ORF, the Austrian host broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, is making a significant stride towards greater inclusion for the event’s 70th anniversary. The broadcaster is producing dedicated sign language performances for all 35 participating songs, aiming to provide a more accessible and enriching experience for deaf audiences across Europe.
As Vienna prepares to host the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2026, Austrian broadcaster ORF is setting a strong example for inclusion and accessibility. This year marks a landmark effort with the production of sign language performances for every single one of the 35 competing entries.
These unique sign performances are currently being recorded, with a team of six international hearing impaired artists working diligently between April 20 and 25. The selected performers – Alice Hu Xiaoshu (Shanghai), Amanda Jovanovic (Vienna), Anja Burghardt (Linz), Carina Kilinc (Vienna), David Obermaier (Graz), and Julia Kulda Hroch (Berlin) – are collaborating with coaches Delil Yilmaz and Magdalena Schramek to create compelling visual interpretations of the songs.
ORF’s commitment goes beyond simple translation; the sign performances are an art form in themselves. Performers focus on creating a visual story from the song’s narrative, embodying the music, poetry, and linguistic elements in a three-dimensional visual way. This approach allows the hearing impaired community to ‘hear’ the song in its entirety, grasping not just the lyrics but the full artistic expression.
This initiative represents a pioneering step for the Eurovision Song Contest. For the first time, a host broadcaster is making these comprehensive sign language recordings available to all EBU member broadcasters, enabling wider accessibility across participating countries.
The extensive accessibility concept for Eurovision 2026 also includes other crucial features such as subtitles, audio descriptions, and interpretations into Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS). These efforts underscore ORF’s public service responsibility to unite people and make cultural diversity accessible to everyone, aligning perfectly with Eurovision’s core values of diversity, inclusion, and European cohesion.
The sign performances will be broadcast for all 35 ESC acts during the semi-finals and the grand final on ORF 2 Europe and ORF ON, ensuring that the magic of Eurovision is truly a festival for everyone.
Michael Krön (Executive Producer ESC 2026) says:
The Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna should be accessible to everyone, and with our diverse accessibility measures, we are laying an important foundation for this. From ORF programs to our offerings in public spaces and the Vienna Stadthalle, we offer comprehensive opportunities for people with disabilities to be part of this greatest music festival in the world. For ORF, this is not only a public service mandate and a matter of course, but also an important impetus for an inclusive society. We want to raise awareness, not only to enable everyone to access our programs and events, but also to break down barriers in people’s minds.
