Europe’s biggest hacker gathering is opening its doors to anyone who wants to shape it, and the Chaos Computer Club is making that promise explicit. The group is hosting 40C3 from 27 to 30 December 2026 in Hamburg, and the Call for Participation for talks, entertainment, art, punk and music opens today.
The congress is Europe’s biggest non-commercial hacker conference, organised by volunteers and supported by thousands of unpaid helpers. Over 16,000 visitors attend, and unlike at many events, they don’t just sit and watch — they help build the weekend itself.
A Huge Shared Stage
The club describes the Congress as a massive shared stage, and it’s inviting everyone to help shape it. The event moved to the Hamburg Exhibition halls, and organisers want to make the most of the extra space.
This year’s motto is “Model Citizens.” The club sees the phrase as a call to find new models for society, noting that the “Model Citizens” of the past have left the planet in a precarious state. The response, organisers say, is to build something different.
What the Call Covers
The Call for Participation touches five areas:
- Talks — the lecture programme at 40C3
- Entertainment — DJs and musicians for lounge and party stages
- Art — exhibits, sculptures and performances
- Punk-Späti — anarchic and anti-fascist performances
- Music — talent for the party stages
Artists and designers apply via the Call for Art. Punk-Späti performers get their own call for accomplices and fellow troublemakers, delivered in the usual warm yet rough-and-ready atmosphere.
A More Combinative Spirit
Organisers describe a shift in how society works. The idea that people should work together toward a shared, better future is giving way to an authoritarian model, where the stronger impose their views on the weaker.
“The remaining liberal forces are fighting rearguard actions and no longer attempt to create something new, but merely to prevent things from getting worse,” the announcement reads.
The club sees things differently. Differences are seen as an asset, the unfamiliar as a source of inspiration, and mutual needs as an opportunity to create a sense of community where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.
The Volunteer Engine
The Congress has run for decades on volunteer labour. There are no paid staff organising the weekend — thousands of unpaid helpers do the work instead. Visitors arrive not just to consume the event but to shape it.
That model is central to how the club operates. It is the “model for how things can be different,” organisers say, and they want to keep it running.
Hamburg’s New Space
The move to the Hamburg Exhibition halls created room for growth. Organisers want to fill that space with creative ideas, and they are reaching out to anyone who wants to contribute.
The announcement promises that everything is getting bigger, more colourful and more beautiful. The club is asking galactic beings to join the 40th Chaos Communication Congress from 27 to 30 December 2026.
The Punk-Späti Tradition
Punk-Späti is a regular fixture at the congress. This year’s call asks for anarchic and anti-fascist performances in the usual warm yet rough-and-ready atmosphere.
The club has a history of supporting counterculture and dissent through its programming, and this year’s call continues that tradition.
Why This Matters Now
The club’s framing of the moment is blunt. Times have become harsher, and the democratic model of working together toward a shared future is under pressure.
The Congress stands as a counterexample. It is organised by volunteers, run by visitors, and built around the idea that differences are assets rather than problems.
The Takeaway
The 40C3 Call for Participation is wide open. Anyone with a talk, a performance, a sculpture or a musical act can apply.
The club is betting that the future belongs to people who show up and build it, rather than those who wait for permission. That is a combative spirit, and it is one the club has carried for decades.
Key Facts Box
– Event: 40C3, the 40th Chaos Communication Congress
– Dates: 27 to 30 December 2026
– Location: Hamburg Exhibition halls
– Volunteers: Thousands of unpaid helpers
– Attendees: Over 16,000 visitors
– Motto: “Model Citizens”
– Call areas: Talks, entertainment, art, Punk-Späti, music
The call is open today. The weekend begins 27 December.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.