Debut Fest 2026: The Opposite of Motherhood

Are you really a "real" woman if you don't want to have children? *Contrary to Motherhood* is an unpretentious and personal poetry performance about being a woman without the desire to have children.

Drawing on excerpts from the poetry collection *Modsat Moderskab* (The Opposite of Motherhood), Andrea Svaneeng explores the stares, comments, and expectations faced by women who do not view motherhood as a life goal.  

The work ranges from family gatherings and well-meaning yet intrusive questions from friends and strangers alike to political calls to action, biological impulses, and the inner reflections that can arise when one chooses a path that deviates from the norm. 

Underlying it all is the question: Are you really a real woman if you don't want to have children? 

Debut Fest is Copenhagen’s festival for emerging art and new talent. The festival brings together debuting artists across various art forms and gives the audience the opportunity to experience Copenhagen’s new voices up close. 

This year, you can enjoy a total of 36 different acts over two days when Debut Fest takes over the Brønshøj Water Tower and the Kildevæld Cultural Center on September 4 and 5.