made its entrance. We had two great exhibitions on the Königswiesen!", Manfred Pakusius was pleased.
But what would NORDEN be without the numerous workshops. With great enthusiasm, the public made, among other things, beautiful flower wreaths, built musical instruments and at the Kulturschlachterei from Rendsburg, one could let off steam creatively with artists* from the region.
The culture tent was bursting at the seams with readings by great writers, such as Feridun Zaimoglu ("Bewältigung") and Susanne Matthiessen with her second Sylt novel, and Lucy Fricke, who read from her bestseller "Die Diplomatin" (The Diplomat) and reported on the oppressive background. In the cinema tent, too, there was sometimes not a free seat to be found, among others at the screening of the film Jimi's last Blues.


Advance sales for the NORDEN Festival 2023 are already in full swing. In the online store of the festival, about 2,000 regular festival passes are still available at a price of 99 euros. New in the offer are the family festival passes by popular request. NORDEN is increasingly becoming a festival for children; the offers go far beyond the giant air cushion. From Friday, September 16, 300 limited weekend tickets in the popular hardcover format will be available for all three festival weekends in 2023 at Liesegang in Schleswig. And so Happ and Pakusius hope that they will be able to report "Sold out!" on some days next year.

Last but not least, the all-around peaceful, communicative atmosphere in the audience and among the entire, always friendly, helpful young team of the festival must be emphasized. They are the soul and the figurehead of the festival!
NORDEN Festival 2024 // Third cultural wave
The next cultural wave is here and we definitely haven't promised you too much: NORDEN 2024 is going to be awesome! ? We've been digging for a long time and finally got the go-ahead: JUPITER JONES are coming to NORDEN Festival 2024 with a full band. There's also a fixed date for a heavy SECRET HEADLINER - you can really look forward to that!
Impressive people and exciting readings await you in the culture tent - it's guaranteed not to be boring! And today we also present the first act in our Manege in the Park. In the next wave of culture, there will be a big wave of fantastic street theater - stay tuned!
NORDEN Festival 2024 // Second cultural wave
Are you ready for some big news from the NORDEN? There's a lot going on in the background at the moment and we're really excited to drop a few things on you again today.
Our booking team is working hard on the cultural program for NORDEN 2024, so that we can present you some new names in the line-up today. There are a few personal highlights from our team ? If only you knew what else we have in the pipeline. It's definitely worth telling everyone around you about NORDEN and getting them excited!
On the road in Berlin
At the end of November, Philine from our NORDEN team was at the Future of Festivals in Berlin - the industry meeting for all organizers and service providers from the festival sector.
At the Future of Festivals, Philine gave a presentation on accessibility at festivals, including the NORDEN Festival. We are very happy that we have been able to expand our accessibility measures at the NORDEN Festival in recent years and that we can offer people with disabilities equal and independent access. We will now tell you why this is so important and what else we have planned!
St. Nicholas surprise from the NORDEN
Santa didn't just leave presents in our boots tonight and we are now snacking on lots of chocolate in the NORDEN office. There is also something very special for you in the NORDEN online store! From now on, you can get a 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL FAMILY WEEKEND TICKETS online. In addition, there are 5 FOR 4 HARDCOVER DAY TICKETS in the Thursday or Friday category OR in the Saturday or Sunday category in all branches of the Liesegang bookshop, redeemable for free on all three festival weekends. How's that for a great Christmas present?
All ticket categories now available
We've never been this early! From now on you can finally buy WEEKEND AND DAY TICKETS for next year in the NORDEN online store. The best thing is, the ticket prices will not be increased!
And because we always want something good for you, we're simply keeping the EARLY BOOKING FESTIVAL PASSES available for a few days longer. Up to and including Friday, 08.12.2023, you have the chance to buy the last limited early bird festival passes for a one-time price of 89 EURO plus VVK in the NORDEN online store. After that we will switch to the regular price level. Printed out, they also make a fantastic gift for Christmas.
NORDEN Festival 2024 // First Release
A lot has happened in the past few weeks and we are looking forward to 2024 and the upcoming NORDEN - The Nordic Arts Festival. But honestly, why can't we just see each other more often and celebrate together? We still think about our time at the Königswiesen quite often. It was really, really great and special!
The first snow has now fallen and the anticipation of Christmas is growing. It's the best time for us to finally present the FIRST RELEASE for NORDEN 2024. A promising start with really great artists!
Nominated and won
The NORDEN Festival is the most sustainable festival in Germany!

For the tenth time the HELGA! Festival Award was presented for the tenth time and the NORDEN - The Nordic Arts Festival really cleaned up: The GRÜNSTE WIESE can now be found at the NORDEN in Schleswig.

In addition, on 8.9.23 at the NORDEN Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Minister of Economic Affairs, Claus Ruhe Madsen, awarded us the "Sustainability Project" prize worth 1,000 euros.
This was NORDEN 2023
Three unforgettable festival weekends are behind us and we are so full of love and gratitude for this fantastic festival experience at the Königswiesen. In the meantime, we are back in our office routine and still reminisce about this year's NORDEN Festival.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all visitors. It was simply great to celebrate NORDEN together with all of you! We will carry this very special feeling in our hearts for a long time and, even if the summer is gradually coming to an end and it is getting colder outside, we will remember the 12 days of NORDEN Festival with you with a smile.
Presale 2024
NORDEN - The Nordic Arts Festival 2024 ⎜29. AUG - 15. SEP 2024
On Wednesday, September 06, 2023, the presale for the NORDEN - The Nordic Arts Festival 2024 starts and the best is: The prices are the same as in 2023!
The coveted Early Bird festival passes are available from Wednesday, 06 September from 8.00 a.m. exclusively at the bookstore Liesegang, Stadtweg 22 in Schleswig. There will be a one-time sale of 1,000 limited Early Bird Festival Passes in hardcover format for 79,- EURO, reduced 69,- EURO.
Opening NORDEN Festival 2023
It's starting again! The NORDEN is celebrated on the Königswiesen in Schleswig! Twelve days of music and literature, street theater, film and lots of action for children, plus a variety of gastronomy in a great setting await the visitors. Even the little bit of rain could not harm the guests at the NORDEN Festival and so the place in front of the Schleibühne filled up until finally Schleswig-Holstein's Minister of the Interior DR. SABINE SÜTTERLIN-WAACK together with Schleswig's mayor, STEPHAN DOSE, and the festival founders MANFRED PAKUSIUS AND MARNO HAPP opened the fifth NORDEN Festival. Musically, the NORDEN was opened by the Schleswig CHORCOLORES, as in previous years.
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