Updates from the Performing Arts Program and the LAFT Berlin Summer Party

This year we can finally come together again to celebrate our summer party - on the environmentally protected grounds of Floating! We will get things started there at 4:00 pm with networking meetings and panel discussions.  At 6:30 pm, we will talk about how things have gone over the last two years in the Berlin Performing Arts Program and take a look at the future:  what ideas are there for the future with all of you?

The team of the Berlin Performing Arts Festival and the Initiative FAIRSTAGE as well as the board of LAFT Berlin will all, of course, be there and looked forward to chatting with interested guests over snacks and drinks. The whole event is an absolutely perfect opportunity to get to know each other and network!

And, believe it or not: LAFT Berlin is turning 15 years old! And that is just one reason more to celebrate during our summer party with everyone who brought LAFT Berlin into being and have kept it going for 15 years.

 
Here is a little note in advance: the majority of the events will take place in German spoken language. A personal simultaneous interpretation into English is available for the presentation. We are happy to answer questions in other languages in smaller groups possible depending on the attendees.

Unfortunately, the event is not completely barrier-free in all areas. The grounds are accessible at ground level, including the bathroom facilities and the bar. It is possible to find a quiet space on the grounds and take breaks individually. We will make our best efforts to accommodate additional needs and adapt the event, please let us know about them with your registration for the event. If you have any further questions, you are welcome to contact us.

Contact person for questions about accessibility:
Belén Marinato
belen.marinato [at] pap-berlin.de
+49 (0) 30 / 33 84 54 51

Schedule of Events

 
4:00 pm: Networking Meeting and Themed Discussions
 
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: How to Kulturpolitik
With Dagmar Domrös, Daniel Schrader, Daniel Brunet, Janina Benduski and additional board members of LAFT Berlin
Cultural policy initiatives like LAFT Berlin are dependent upon the active participation of the community. For many artists and culture makers, however, cultural policy advocacy seems too complex and confusing for them to get involved themselves. And, of course, everyone finds it difficult to make time for additional commitments alongside their own work and private lives. Over the course of an open discussion, members of the board of LAFT Berlin will share the knowledge about the processes of cultural policy advocacy they have learned, discuss questions that are still open and talk about how taking part in cultural policy initiatives is possible without having to give up your own (artistic) work. Also, all of those who are just looking to give the board some suggestions for additional points of focus or to finally fill out their membership application for LAFT Berlin are in exactly the right place here.
Open for all interested parties. In German spoken language, an informal interpretation into English spoken language is possible.
 
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Meet & Greet: Information Center & Mentoring Program
With Fatima Çalışkan and Christin Eckart from the Berlin Performing Arts Program
Advisers and experts from the Information Center as well as mentees, alumni and mentors from the current and past Mentoring Programs have the opportunity to get to know each other or see each other again during this information event. The Information Center team is thrilled to offer this long awaited analog round of exchange that will last into the summer evening. 
Intended for advisers, mentees, alumni and mentors. In German spoken language. Additional Q&A in English spoken language.
 
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Meet & Greet: The Guides Are Getting Back Together
With Steve Mekoudja (musician)
Guides to the International Arts Communities was a cooperation between the Performing Arts Program of LAFT Berlin with the advisement structures schreiben & leben of Lettrétage, Music Pool Berlin and the initiative neue musik Berlin. The goals of the project were the sustainable support of international and intercultural artists and culture makers in networking within the independent arts communities as well as the raising of awareness of this issue and further education within existing advisement structures in regions and cities. On the occasion of this information event, we would also like to invite the guides to celebrate with us, finally see each other (again) as well as to network. We look forward to finally meeting in person to spend some time talking, sharing and celebrating.
Intended for the Guides to the Independent Arts Communities as well as all international and intercultural artists. Welcoming in German spoken language, other languages in smaller groups possible depending on the attendees.
 
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm: A Look Toward the Future of PAF
With Anika Andreßen, Anna Florin, Anna Wille, Claudia Marks, Elmar Conzen, Leoni Grützmacher, Luisa Kaiser, Nora Wagner and Toni Zahn from the Berlin Performing Arts Festival
The Berlin Performing Arts Festival warmly invites you to attend the feedback format The PAF of the Future #2. The goal is to continue what was already started during the last edition of the festival: meeting the festival team and saying directly what you would like to see happen for the next edition in 2023. The team looks forward to the conversation and is excited to hear what you would like for the future of the PAF!
Open for all interested parties. In German spoken language.
 
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Workshop: Getting Ready for the tanzmesse nrw (the North Rhine-Westphalia International Dance Trade Fair)
With Catherine Launay, In-Sun Jung and Florian Hohnhorst from the Berlin Performing Arts Program, workshop facilitator: Godlive Lawani (producer, manager, dancer)
In August, the Berlin Performing Arts Program will once again be represented with a shared trade fair stand at this year’s edition of the internationalen tanzmesse nrw (the North Rhine-Westphalia International Dance Trade Fair) in Düsseldorf. During this preparatory meeting that also focuses on organizational aspects of a trade fair presentation, there will be workshop section that focuses on questions such as: how do I present myself and my work? What promotional material is worth bringing and handing out? What strategies are promising and potentially successful for the tanzmesse, especially when you are not performing yourself at the event?
In German spoken language. This workshop is exclusively intended for Berlin-based artists who are traveling to the 2022 edition of the internationale tanzmesse nrw.
 
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm: Theater Scoutings Meets...
With Juliane Wieland (Berlin Performing Arts Program)
This internal networking meeting of the theater scouts in a summery picnic atmosphere offers an opportunity to share and discuss personal experiences with the audience formats over the course of the past months. Since a meeting in person has not been possible due to the pandemic for a very long time, we are very excited to share discuss lovely and curious, challenging and surprising encounters with audience members as well as moderation tricks and tips over snacks and cool drinks. What formats should definitely be offered or developed? What productions and artists should be accompanied by discussion formats in the future? In short: it’s time for discussion, feedback and brainstorming!
Intended for Theater Scouts only. In German spoken language.
 
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm: Regulars’ Table for Newcomers
With Therese Schmidt (director, author) and guests Jaika Bahr and Maximilian Hinz (Members of AG Einstieg LAFT Berlin)
Over the course of this informal event, host Therese Schmidt invites the participants to talk about the needs and typical questions of newcomers, discuss funding opportunities and the basic structure of the funding system. Her guests this time around are Jaika Bahr and Maximilian Hinz from the AG Einstieg (the Newcomers Work Group) of LAFT Berlin who, over the course of the event, will present the Guidelines for Newcomers, an online publication created in collaboration between the Information Center and the AG Einstieg that includes some initial important tips and information for newcomers.
Open for everybody. In German spoken language, it is possible to ask questions in English.
 
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm: Networking Meeting Initiatives for Space
With Aurora Kellermann (Tatwerk), Tine Elbel (freelance production manager) and Jan Kühling from the Berlin Performing Arts Program
Things became crystal clear during the Networking Meeting of Initiatives for Space in April, at the latest: there is a lot that has to be talked about - a number of members of the community want to get together and discuss the topic of working and rehearsal spaces. And so once again everyone interested in the topic of spaces is invited to talk about projects and goals, discuss current challenges and problems and to get to know new people who are interested in this important cultural and urban policy work in an informal atmosphere.
Open for all interested parties. In German spoken language.
 
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm: A Current Snapshot of the State of Audience Research
With Nathalie Frank and Nora Wagner (Berlin Performing Arts Program) and Thomas Renz (Institute for Research on Cultural Participation)
In the spring of 2022, we asked members of the independent performing community where they stood with the question of audience research. Now it is time to present a snapshot of the information that has come together. Following this, Thomas Renz will share options for conducting your own audience research with the help of KulMon. There will be, of course, sufficient time for questions and discussion as well. 
Open for all interested parties. In German spoken language.
 
6:30 pm: Presentation of the Berlin Peforming Arts Program with Reception
Moderated by: Therese Schmidt and Chang Nai Wen (Member of the Board of LAFT Berlin from 2016 to 2020)
Beginning at 6:30 pm, we will talk with you about what we have already accomplished in the Performing Arts Program and what ideas we would like to realize in the future - from the Information Center and the Mentoring Program, from the Industry Get-Together of the Independent Performing Arts Community to the networking meeting of the initiatives for spaces to Theater Scoutings Berlin to the Guides to the Independent Arts Community to the Central Point of Contact all the way to the exchange programs for the independent performing arts.
In German spoken language with personal simultaneous interpretation into English spoken language.
 
Followed by the Summer Party and Celebration of 15 Years of LAFT Berlin
For two long years we have not been able to keep up with our lovely summer tradition, but in 2022 it’s finally time again for our annual summer party! Shortly before we take our break for the summer, we would like to celebrate together with all of our participants, members and allies!  And, last but not least: LAFT Berlin is turning 15 years old! We are preparing a surprising with all of our friends, old as well as new. Cheers to 15 Years of LAFT Berlin! Let’s raise a glass together!