FAQs - Series of Programming 2020
Who can apply to take part in the festival’s schedule of programming with an artistic position?
All Berlin performance venues and event locations of the independent performing arts community that present the work of professional Berlin-based groups and/or artists can apply to participate within the artistic schedule of programming. Each production submitted must specifically be for one of the themes within the open call and, if accepted, will be presented within this programming focus.
In general, the participating performance venues and event locations should have been in operation for at least 6 months before the festival. The event location generally also serves as the contractual partner for the festival for the production(s) submitted. Berlin-based groups and/or artist who would like to present site-specific work or work in public space are excepted from this rule. If you are applying with work that takes place in public space or with site-specific art, we ask you to please write to us directly to the email adress mentioned below instead of completing the form.(programm [at] performingarts-festival.de)
Who is the presenter?
The presenter is the contractual partner of the PAF and functions as the ticket seller for the events that it registers. They are responsible for the implementation of the event as well as for, if applicable, GEMA and other fees if nothing to the contrary has been agreed between the presenter and the group/individual artist. The presenter has the authority to make decision of last resort onsite and should have a liability insurance policy for presenters, as they are liable for audience members in the event of any incidents. They should also be responsible for contracts between the presenter and the group/individual artist and additional performances and, if applicable, is liable for paying dues to the KSK (artists’ social insurance fund).
This list used to serve as a definition of presenters as well as the consequences involved makes no claim to completeness.
What kind of artistic positions can I apply with?
Applications can be made with performances featuring professional work within the field of performing arts (spoken word theater, performance, music theater, dance, puppet and object theater, children’s and youth theater, et cetera as well as with interdisciplinary work that has a basis within the performing arts). Site-specific work and productions taking place in public space can also be submitted.
How are the artistic positions selected?
In an initial step, the schedule of programming of the Berlin Performing Arts Festival is curated by the performance venues and event locations. They submit applications for the schedule of programming in coordination with the artists, artist collectives and groups. This means that the members of the independent performing arts community decide for themselves which works they would like to submit for consideration for inclusion within the festival’s schedule of programming. The requirements for a successful application are the proper application using the online form and the meeting of the criteria and guidelines of the Berlin Performing Arts Festival.
In a second step, the selection committee of the festival, consisting of the festival directors, three experts and three artists from Berlin's independent performing arts community, will decide which artistic positions will be presented within the various topics and thus make up the series of programming. This second step in the selection process has been introduced for the fifth edition of the Berlin Performing Arts Festival and is due to request from audiences who desire a clearer structure within the schedule of programming which provides an easier sense of orientation.
Why do I have to apply for specific themes?
The application process has been changed for the 5th edition of the Berlin Performing Arts Festival. From now on, the theaters, performance venues and artists of Berlin’s independent performing arts community will apply with artistic works addressing specific themes. The following themes will make up series of programming in the festival that serve as the basic structure for the 2020 edition of the festival and each will consist of a variety of artistic positions.
The introduction of selection processes and series of programming in the festival is due to feedback from audience members who have requested a stronger structure and an easier sense of orientation for the artistic schedule of programming.
How were the themes selected?
In order to develop the themes, the directors of the festival (Tessa Hartig & Sarah Israel) worked with an artistic advisory committee. This was composed of: Dennis Depta, Magda Korsinsky, Tucké Royale, Ivana Sajevic, Lea Sophie Schiel, Susanne Schuster, Marielle Sterra, Oliver Zahn as well as representatives of the cooperating performance venues Ballhaus Ost, HAU – Hebbel am Ufer, Sophiensæle and Theaterdiscounter.
The themes of the 2020 Berlin Performing Arts Festival can be found here.
A new artistic advisory committee will be formed for each coming edition of the festival, resulting in new themes.
Can artistic positions be submitted for more than theme?
An artistic position can only be submitted for one theme. We ask applicants to provide a brief justification for their decision to submit the artistic work in question for the respective theme in which they should explain how the artistic position is related to the selected theme.
Who decides which positions will take part in the festival?
The festival team will put together a selection committee that will be composed of the festival directors, three experts and three artists from Berlin’s independent performing arts community. The members of the selection committee will be announced by the end of the open call.
Artists and representatives from performance venues (such as, for example, the festival cooperation partners Ballhaus Ost, HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Sophiensaele, Theaterdiscounter) who are applying to participate within the Berlin Performing Arts Festival cannot be part of the selection committee.
When I will be informed whether or not I will take part in the festival?
Applicants will be informed of their participation in the festival via email as of the end of January 2020.
Information regarding performance dates and times
Performances and contributions to the schedule of programming for the Open Submissions format can be submitted for the festival days from May 20 to May 24, 2020. No artistic positions within the festival’s schedule of programming will be presented on the opening night of the festival, May 19, 2020. We kindly ask you to refrain from applying with an artistic position for this day.
In general, events should be planned to presented in the time between 11:00 am and midnight (end of performance).
In order to ensure that the scheduling of programming includes events all throughout the days of the festival, we ask you to not only suggest performance times in the evening, but to also include alternative performance times and/or to coordinate with the festival directors. The festival directors will support all participants in finding a performance time that is reasonable and fits with their contribution(s) to the schedule of programming.
Who is the festival intended for?
The festival’s schedule of programming is intended for the Berlin audience as well as visitors to the city and industry professionals and interested parties from throughout Germany and abroad.
Who organizes the festival?
The Berlin Performing Arts Festival is an event shared between all independent performance venues, groups and artists working in Berlin, the independent performing arts community. The community is responsible for the festival artistically and organizationally.
The festival is presented by LAFT Berlin in cooperation with the performance venues HAU Hebbel am Ufer, Sophiensaele, Ballhaus Ost and Theaterdiscounter. The festival coordination team works for LAFT Berlin. It will centrally promote the festival and the participating productions, both in Berlin as well as internationally, and provide comprehensive support to the independent performing arts community for the realization of the festival.
The festival’s schedule of events and the productions presented will be decentrally organized and financed by the participating performance venues and locations. The performance venues and event locations and the participating artists and groups must ensure that their participation in the festival can be independently realized in terms of organizational, financial and technical requirements. As a result, we ask all interested parties examine very carefully the extent to which it is possible to participate in the festival based upon their respective financial situation.
What Does the Festival Offer?
Since 2016, the Berlin Performing Arts Festival has annually presented the work and artistic positions of Berlin-based artists and groups working in all genres for the Berlin audience as well as visitors to the city and industry professionals from throughout Germany and abroad for one week packed with performances and events.
The festival team coordinates the series of programming in collaboration with the selection committee and the applicants. In addition, it works to provide additional offerings that supplement and round out the festival’s schedule of programming. The centralized press and PR work will promote the participating productions in Berlin as well as nationally and internationally.
Requirements for an Application
One requirement is the timely and complete application via the online form. Please note: there is no possibility to save the application, meaning that it must be filled out completely and then sent directly. The sender of the application is informed that, in the event of inclusion within the festival’s schedule of programming, the productions presented are decentrally organized and financed by the participating performance venues or the presenting artists/groups and must ensure that they are financially and organizationally in the position to present the work.
The participating performance venues and event locations must be part of Berlin’s professional independent performing arts community and, in general, should have been in operation for at least 6 months before the festival. Only professional productions from Berlin (the participating artists and groups are based in Berlin and/or the productions are Berlin (co)productions)) are included in the festival’s schedule of programming. Each performance venue/event location can submit up to four productions or events by Berlin-based groups and/or artists; however, we ask you to bear in mind that one or two submissions per venue is ideal. Site-specific work and productions that take place in public space can also be submitted as long as they originally conceived as site-specific or work in public space.
The performance dates prodivded in the application must be within the dates and times named by the festival. The ultimate presentation dates and times will be determined in conjunction with the festival directors. All information not yet made available will be requested from the participants after the selection and creation of the schedule of programming. This information will be used to advertise and promote the festival.