Sophiensæle
The Sophiensæle are one of the most important production houses for the performing arts in Berlin. In the listed building ensemble, the former craftsmen's association house on Sophienstraße, we present a wide, constantly changing spectrum of the performative arts. Founded in 1996 as a theater by artists for artists, we see our core task in promoting artistic developments. We rely on a programmatic mix of established artists and support for emerging talent, as well as local and international positions. Artists who work inter- and transdisciplinarily beyond genre boundaries and explore new possibilities of the performative show their pieces with us and develop innovative forms between dance, performance, theater, visual arts, discourse, text, hospitality, and space.
The Sophiensæle today consist of two historical halls, the Festsaal and the Hochzeitssaal, as well as the former canteen. Historically, the building embodies a piece of emancipation history: The Berlin craftsmen's association created a workers' education association here starting in 1905; a novel training, further education, and meeting place.
The building was carefully partially renovated in 2011, and thus the eventful history of the building ensemble is still palpable in the spaces. Our open spaces with their flexible structure are an ideal place for the needs of the free performative arts. The artists find a platform here to reflect on societal developments from multiple perspectives and to question them artistically. Essential to this engagement is the exchange: with the urban society, our audience, but also among the participants themselves. The Berlin artists with their diverse international connections are offered an artistic laboratory at the Sophiensæle, where they can experiment with and present new ideas. We set thematic focuses with annually changing curated festivals, series, and program highlights that bring international and local perspectives into exchange. The house is also connected locally, nationwide, and internationally with a variety of different cooperation partners.
We are an open house in constant change and process. It is a major concern for us to create diverse access for the audience and artists. Therefore, we strive to eliminate barriers in all areas and for different communities and needs. This includes, among other things, regular barrier-free offerings for our audience and self-critical reflection regarding our production structures and program design, among others in the Berlin network Making a Difference.
We also create artistic access through a series of measures to promote young aesthetics. Thus, the Sophiensæle are, among other things, the organizers of the Tanztage Berlin and a founding member of the international production platform Freischwimmen.