General Terms and Conditions

1. Scope of application

1.1. The General Terms and Conditions govern the legal relationship between HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts, Stage of the City of Dresden (hereinafter "EZKH"), and its guests and form an integral part of the contract between them. They apply to all offers, purchase contracts, deliveries and services of the EZKH. They also apply to joint events organised by the EZKH with other partners, but not to events or offers, purchase contracts, deliveries and services provided by third parties on the premises of the EZKH.

1.2 Separate terms and conditions may also apply to individual offers made by the EZKH.

1.3. Deviating regulations may be agreed for special events.

2. Schedules and starting times, schedule changes, opening hours

2.1. The valid event schedule with starting times, opening hours of the box office (visitor centre) and other offers of the EZKH can be viewed in the official publications at www.hellerau.org.

2.2. The box office usually opens one hour before the start of the event. Tickets are only sold for the event taking place immediately.

2.3. The right to change the programme and/or cast is reserved. No liability is accepted for cast and time details.

3. KombiTicket / VVO

3.1. Tickets with a corresponding VVO logo imprint and text are valid from four hours before the start of the performance and until 4 a.m. on the following day on all local transport except special transport in the Upper Elbe Transport Association (VVO). In this respect, there is a separate contractual relationship between the guests of the EZKH and the VVO, which is merely mediated by the EZKH and to which the provisions of the VVO apply. Use of the admission ticket as a ticket is only permitted for the person using the admission ticket to attend the event. Any transfer to third parties for use of the travel authorisation, whether in return for payment or free of charge, is prohibited. Honorary, service, tax and press tickets are generally excluded from this.

4. Admission prices / ticket sales

4.1. The EZKH shall announce the applicable admission prices in its official publications.

4.2. Advance ticket sales take place at the times stated in the EZKH's publications. The EZKH reserves the right to limit the number of tickets sold per person in individual cases. People with severe disabilities may be given preferential treatment.

4.3. If no specific seat is indicated, the ticket is valid for a seat of your choice.

4.4. Programme booklets / evening programme, translations of any kind including surtitles and similar supplementary offers are not included in the admission price.

4.5. Discounts are granted on presentation of appropriate proof of purchase at the box office; subsequent or multiple discounts are excluded. Reduced admission tickets are only valid in conjunction with this proof. If proof cannot be provided, the difference to the full admission price must be paid.

4.6. Tickets, articles and vouchers can be paid for in cash or by EC card at the box office. Telephone orders can be paid for by credit card or bank transfer. In the case of payments by bank transfer, the ticket(s), articles or vouchers will only be issued after receipt of payment by the EZKH. From 1 January 2026, payment at the box offices of our venues can only be made by EC card or credit card.

4.7. Gift vouchers can be used to purchase tickets to EZKH events until 31 December of the third calendar year from the date of issue. Only vouchers purchased through the EZKH will be accepted. Residual values from the voucher redemption remain on the voucher. It is not possible to pay out voucher values in cash.

4.8. A fee is charged for the written and telephone sale of EZKH admission tickets. This does not apply to telephone orders if the tickets are collected from the EZKH box office at least one day before the performance.

4.9. If payment for tickets ordered is not made within the specified period, they will be released for resale.

4.10. If the EZKH sends tickets or vouchers to the purchaser on request, the purchaser shall bear the shipping risk. The EZKH is not obliged to provide a replacement either in this case or in the event of the loss of an admission ticket or voucher by the recipient.

4.11. The EZKH reserves the right to change prices, processing fees and surcharges within the framework of the schedule of fees adopted by the City Council of the City of Dresden.

4.12. The online sale of admission tickets is handled by the independent service provider Reservix GmbH under its terms and conditions. These general terms and conditions also apply to visits to the EZKH in this case. Tickets purchased via the Internet from the ticket service provider can only be returned under the conditions published there and after approval of a reversal by the organiser EZKH. Under no circumstances will a cancellation be made via the EZKH itself.

4.13. The sale of admission tickets via external advance booking offices is handled in accordance with their terms and conditions. These general terms and conditions also apply to visits to the EZKH in this case. Tickets purchased via external advance booking offices can only be returned to the respective advance booking office under the conditions published there and after approval of a reversal by the organiser. Under no circumstances will a cancellation be made via the EZKH itself.

4.14. If seat tickets are sold in different price categories, it is not permitted to take a seat other than the one designated on the ticket.

4.15. Tickets are for personal use only. Anyone who purchases tickets from the EZKH declares at the same time that they will use them exclusively for personal purposes, in particular not for commercial purposes or to make a profit. Anyone who passes on an admission ticket must inform the person who comes into possession of the ticket of the validity of these GTC. When purchasing tickets, it is prohibited to

• offer the tickets for sale at auctions (in particular on the Internet),
• to sell the tickets commercially and/or commercially without the express prior written consent of the EZKH,
• to sell the tickets as part of a private transfer at a higher price,
• to pass on or use the admission tickets for advertising purposes or as a prize without the express prior written consent of the EZKH.

4.16. If an admission ticket is offered, used or passed on in an unauthorised manner, the EZKH shall be entitled to block the admission ticket and other admission tickets purchased by the same person and to refuse admission to the event to the person in possession of the admission ticket in question without compensation. For each violation of the ban on commercial distribution, the EZKH may demand payment of an appropriate contractual penalty of at least five times the face value of the admission ticket(s) and up to 2,500 euros from the person who offered or made the sale.

5. Reimbursement of the ticket price / loss of the ticket

5.1. The return of sold admission tickets is generally excluded. No refund will be made for tickets that have expired. In particular, no refunds will be made in the event of changes to the cast, changes to starting times, changes to the programme, cancellation or abandonment of performances and for reasons of force majeure (disasters, strikes, etc.).

5.2. If the EZKH has to make a change to the programme or if the performance is cancelled in the first half of the performance for reasons other than force majeure, the tickets will be taken back at the respective advance booking offices against reimbursement of the box office price of the respective ticket or can be exchanged for other performances, but only if seating capacity is available. The right to a refund expires in accordance with the statutory provisions. For organisational reasons, it should be notified to the EZKH 14 days after the day on which the changed or cancelled event took place by presenting the tickets or receiving tickets sent by post. If tickets are sent by post, the bank details, account holder and address must be stated. Only the ticket price will be reimbursed; further expenses or damages incurred by the person concerned and any fees charged in addition to the ticket price will not be reimbursed. Refunds will be made non-cash.

5.3. Tickets that were not purchased at an EZKH box office, but at an external advance booking office or online, can only be returned at the external advance booking office or to the online ticket service provider. The terms and conditions of the ticket service provider Reservix GmbH or the respective advance booking office apply. For third-party events on the premises of the EZKH, claims must be asserted directly against the external organiser.

6. Exchange

6.1. Tickets purchased directly from the EZKH can generally be exchanged at the EZKH box office within one season and up to one week before the original day of the event. Exchanges are subject to a fee of 2 euros per ticket and only within the scope of actual availability and within the same programme / production as well as price and, if applicable, seat category.

7. Loss of tickets

7.1. There is no entitlement to a replacement if the ticket is lost. If a purchased ticket is lost, a replacement ticket can be issued as a gesture of goodwill and only at the box office, provided it can be credibly demonstrated which ticket was purchased, stating the seat booked. The EZKH is authorised to charge a processing fee of 2 euros per ticket for issuing replacement tickets. In this case, the original ticket loses its validity. The same applies to the printing of an admission ticket that was previously issued as a digital admission ticket.

7.2. The person in possession of a replacement ticket has priority over the person presenting the original ticket at the entrance or when allocating the booked seat. The replacement ticket does not entitle the holder to be allocated a different seat.

8. Cancellation policy

8.1. Exclusion of cancellation
There is no right of cancellation for consumers* in the case of contracts for fixed-date tickets. Furthermore, there is no right of cancellation for contracts for the delivery of audio or video recordings in a sealed package if the seal has been removed.

8.2. Right of cancellation
As a consumer within the meaning of § 13 BGB, you have the right to cancel purchases of vouchers and goods other than those mentioned under 8.1. that you have made at our cash desks, by telephone or on our homepage within 14 days without giving reasons. The cancellation period is 14 days from the day on which you or a third party named by you, who is not responsible for transport, has taken possession of the goods. To exercise the right of cancellation, you must contact us,

City of Dresden (41.7) 
European Centre for the Arts
Visitor Service
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 56
01109 Dresden
T +49 351. 262 64-100, 
E-Mail: widerruf@hellerau.org

by means of a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post or e-mail) of your decision to cancel this contract. To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of cancellation before the cancellation period has expired.

8.3. Consequences of cancellation
If you cancel the contract, we shall reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (with the exception of the supplementary costs resulting from your choice of a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us), without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel this contract. For this repayment, we will use the same means of payment that you used for the original transaction, unless expressly agreed otherwise with you; in no case will you be charged any fees for this repayment.
We may withhold the refund until we have received the goods back or until you have provided proof that you have returned the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You must return or hand over the goods to us immediately and in any case within 14 days of the day on which you inform us of the cancellation of this contract at the latest. The deadline is met if you dispatch the goods before the 14-day period has expired. You shall bear the direct costs of returning the goods. You only have to pay for any loss in value of the goods if this loss in value is due to handling by you that is not necessary for checking the condition, properties and functionality of the goods.

9. Admission

9.1. Admission to a performance or other event can only be granted at a suitable time (e.g. during an interval) and without entitlement to the seat that may have been purchased. It is at the discretion of the service staff whether and at what time access can be granted after the start of the performance. Under no circumstances does this constitute a claim for reimbursement of the ticket price or other costs in connection with the visit to the EZKH.

10. Cloakroom

10.1. Coats, thick jackets, umbrellas, sticks (with the exception of walking aids), large bags and rucksacks (from a size of approx. A4) as well as other luggage and bulky items may not be taken into the auditoriums for safety reasons.

10.2. Cloakroom items may be handed in for storage during the performance in return for a cloakroom ticket.

10.3. By handing over the cloakroom ticket, the EZKH assumes liability for wilful or grossly negligent breach of the duty of safekeeping by the cloakroom staff.

10.4 Any further liability is excluded. Liability for cloakroom items shall only extend to the current value of the deposited items up to a maximum amount of 150 euros per cloakroom ticket. The cloakroom is not available to guests for valuables, in particular jewellery, other items made of precious metals, cash and other means of payment, business papers, documents of all kinds, fragile items, tickets and keys. The storage of these items is at your own risk.

10.5 Upon presentation of the cloakroom ticket, the stored items will be handed over without checking authorisation. Cloakroom items without a badge will only be handed over if they are still available after all cloakroom items have been returned. The person receiving the items must prove in advance that they are authorised to receive them. In such cases, the EZKH is authorised to record the personal data before handing over the items.

10.6. Exchanged, damaged or lost cloakroom items as well as the loss of a cloakroom ticket must be reported to the cloakroom staff immediately before leaving the cloakroom facility. If a cloakroom token is lost, a replacement fee of 5 euros will be charged.

10.7. The EZKH reserves the right not to accept cloakroom items for safekeeping in individual venues or for individual events.

11. Lost property

11.1. Items of any kind found in the event rooms of the EZKH during opening hours must be handed in to the service staff immediately. The loss of items must be reported to the service staff immediately.

12. Image and sound recordings

12.1. Image and/or sound recordings of any kind of events and works of art are strictly prohibited for guests. Violations may result in civil and criminal prosecution and the respective persons may be expelled from the venues.

12.2. Film, digital, video or sound recordings on which parts of the performance and/or exhibition are recorded may be confiscated and their return may be made dependent on the owner agreeing to the prior deletion of the recordings.

12.3. In the event that image and/or sound recordings are made by authorised persons during a public performance, visit to an exhibition or other event (including educational programmes) at the EZKH, guests agree by participating in the event that they may be recorded in image and sound without entitlement to remuneration and that these recordings may be broadcast or published.

13. Domiciliary rights

13.1. The service staff may refuse access to the rooms of the EZKH to persons who do not behave appropriately, disrupt ticket sales or the course of the event or if there is reason to believe that they will disrupt the event and/or harass or discriminate against other guests, the service staff or persons involved in the event. Such persons may also be expelled from the event and the premises or may be banned from the premises.

13.2. In the event of expulsion from the event or the venue for any reason whatsoever, the expelled person shall not be entitled to compensation for the admission price or other costs in connection with the visit to the EZKH.

13.3. It is not permitted to offer admission tickets for sale in the foyers and other rooms or on the grounds of the Festspielhaus Hellerau.

13.4. In the event of fire or other dangerous situations, all persons must leave the building immediately via the marked exits and emergency exits. Cloakrooms will not be handed out in such cases.

13.5 Food and drinks may not be taken into the auditoriums.

13.6. Mobile phones and other acoustic signalling devices of all kinds must be kept out of operation in the auditorium and at least set to flight mode. The use of displays and other light sources in the auditorium is prohibited. In the event of non-compliance, the EZKH is authorised to expel the persons concerned from the performance.

13.7 Animals may not be brought into the performance spaces. This does not apply to assistance dogs (subject to prior notification).

13.8. The instructions of the staff must be followed. The house rules of the EZKH apply.

14. Liability

14.1. The EZKH, its representatives and vicarious agents shall only be liable for damages of any kind suffered by guests in the EZKH event venues in the event of intent and gross negligence. Liability for injury to life, limb and health remains unaffected insofar as the damage is typically foreseeable.

15. Data protection

15.1. The personal order data of our guests are collected, processed, stored and used in compliance with data protection law to the extent necessary for the initiation and execution of the contract. The EZKH is also authorised to use the data for guest support purposes, for example to send further information about the event by email in advance or to provide information about other offers from the EZKH and its event partners. The EZKH is authorised to store the data of its guests for the purpose of internal statistical surveys. The EZKH is also authorised to pass on the data to commissioned third parties in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR, insofar as this is necessary for the execution of the contract.

16. Entry into force

16.1 These Terms and Conditions shall enter into force upon publication and shall apply until revoked. At the same time, the previous terms and conditions shall cease to apply.

HELLERAU - European Centre for the Arts
Stage of the State Capital Dresden
represented by the Artistic Director
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 56, 01109 Dresden

Status: 12.09.2025