Karlsruhe – November 02, 2026 -- The 23rd ARD Hörspieltage run from November 5 to 8, 2026, and most of the program is free to attend. This year's motto is "Nothing Serious," with humor as the focus of the German-speaking world's most important audio drama festival.

Venues expand to a museum for the first time

The festival takes place at the ZKM and the HfG, and for the first time at the Kunstmuseum. SWR leads the organization, and Mareike Maage directs it. Actor and DJ Lars Eidinger will play a set at the Kunstmuseum on opening night.

Mainz – October 29, 2026 -- A new documentary from ARD Wissen, "Meine Träume – Was verraten sie über mich?" (My Dreams – What Do They Reveal About Me?), is streaming now in the ARD Mediathek. It asks whether people are helpless against their nightmares or can learn to shape them.

Munich/Leipzig – October 29, 2026 -- The 32nd José Carreras Gala airs live from Leipzig on Wednesday, December 16, at 8:15 p.m. on MDR, HR and SWR, with a parallel livestream in the ARD Mediathek. It is the first time three ARD broadcasters have carried the charity event together.

Baden-Baden – October 29, 2026 -- SWR's November lineup for ARD Mediathek, ARD Sounds and the ARD Twitch channel starts on November 5 with a documentary series about visibility. It ends with a three-part Sven Hannawald documentary on November 28 and a parasite documentary on November 30.

Kaiserslautern – September 03, 2026 -- Public broadcaster SWR handed out its 2026 "Ehrensache" awards live from Stiftsplatz in Kaiserslautern, honoring volunteers from Rhineland-Palatinate during the regional Volunteer Day on August 30. The ceremony aired live on SWR television starting at 6:15 p.m. as the centerpiece of the day's events.