Initiatives for New Working Spaces in the Performing Arts

The availability of suitable rehearsal, working and storage spaces is an essential foundation for working in the independent performing arts. But where can these be found? What resources and sources of information exist? And who actually represents the (space) interests of the members of the independent performing arts, who dedicates themselves to achieving fair conditions for providing and using spaces?
 
In the form of initiatives and work groups, many members of the community are already on the search for usable working spaces and some are active in the shaping of existing spaces. Once again we, this time, finally, live and in color, want to provide the opportunity to sit together at one table and provide networking options for new interested parties.
 
Following a keynote speech to set the mood, Matthias Mayer will report on the current state of the work of PROSA, a project of Bündnis Freie Szene Berlin e. V. that represents the interests of the entire independent arts community in terms of spatial infrastructure; this will be followed by brief introductions from the participating initiatives and work groups.

We will close the event with what is probably the most important part of the networking meeting: shared exchanges about the well-known and lesser known needs, strategies, failures and successes, opportunities and utopias regarding the topic of space for the independent performing arts.

The initiatives include, amongst others:

AG Alte Münze (Koalition der Freien Szene, the Alte Münze Work Group of the Coalition of the Independent Arts)
With Wibke Behrens (managing director of Bildungswerk bbk berlin) and Chris Benedict (member of the board of Bündnis Freie Szene e.V.)
The Alte Münze was promised to the independent arts community via a resolution of Berlin’s Senate in 2018. It called upon the Senate to secure and develop it as a location for creative work. The AG Alte Münze sees itself as a body that seeks to secure participation in this process in the name of independent artists working in all disciplines.
 

AG Darstellende Künste im Öffentlichen Raum (Work Group for Performing Arts in Public Space)
With Elena Liesenfeld (Bundesverband Theater im öffentlichen Raum e.V.)
The work group for Performing Arts in Public Space in LAFT Berlin was founded in 2019 upon the initiative of the Bundesverbandes Theater im Öffentlichen Raum, the German Federal Association for Theater in Public Space, with the goal of strengthening regional networking and the transfer of knowledge between practitioners. In doing so, everyday locations are especially transformed into artistic reference points and brought into new communication contexts.
 

AG für eine spartenübergreifende Infrastruktur (Work Group for an Interdisciplinary Infrastructure, working title, currently being founded)
With Tine Elbel (independent culture producer, amongst others for Theater in Delphi)
The last Fördersummit clearly demonstrated the great interest in the development of a center for the independent arts. Since then, work has been conducted to bring together the interests and visions in a newly founded work group. We will present the current state of the work and the next steps that are necessary during the networking meeting.
 

AG Materielle Infrastruktur (Koalition der Freien Szene, Work Group for Material Infrastructure of the Coalition of the Independent Arts)
With Muriel Nestler (initiator of Kostümkollektiv e.V.)
The goals of this work group are: the improvement of the working environment of independent art production in terms of the bundling of material resources as well as the funding and support of the existing infrastructure by the budget for culture and enabling the expansion of the infrastructure for materials.


AG Räume (Spaces Work Group)
With Aurora Kellermann (Tatwerk Performative Forschung, independent culture producer)
The LAFT Spaces Work Group has gone through many phases and has existed in a variety of different constellations. Since 2014, the work group has concerned itself with ideas, desires and needs considering the topic of space and works closely with representatives from the fields of visual art, music, dance and literature to share experiences and jointly formulate the demands of the independent arts community to politicians and the public.


AG Tempelhof, the Tempelhof Work Group of the Coalition of the Independent Arts
With Daniel Brunet (Coalition of the Independent Arts)
Fifty percent of the former Tempelhof airport building should provide space for the arts. The state-owned former airport building should become a central location for all disciplines within Berlin’s independent arts community. The AG Tempelhof develops usage concepts, allocation procedures and financing models.
 

PROSA / Kultur Räume Berlin
With Jenny Nilén (Kulturraum Berlin GmbH) and Matthias Mayer (PROSA – a project of Bündnis Freie Szene Berlin e.V.)
Jenny Nilén and Matthias Mayer report on the current state of the work of Kultur Räume Berlin – Bündnis Raum für künstlerische Arbeit der Freien Szene (Kultur Räume Berlin - Spaces Alliance for Artistic Work in the Independent Arts Community). PROSA represents the interests of the independent arts community here within the framework of the work spaces program of the state of Berlin for the development and securing of spatial infrastructure for artistic work in the disciplines of the performing arts, literature, dance, music and project spaces. For Kultur Räume Berlin, the Kulturraum Berlin GmbH takes on the operative bundling of the tasks and coordinates the collaboration between all members of the alliance.

Note: There is an obligation to wear a mask (FFP2 mask or medical mask) during the event. Wearing a mask during the entire event is recommended, but is not mandatory when seated. This event will take place in German. The facilities of Refugio are at ground level and have few barriers.