The JES Philosophers

Hey, we’re the Philos, the JES Youth Advisory Council!

We’re a group of young people between the ages of 12 and 18 who are passionate about theater and who contribute ideas and have a say in matters related to the JES. We participate in the play development process, representing the perspectives of young people. Together, we watch plays, explore them artistically through what we call “re-enactments,” and create our own projects at the JES.

What has happened so far?

Festivals
At theater festivals at JES, we create spaces for open exchange and interaction, such as creative workshops, chill-out areas, and opportunities to strike up conversations with one another. For example, in 2025 and 2026, we actively helped shape the supporting program for the “Clubtopia. Young Theater Festival” at JES.

We also traveled together to the “Rampenlichter – Dance and Theater Festival” in Munich. There, we met new people and offered post-performance discussions for plays aimed at other young people.

Since 2022, we’ve been participating every two years as “festival philosophers” at SCHÖNE AUSSICHT, the international and Baden-Württemberg theater festival for young audiences. There, we make our mark and bring together the youth councils of Baden-Württemberg’s theaters.

Interaction
As young theater professionals, we networked with other young people and young artists in Mannheim, Munich, Konstanz, and here in Stuttgart.

In 2025, we came up with the idea for “Die Lange Tafel”— an interactive discussion format that includes a meal. Here, people from different generations engaged in conversation about youth participation.

Our Own Projects
During the 2025/26 season, we carried out the “FreiRaum” project. It’s an experiment in how participatory decision-making can be artistically implemented in theater. To that end, we came up with an open stage: the “JES 2 Stage.”

You can find all the details about the project here: “FreiRaum” Project #1: Hey! We’re the JES-Philos – die junge bühne

Find us on Instagram here: @jesphilos

Interested in becoming a co-creator at JES?
Get in touch with Larissa: larissa.probst@jes-stuttgart.de

JES Philosophers: Amelia, Debbi, Hella, Kilian, Konstantina, Madita, Nora, Pina

Mentor: Larissa Probst

Free program (includes a JES club card—free admission to theater performances at JES)