The Peter-Weiss-Stiftung für Kunst und Politik e.V. is the organizer of the international literature festival berlin. Ulrich Schreiber is the founder of the festival Since May 2023, Lavinia Frey is the festival’s director.
The 24th edition of the festival will take place in Berlin from September 5 to 14, 2024. The Young Program will take place from September 9 to 18, 2024.
We are pleased to present here the complete program of the 23rd ilb. During the festival, program booklets will be available free of charge at the main venues.
About 140 authors from various parts of the world will participate in the 23rd ilb. In a few exceptions, authors will participate remotely. Here you can find an overview of all authors of the 23rd ilb.
Selected events will be broadcast free of charge and in real time on our website and the ilb YouTube channel. The events will remain available without restriction after the festival. On the program page, you can adjust the filter to see which events will be live streamed.
The main formats of the ilb are: readings, lectures and panel discussions. In addition, there are selected screenings of films as well as exhibition formats, dance performances, scenic readings and concerts. Hinzukommen ausgewählte Screenings von Filmen sowie Ausstellungsformate, Tanz-Performance, szenische Lesungen und Konzerte.
The ilb is an international event. Many events take place in several languages. Many events will be interpreted into German. Some events are held in English exlusively. You can also look for them on the program page by setting a respective filter. Please refer to the respective event pages for information.
During the festival, books by select authors can be purchased at the Dussmann book table in the foyer of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Alternatively, you can order the books from Dussmannor one of our affiliated bookstores.
At the ilb Library. The ilb library is located on the first floor of the foyer of Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Entry to the library is FREE and EVERYONE is welcome. The library features lounge furniture and books by several ilb guests to be read on the premises. The ilb library opens September 11, 5 – 9 pm, Tuesday, September 12 – Friday 16, 9 am – 12 pm and 5 – 9 pm and Satuday 3 – 8 pm. Pop in for a visit, it’s a wonderful space to sit, talk, think and read. The site also has free WiFi for visitors. You can also catch one of our book talks – free 30-minute conversations with international authors – that will take place in the relaxed setting of the library.
For families with children, we especially recommend the International Family Festival on Sunday, September 10 at die gelbe Villa. More information is available here. Other events of the young ilb program take place mostly on weekday mornings and are therefore mainly attended by school classes. However, everyone is welcome to attend the readings.
The young ilb program offers numerous readings and workshops for school classes in which international children’s and young adult authors and illustrators present their books. You can find more information here.
By becoming a member of the association Freunde und Förderer des internationalen literaturfestivals berlin e.V. you can support the ilb. All information can be found on the page of the association.
We are looking for motivated people to support us in the realization of the 23rd ilb. You can find all information here.
Yes, each year we award The Extraordinary Book. The Extraordinary Book is a non-endowed award, initiated in 2012 by the International Children´s and Young Adult´s Literature section of the international literature festival berlin, which honours remarkable books for children, teenagers or young adults. The jury is composed of the guests of the young ilb programme of the current festival edition, who each select one book for the award. All extraordinary books are exhibited on the first floor of the foyer of Haus der Berliner Festspiele as part of the ilb Library and in the Philipp Schaeffer District Central Library. After the festival has ended, the books can be borrowed from the Schaeffer Library.
Photo and video recordings during the events are generally not permitted. However, we are happy if you share your experiences around the events on social media. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @ilb_festival and use the festival hashtag #ilb23.
On the individual event pages of our program, you will find the respective ticket information. For most of the events of the 23rd ilb evening program, you can purchase tickets via the ticket shop of the Berliner Festspiele. The ticket button on the respective event pages links to the corresponding event in the ticket shop. For the event at Berliner Ensemble, you will not receive your ticket via the Berliner Festspiele ticket store but directly at the venue on the respective website or at the box office. Information on tickets for the ilb young program can be found here.
A few selected events are free of charge and accessible entirely without a ticket. Events with free admission mostly do not require a prior registration. We are looking forward to welcoming you there. Exception: For the event “22 Years international literature festival berlin. Retrospect and Tribute Ulrich Schreiber” we kindly ask you to purchase a ticket free of charge here, in order to be admitted to the event.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office in the Gropius-Bau. The evening box office opens one hour before the performance at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. Alternatively, tickets can be booked via the ticket information service at +49 30 25489-100. The young ilb’s ticket information service can be contacted at +49 30278786 -66/-70/-72 or at tickets@literaturfestival.com.
Tickets already purchased can unfortunately not be canceled or exchanged. However, it is possible to get your ticket for one of the events in the young program exchanged or canceled.
As a rule, a ticket is only valid for the corresponding event. However, we are happy if you would like to visit several events and recommend our Festival Pass for this purpose. You can find all information about the festival pass here in the FAQs as well as on our ticket page.
Festival Pass holders have access to all events of the festival. There is no guarantee to admission for sold-out events. [Please be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the start of the event.] [Bitte seien Sie mindestens 15 Minuten vor Veranstaltungsbeginn vor Ort.] The following exceptions apply: For the events »Lauren Groff: Matrix«, »Wuhan. With: Herta Müller, Liao Yiwu and Volker Stanzel« and »Far East Berlin – Reading the Asian Berlin. With: Ma Thida a.o.« Festival Pass holders need to purchase a regular ticket.
Reduced price tickets are available in advance online and at the daytime box office at Gropius Bau, as well as from the evening box offices. Those eligible for reductions are: persons with a severe disability of 50 % or above, schoolchildren and students up to the age of 27, plus those in training, engaged in [Bundes-] Voluntary Service or in a recipient of unemployment benefits.
For events of the section International Children’s and Young Adult Literature there are discounted single tickets for 5 Euro for a group of 5 persons or more. There are no group tickets for the other events in the program.
There are not going to be Day Passes this year. You can, however, purchase a Day Pass for the events at the 13th Graphic Novel Day, on September 16. All information can be found on the respective program site.
Seat reservation for individual events is not possible.
We welcome every media coverage on the festival. Only media representatives with valid accreditation have access to the events. Media representatives from all outlets can apply for accreditation here. Please only apply for accreditation via this form. We will make every effort to process your application as quickly as possible.
Yes, the press accreditation is free of charge.
Media representatives are eligible for free admission to the festival’s events depending on availability. Furthermore, the press department also handles requests regarding photo, film and audio recordings. For personal assistance, accredited media representatives can also contact the press table in the foyer of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, as well as by e-mail or phone +30 27 87 96 42.
For interview requests with authors, please contact our press department via e-mail.
For interview requests with the program directors, please contact our press department via e-mail.
You can find author’s photos and the festival’s photo documentation in our media kit. For book covers, please contact the respective publishers.
