Water & Sound Festival 2027

Water & Sound is a festival for global contemporary music, art and discourse in Augsburg. It is linked to the theme of the city's historic water management system, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019. The festival places water as a global resource in a worldwide context, looking at its cultural, social and ecological significance. Each edition follows its own theme. After “Rivers” (2025) and “Waterways” (2026), the festival turns to the ocean in 2027: under the title “Ebb & Flow”, it explores tides, ocean currents and the coastal regions they shape. For ten days each summer, Augsburg presents key voices in global contemporary music: artists rooted in tradition but seeking new spaces of expression, with established names alongside exciting newcomers. Over the years, artists have included Fatoumata Diawara, Mayra Andrade, Bombino, DakhaBrakha, Emel Mathlouthi, Gaye Su Akyol, Ganavya, Bab L'Bluz, ADG7, Bala Desejo, Ana Frango Elétrico, Mokoomba, BCUC and The Cavemen. Many concerts take place outdoors: on an open-air stage in a historic courtyard in the old town and on a lakeside stage. 

Other events are held in a 19th-century theatre and at UNESCO World Heritage sites, including historic water towers and canal landscapes. Every year the festival creates its own productions: in residency projects, international artists develop new work with musicians and artists from the region. Art projects, installations and performances open up further perspectives on water. In panels and talks, artists and scientists discuss rivers, oceans, climate and heritage, and build networks across borders. Guided tours by the UNESCO World Heritage Office let visitors experience the World Heritage sites firsthand. The festival closes with a parade along historic waterways into the city centre. The programme combines artistic ambition with a strong sense of community and opens questions about water up to a wide audience that is as diverse as the city itself. The festival grew out of Augsburg's long-running Festival of Cultures and was relaunched in 2022 as Water & Sound, based on a concept by artistic director Girisha Fernando. Today it is regarded as one of Germany's leading festivals for global music and attracts attention well beyond Augsburg. Artistic direction: Girisha Fernando. Organised by the City of Augsburg's Cultural Office in cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Office.