About Open Mike

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Susanne Romanowski, Alexandra Antwi-Bosiako © Natalia Reich

Ruth-Maria Thomas © Natalia Reich

André Lourenço © Natalia Reich

Martina Hefter © Natalia Reich

Senthuran Varatharajah, Shida Bazyar © Natalia Reich

"Open Mike […] resonates long after the spotlights at Heimathafen Neukölln have faded." – Deutschlandfunk Kultur

Since 1993, Open Mike has provided one of the most important platforms for promoting new voices in German literature, specifically for young writers under the age of 35who have not been published yet.

Each year, around 500–800 applications are submitted. In an anonymous blind selection process, 10 to 15 participants are chosen to compete in a literary contest where publishers scout emerging talent for the German book market.

The careers of many notable authors writing in German began at Open Mike, including Karen Duve, Julia Franck, Terézia Mora, Kathrin Röggla, Ulf Stolterfoht, Ralph Tharayil or Judith Zander.

Open Mike takes place each November on a Saturday, with finalists reading in a randomly drawn order. The evening concludes with the awarding of three awards.

The night before the competition, up to three former finalists will present their newly published debut works and, together with their editors, offer insights into the publishing process.

A separate and comprehensive workshop and mentoring program supports all participants taking their first steps towards the literary scene.