Popakademie students are developing new ideas for the Heidelberg Spring
22. April 2026
“Classical music is for boomers. But it still grabs you live.” This year, the Heidelberger Frühling used this slogan to promote its under-30 tickets. The slogan, along with the accompanying posters and social media stories, is the result of a workshop held earlier this year by students from the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg and the Heidelberger Frühling.
The four Music and Creative Industries students Johannes Bader, Simon Kidane, Tim Fischböck and Isabel Wessel collaborated with Thorsten Schmidt, artistic director and founder of the Heidelberg Spring, marketing director Sophia Pick, and colleagues from ticketing, consulting, and social media on this innovative approach aimed at specifically engaging a young audience with classical music formats. The workshop was moderated by Stefan Bohrmann, a long-time lecturer at the Popakademie and founder of the independent firm ebene c.The workshop focused on the question of how communication and digital presence need to evolve in order to become more relevant and accessible to a younger audience. This led to a constructive exchange and a bold, innovative approach to the new marketing strategy. Following the workshop, the four Popakademie students immediately got to work on their idea and the self-produced content for the Heidelberger Frühling’s social media channels. With success: in 2026, demand for U30 tickets reached an all-time high in the festival’s history.The workshop not only gave students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a practical setting, but also provided them with valuable insights into the workings of one of Europe’s most prominent classical music festivals. At the same time, the Heidelberg Spring benefited from fresh ideas and direct access to the perspectives of the younger generation.