Overview of the weekend
Our Youth-Festival will be hosted in the CVJM-House in Stuttgart – a really cool place where we spend most of the weekend together, singing, eating, sleeping, chilling out, and chatting.
Friday, 01. May 2026
| 3:00 PM | Check - In at the CVJM-House |
| 4:00 PM | Session 1 |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner |
| 7:30 PM | Concert TBD |
| Followed by | DJ Faith |
Saturday, 02. May 2026
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 09:00 AM | Session 2 |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 2:00 PM | Workshop |
| 3:30 PM | European Gospel Festival YOUth event |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner |
| 7:00 PM | YOUth Stage |
| Followed by | Sing, Dance & Chill |
Sunday, 03. May 2026
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 09:00 AM | Session 3 |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch (packed lunches) |
| 1:45 PM | Joint performance at the Porsche Arena |
| 2:00 PM | Festival service |
| 4:00 PM | End of the event |

Sessions
The sessions are the youth festival’s core event. We will sing, practice and learn from each and we will have an amazing time together. Under the direction of Benjamin Steinhoff and Ragnhild Hiis Ånestad, we will learn the songs that we will sing together at the festival service on Sunday in front of all participants of the European Gospel Festival. You will meet other young people who share your passion for singing.

Concert with SOFYKA
SOFYKA will get the festival rocking: with electronic beats, profound lyrics, and incredible energy, the young artist from Mannheim will captivate you from the first second to the last. Her songs, full of hope and faith, will inspire you and get the festival off to a flying start!

DJ FAITH
Get ready for a party full of energy, beats, and good vibes: DJ FAITH will shake up the dance floor with his unique mix of Christian and secular music. Powerful, inspiring, and full of energy, he invites you to experience faith, hope, and loads of fun. What an epic first night at the YOUth Festival!

YOUth Stage
On Saturday evening, you’ll have the chance to perform with your choir on the “YOUth Stage” (as part of the Night of Choirs). A great atmosphere and good vibes will make this a truly unique experience! Let’s celebrate the evening with our youth choirs – join in and sing along! The more who take part, the nicer it will be!
If you’re interested, send us an email at celina.orthaus(at)creative-kirche.de – two songs are totally fine. Sign up quickly – first come, first served :)

Sing, Dance & Chill
We’ve planned something really special for you on Saturday night. At Sing, Dance & Chill, you can wind down the evening together, celebrate, and be surprised by what the European Gospel Festival YOUth Team has in store for you.

Festival Service
The songs we rehearse together at the youth festival will be performed by all of us on Sunday during the Festival Service – as the opening act on the big stage at the Porsche Arena, in front of all participants and visitors of the European Gospel Festival. This will also be a truly special experience!
Benjamin Steinhoff

Benjamin Steinhoff is the director of the singing community YOU/C, a speaker on youth choir conducting and director of several choirs. He also works as a singer, pianist/keyboardist and band coach, arranges modern choral pieces and creates creative band arrangements. He is at home in many different musical styles—from jazz to pop to EDM—and loves to push boundaries and rethink the old.
Ragnhild Hiis Ånestad

Ragnhild Hiis Ånestad is the founder and driving force behind the SoulChildren movement in Norway. In 2001, she founded a children's and youth choir in Oslo with a colorful mix of gospel, pop, soul and R&B. Today, the SoulChildren movement has reached over 300 choirs worldwide, which Ragnhild and her team inspire with ever-new ideas, songs and concepts.
SOFYKA

Her live performances are legendary: with an impressive stage presence and incredible energy, Mannheim-based artist SOFYKA captivates her audience from beginning to end. The 24-year-old uses her concerts to build a deep connection with her fans and share her message of faith and hope. Her music blends energetic electronic beats with profound Christian lyrics, allowing her to carve out a unique niche in the music world. For SOFYKA, it’s essential that her songs not only entertain, but also inspire and encourage. Her tracks are available on streaming platforms and are loved by a growing fan base. She’s made it her mission to spread her positive message through music while giving her audience unforgettable, euphoric moments. With her unwavering faith, musical innovation, and contagious energy, SOFYKA is at the forefront of a new wave of artists proving that meaningful content and captivating beats can go hand in hand. Let SOFYKA’s music and inspiring message lift you up – and experience the magic of her live performances!
DJ FAITH

With his high-energy show full of power, driving beats, and crowd interaction, DJ FAITH fuses Christian and secular music with themes of faith, love, hope – and loads of fun on the dance floor. He has been inspiring young people across Germany with his DJ sets for many years. Based in Stuttgart, DJ and producer DJ FAITH is one of the most established and successful German Christian artists in pop and dance music. His dynamic shows get people across the country singing, dancing, and celebrating. In his sets, DJ FAITH mixes Christian and secular house and club music with uplifting messages of faith, trust, and life. In 2019, DJ FAITH released his first self-produced single, BELIEVE. After this initial success, he followed up with FACEtoFACE, featuring U.S. singer Dante Thomas, known worldwide for his hit “Miss California.” In 2020, he released his latest single, KINGS OF THIS TOWN, and his remix COLORFUL RAINBOW (originally by Sacrety) – both real body shakers. He also teamed up with spoken word artist Robina Resch to release an encouraging and moving poetry track. In 2022, he released a remix of JIREH (originally by Elevation Worship). Later that year, he launched his Wylder Beat podcast. In every show, DJ FAITH combines his passion for music, his love of a flawless performance, and his deep empathy for people. After a two-year break, DJ FAITH is ready to make the dance floors shake once again!
Registration
Registration is open to anyone aged 12 and above. Participants agree to the unrestricted use of audio and video recordings at the festival.
Let’s sing, celebrate and have fun with lots of other people! Whether you are part of a youth choir (e.g., Soulteens, YOU/C, or others) and are traveling together, or whether you are coming by yourself or with a few friends—you are all invited to join us at the European Gospel Festival YOUth! We are looking forward to seeing you!
Festival ticket: 39 EUR
Full board: 59 EUR
Register now as a single participant
Participation information
The European Gospel Festival YOUth will take place at the CVJM House in Stuttgart. You’ll stay together in the gym and other rooms of the CVJM House, located directly in the workshop building. When registering, you can optionally book the accommodation and meal package for €59, which includes vegetarian/vegan full board (2x breakfast, 2x lunch, and 2x dinner).
The European Gospel Festival YOUth will take place at the CVJM-House in Stuttgart. You will stay together in the gym of the CVJM-House, which is located directly next to the workshop building. Full board is provided at the CVJM-House. You can optionally book the accommodation, including a meal package, for 59 EUR when you register (vegetarian/vegan full board with 2x breakfast, 2x lunch, and 2x dinner).
The European Gospel Festival YOUth cannot guarantee supervision for every participant. Therefore, it is a prerequisite that for all participants under the age of 18, the supervision form must be completed, signed, and sent by mail or email (service(at)creative-kirche.de) by a legal guardian. Only then is the registration for the European Gospel Festival YOUth valid. You will receive the document by email after registration.
Soulteens is a nationwide choir movement of Christian youth choirs. Regular meetings of Soulteens choir and team leaders promote exchange among themselves and create a large youth choir community. YOU/C, the singing community, aims to inspire young people throughout Germany to sing (together) and to connect with each other. To this end, YOU/C Days are held in communities and districts. Several times a year, modern songs with accompanying song material are published on www.you-c.online, to support singing and practicing the songs.


