The Goethe-Institut in Johannesburg is hosting film, art, language and literature events throughout the month of November with the aim of sharing and nurturing various important forms of cultural exchange. Here’s all you need to know about the event schedule.
What does the Goethe-Institut do?
The Goethe-Institut aims to cultivate international and local cultural exchange through the arts, sciences and languages. With over 100 institutes worldwide, and 14 in the sub-Saharan region, including the one in Johannesburg, the Goethe-Institut is committed to fostering transnational diversity, understanding and trust.
The Johannesburg institute’s Language department offers German lessons in the Goethe-Institut and otherwise, supporting German teachers in the country and working closely with the South African Department of Education.
Their Library and Information Department works in partnership with libraries and other institutions involved in book and reading promotion in South Africa and encourages exchanges between information specialists and publishers in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and Germany.
And their Cultural Programmes Department focuses on a variety of different artistic approaches from the visual arts to drama, dance, literature, film, and others to support the local cultural scenes and strengthen pan-African dialogue through the arts.
New! Goethe-Institut Johannesburg Library takes on a sonic modality
The Goethe-Institut Johannesburg Library is entering an exciting new chapter with the launch of the Sonic Library, a dynamic initiative that reimagines the library as an experimental, participatory space for sound, performance and broadcasting.
Building on the library’s longstanding role in archiving knowledge and supporting learning, the Sonic Library expands these possibilities by recognizing sound as a vital form of cultural memory and historical record.
Through this initiative, the library becomes a platform for documenting, preserving and activating the sounds that have shaped and continue to shape social, cultural, and political life in South Africa, across the African continent, and beyond.
The Sonic Library explores the intersections between traditional library practices and the demands of a digital age. By embracing oral traditions, listening practices, and sonic storytelling, the project challenges conventional ideas of knowledge preservation and access.
Through collaborations with artists, researchers, cultural practitioners and communities, the Sonic Library seeks to preserve cultural heritage while encouraging new forms of engagement with sound as a tool for history, identity, memory and creative expression.
When: Library open hours are – Monday to Thursday from 2pm to 6pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg Library, 119 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg
The Goethe-Institut’s September Programme
Exhibition: A Secret Third Thing
Reflective of the history of its locale, A Secret Third Thing is an excavation and a tenuous mining undergone with no clear endpoint in sight.
The secrecy the exhibition brings to question is not some retrievable piece of information, but the reckoning with a fidgety, sometimes exciting, sometimes scary and always dynamic undercurrent. This undercurrent is the haunting of a city that refuses to be continuously taken from with no recourse or consequence.
The city refuses a position of docility. The apartment guests find themselves in is stripped of any of those homely identifying marks but holds echoes of the city, with music from the street below making its way to the fifth floor and the sound of people going about their lives.
Adopting this space in limbo, A Secret Third Thing refutes the derogatory assumptions of inner-city Johannesburg. In turn, the artists presented become active specters that talk back at the city, insinuating the idea of how we can be both the haunted and the ones who haunt in return.
Featured artists include Senzeni Marasela, Ntsako Nkuna, Simon Gush, Smiso Cele, Siyababa, Oratile Papi Konopi, Masindi Mbolekwa.
Cost: Free entry
When: Opens on Saturday, 8 August 2026 from 11am to 1pm and runs until 10 October 2026
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Ableton User Group Johannesburg – From Mbiras to birdsong
In this hands-on workshop,Ableton Certified Trainer Emile Hoogenhout will demonstrate some of the powerful instruments and devices in Live 12.3, including Meld, Roar, Auto Shift and Drum Sampler, along with new modulation behaviour, MIDI transformation tools and Generator devices for creative sound design and music production.
This free community workshop welcomes both beginners and experienced producers. Come connect with fellow music makers, learn new techniques, and explore tools that can expand your creative workflow. The Ableton User Group Johannesburg meets monthly throughout the year, with upcoming dates shared in advance.
Cost: Free entry
When: Wednesday, 2 September 2026 from 4pm to 7pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Talking About Silence
Featured as part of The Cradle of Creativity Festival programme, Talking About Silence is a powerful Rwanda-Germany collaboration Supported by the Goethe-Institut.
Created by Helios Theatre in Germany and Ishyo Arts Centre in Rwanda, Talking About Silence explores the power of speech and silence within families, communities and societies.
Through interconnected stories drawn from Rwanda and Germany, the production examines secrets, discrimination, grief, conflict and healing, asking how silence can both protect and cause harm, and is aimed at audiences 10 years and older.
Blending humour with emotional depth, six performers create a moving theatrical experience that invites young audiences and their families to reflect on communication, memory and our shared humanity.
The cast features Carole Karemera, Noemie Ntahonkiriye, Inkindi Muyango, Minju Kim, Tamara Hermanns and Michael Lurse. The production is produced by Carole Karemera from Rwanda and Barbara Kölling from Germany, with a script by Steffen Moor, scenography by Michael Lurse and technical direction by Malte Kochanek.
Cost: R150pp to R180pp, book via Webtickets
When: Tuesday, 1 September at 7.30pm. Wednesday, 2 September at 2.30pm. Thursday, 3 September at 4.30pm
Where: The Market Theatre, 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown, Johannesburg
Toni Erdmann (2016) screening
Join the Goethe-Institut for a free screening of Toni Erdmann, a critically acclaimed German comedy-drama starring Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller.
Despite all his activities, Winfried Conradi, a retired music teacher, suffers from loneliness. His daughter Ines, who’s pursuing a career abroad as a management consultant, is of particular discomfort to him.
When Winfried’s dog dies, he travels spontaneously to Bucharest to see Ines. Her father’s arrival, however, does little to please her: he immediately interferes in her life and work, embarrasses her with ridiculous disguises, and, if necessary, acts as a rude impostor.
Cost: Free entry
When: Saturday, 5 September from 1.30pm to 4.30pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg
AFRO-Freedom Book Club
The AFRO-Freedom Book Club is a public gathering that celebrates Afrikan writers, aiming to spark dialogue and civic engagement within the community. This club is a fantastic space for Afro-centric, creative, opinionated, and open-minded individuals, and the meetups take place on the second Wednesday of each month. Anyone can join in, regardless of whether they’ve read the book or not.
The book selection for September is My Name Is Maame: The heroine you didn’t know you needed by Jessica George. Meet Maddie Wright. She wants to wear a bright yellow suit. She wants to date men who her mother wouldn’t like. She wants to stand up to her boss – once and for all. She wants to know why her father can’t tell her he loves her. She wants to stop Googling every life choice she makes.
But will the world let her? This is a story of heartbreak, friendship and breaking the rules – it’s a book that will leave you feeling braver than you were when you started..
The monthly book selection is shared via the mailing list and on social media (Facebook and Instagram). Email [email protected] for more information.
Cost: Free entry
When: Wednesday, 9 September 2026 from 7pm to 9pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Gamedev meetups
Every second Thursday of every month, gaming enthusiasts can join the Goethe-Institut for talks, game showcases, networking with other game developers, and playtesting. Refreshments are also served throughout the evening to keep the energy up.
Cost: Free entry
When: Thursday, 10 September 2026 from 6pm to 9pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Bundesjugendchor in South Africa
Around 50 outstanding young choral singers work intensively each year to prepare several demanding concert programmes spanning works from the Renaissance to the present day, performed in concerts across Germany and abroad.
Artistic direction lies in the hands of Anne Kohler, who is responsible for stylistically assured musical interpretations and for the ongoing vocal training that shapes the choir’s homogeneous, distinctive sound.
The National Youth Choir of Germany receives further musical impulses from guest conductors and collaborations with other professional ensembles.
The National Youth Choir of Germany at the Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria
Pretoria’s original Oktoberfest and an annual fundraising event for the Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria returns this September, with three days of cultural entertainment including a Family Day on Saturday, 12 September.
As part of the Family Day programme, The National Youth Choir of Germany will perform works by Mendelssohn, Hapanen, Vasks and Jekabsone.
Cost: Entrance to Family Day is from R130pp, book via Howler
When: Saturday, 12 September 2026 from 10am to 11.30pm
Where: Deutsche Schule Internationale Pretoria, Simon Vermooten Rd, The Willows, Pretoria
Outer Space – Comets of Choral Music with Wits University Choir and Dr Musa-Duke Nkuna
“Outer Space – Comets of Choral Music” explores humanity’s fascination with the heavens, with light, stars, and darkness – with everything that lies beyond our planet. From humanity’s earthly perspective, the question arises: How can the vastness of the universe and the celestial bodies be experienced through sound?
The musical answers to this question are diverse: Johann Sebastian Bach celebrates the divine order in heavenly hymns of praise through radiant polyphony.
Heinrich Schütz sings of the Christian hope for life after death. Robert Schumann turns his gaze inward, making the firmament a mirror of his own soul. And Gustav Mahler transcends the boundary between the world and eternity.
“Outer Space – Comets of Choral Music” brings together works that shine in their own unique way. The programme connects humanity’s earthly gaze toward the heavens with the sonic spheres of the cosmos.
There will be a brief introduction to the musical and astronomical encounters before the start of the concert. The concert is made possible by the German Youth Choir, the Goethe-Institut, and the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome.
Cost: R95pp, book via Webtickets
When: Tuesday, 15 September 2026 from 6pm
Where: Digital Dome, East Campus, University of the Witwatersrand, Yale Rd, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Goethe Writing Club
Join the Goethe Writing Club, a welcoming community of aspiring writers who come together to strengthen their craft, exchange ideas, and support one another’s creative journeys.
The Writing Club meets once per quarter, on the third Thursday of the final month of each quarter. Each session is dedicated to sharing and discussing original writing in a constructive and collaborative environment.
Participants are expected to:
- Write a piece of fiction (any form) of up to 3000 words
- Upload their work to a shared folder before the meeting
- Read fellow participants’ submissions in preparation for discussion
Each meetup features new themes and creative challenges, offering fresh inspiration and opportunities to grow as a writer.
Cost: Free entry
When: Next meetup – Thursday, 17 September 2026 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Wikipedia Meetup
Wikipedia meetups are community gatherings where Wikipedians and other Wikimedians come together to socialise, collaborate, and work toward the shared goal of improving free knowledge. These meetups can be in person or online, and anyone may organise or attend: no special permissions are required, and formats vary widely depending on the group’s goals.
What This Johannesburg Meetup Is About
At the Goethe-Institut edition of the meetup, participants focus on discussions around:
- Wikimedia South Africa, its work, programmes, and current projects within the chapter and the larger Wikimedia movement.
- Activities and developments happening locally, across Africa, and internationally within Wikimedia.
- Open conversations and Q&A about Wikipedia and its sister projects.
This aligns perfectly with how Wikipedia meetups often include discussion, collaboration, sharing ideas, and sometimes editing activities.
Purpose of the Meetups
The overall purpose is to create a space where everything related to Wikipedia can be learned, explored, or discussed.
From a practical standpoint, attendees can expect:
- Learning about how Wikipedia works and how the local affiliate (Wikimedia South Africa) operates.
- Asking any questions about Wikipedia editing, policies, or participation.
- Hearing about upcoming Wikimedia events in South Africa, Africa, and the global movement.
- Occasional editathons, training sessions, and hands-on guidance, which reflects the common meetup format of editingfocused gatherings.
Who can attend?
The event is open to Wikipedia editors, beginners, researchers, community members, and anyone simply curious about how Wikipedia works.
This openness mirrors global Wikipedia meetup norms, where gatherings are designed for all levels of experience and are often supported by experienced editors.
Cost: Free entry. Email [email protected] for more information
When: Saturday, 19 September 2026 from 10.30am to 12.30pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Silent Book Club
To participate in the Goethe-Institut’s Silent Book Club, bring any book that you are interested in reading or explore the Goethe library for a title that piques your interest and join your fellow bookworms for a few hours of silent, communal reading.
Cost: Free entry
When: Wednesday, 26 August 2026 from 6.30pm to 9pm
Where: Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, 119 Jan Smuts Ave, Parkwood, Johannesburg
Open Call for Proposals: Earn a Chance to be Awarded a Performing Arts and Music Grant
The Africa-Europe Partnerships for Culture: Sub-Saharan Africa component invites performing arts and music creatives and practitioners to apply for the grant call for the Circulation of Performing Arts and Music as well as the Professional Mobility Grant in Performing Arts and Music.
This ambitious project, led by the Goethe-Institut and Expertise France in partnership with Institut français, embodies the Team Europe spirit and seeks to renew and strengthen cultural ties between Sub-Saharan Africa and the European Union through the principles of equity, inclusion and sustainability.
Applications are open until 30 September 2026, and selected projects will be announced in January 2027.
Get the details on how to apply
Get in touch
Website: goethe.de/ins/za
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 011 442 3232
Instagram:@goetheinstitut_southafrica
Facebook:@goethe.joburg
