Sophiensaele

The Sophiensæle is one of the most important production houses for the independent performing arts in Berlin. In the listed building ensemble, the former craftsmen's association house in Sophienstraße, we present a broad, constantly changing spectrum of the performative arts. Founded in 1996 as a theater by artists for artists, we see our core task in the promotion of artistic developments. In doing so, we rely on a programmatic mix of established artists and the promotion of new talent, as well as local and international positions. Artists who work beyond genre boundaries in an inter- and transdisciplinary way and explore new possibilities of the performative show their pieces and develop innovative forms between dance, performance, theater, visual arts, discourse, text, hosting and space.

The Sophiensæle today consists of two historic halls, the Festival Hall and the Wedding Hall, as well as the former canteen. Historically, the building embodies a piece of emancipation history: the Berlin Craftsmen's Association had created a workers' educational association here from 1905; a new type of training, further education and meeting place.

The building was carefully partially renovated in 2011 and so the changing history of the building ensemble can still be felt in the rooms. Our open spaces with their flexible structure are an ideal place for the needs of the independent performative arts. Here, artists find a platform to reflect on social developments from multiple perspectives and to question them artistically. Essential for this discussion is the exchange: with the urban society, our audience, but also among the participants themselves. The Sophiensæle offers Berlin artists, with their diverse international connections, an artistic laboratory in which they can test and present new ideas. We set content-related focal points with annually changing curated festivals, series and program focuses that bring international perspectives into exchange with local ones. The house is also connected locally, nationally and internationally with a variety of different cooperation partners.

We are an open house in constant change and process. It is a great concern of ours to create diverse access points for audiences and artists. Therefore, we strive to remove 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 in relation to our production structures and programming, including in the Berlin network Making a Difference.

We also create artistic access in a series of measures to promote young aesthetics. For example, Sophiensæle is the organizer of Tanztage Berlin and a founding member of the international production platform Freischwimmen.