Kameliya Taneva [Bulgaria/Germany] lives in Cologne and writes poetry. In 2024, she was nominated for the 32nd Open Mike. Since 2021, she has been a participant in the «Literaturwerkstatt in Darmstadt», led by Martina Weber. Last Update: 2026
Alexander Schnickmann [Germany] is a writer living in Berlin. In 2023, he received the Leonce-und-Lena-Preis. His debut «requiem» was published in 2024, followed most recently by the poetry collection «Gestirne» – both with Matthes & Seitz Berlin. Last Update: 2026
Lena Schnabl [Germany] is a journalist and writer. Her non-fiction book «Meine Suche nach dem Nichts», about a pilgrimage in Japan, became a bestseller; she is currently working on her first novel. Last Update: 2026
Aurélie Maurin is a curator, moderator, and literary translator. In 2001, she co-founded the poetry series «VERSschmuggel» at Wunderhorn Verlag and edited it until 2017. She served as spokesperson for the Coalition of the Independent Arts Scene and is a juror for the Prix Premiere and the Schöppingen Artists’ Village,
Karolina Kuszyk is a scholar of German and Polish studies, author, and literary translator. She has translated Ilse Aichinger, Karen Duve and Bernhard Schlink into Polish. Her book «Poniemieckie» (2019) sparked a broad debate in Poland about the German heritage. The German edition «In den Häusern der anderen» (2022, translated
Anna Schneider is a journalist. She studied law and art history in Vienna and then worked as an external lecturer and university assistant (praedoc) at the Institute for Constitutional Law at the University of Vienna. From 2014 to 2017 she was an advisor on constitutional and human rights issues for
Max Czollek is an author, editor, host, and curator. He is co-editor of »Jalta – Positions on Contemporary Jewish Life«, curator of the Coalition for a Pluralistic Public Discourse (CPPD), and host of several formats, including the podcast »Trauer & Turnschuh«, which he co-hosts with Hadija Haruna-Oelker. Czollek works with
Aya Jaff is an author and former start-up founder. Born in the Kurdish region of Iraq, she taught herself to code at an early age and later became involved with prominent incubators in the start-up world. She left that work after realizing that she had become part of the growth
Viktoria Feldhaus is a cultural manager and head administrator. She studied Applied Literary Studies (M.A.) in Berlin and Business Law (M.B.L.) in Cottbus. For many years she worked at German-language theatres as a director, in production, and in cultural management, and was engaged in cultural outreach work. After leading roles
Roya Soraya is an illustrator and grahic novelist. She tells stories from a feminist perspective and focuses on the characters’ diversity and humanity. Her debut came in 2022 with the graphic novel »Faust«. Her autobiographical graphic novel »Wind in meinem Kopftuch« (tr. Wind in my Headscarf, 2026) is the story
Charly Hübner is an actor, director and audiobook narrator, including Douglas Stuart’s novel «John of John». After training at the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst Ernst Busch, he appeared at several theaters, including the Schaubühne Berlin. He became known in 2006 through «The Lives of Others». Since 2010 he has played Kommissar
Wolfgang Ullrich is a cultural theorist and freelance writer. From 2006 to 2015, he was a professor of art theory and media theory at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design. His work addresses critiques of the concept of art as well as topics in the sociology of images and
