With Beyond Beethoven, we aim to enable young people to explore and reinterpret European cultural heritage from their own contemporary perspectives. Using the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s death in 2027 as a starting point, the project seeks to make European culture accessible, relevant and meaningful to young people through participatory youth theatre. The project’s main objectives are to strengthen young people’s connection to European cultural heritage, to foster a sense of European identity and belonging, and to empower young people as active cultural actors. By working creatively with Beethoven as a European figure whose life and work transcend national borders, participants are encouraged to reflect on shared European values such as freedom, solidarity and cultural diversity. At the same time, the project aims to enhance artistic, social and intercultural competences, support youth participation in public cultural life.