The Alliance of International Production Houses is among the foremost associations within Germany. FFT Düsseldorf (Forum Freies Theater), HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin), HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste (Dresden), Kampnagel (Hamburg), Künstlerhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt am Main), PACT Zollverein (Essen) and tanzhaus nrw (Düsseldorf) all channel their abilities and experiences as central stakeholders in culture and sociopolitics, bringing international perspectives into a continuous, open and diverse exchange with local artists, local groups of audiences, as well as with diverse urban societies. The Office of the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media has been supporting the Bündnis internationaler Produktionshäuser with a sum of 12 million since the 2016/17 season, for a total duration of three years.
This support enables the production venues to realise special artistic endeavours together as well as on their respective sites, sometimes spanning several years, and going beyond their customary programmes and practices. They deal with the economic, social, cultural and ecological urban and global changes in the 21st century, playfully exploring the future of society, theatre, dance and art, exemplarily trying out scenarios of communal living. Furthermore, the venues connect their competency in the ongoing development of advanced means of production in the field of performative art and their far-reaching local and international networks more closely than before.
Tried practices can be further developed and expanded, with an eye towards the future, in this decentralised co-operational model; among them, for example, the possibility of artistic residencies, commissioned works, co-productions and site-specific project development as well as the consolidation, the artistic agency for and strengthening of artistic positions on a trans-regional and international scale and for local contexts. So, the Bündnis has set up, among other things, an academy for freelancing producers, and it is accordingly significantly involved in an occupational area that is gaining in importance.
The current communal project “Connecting Cities – Das öffentliche Leben” (“Connecting Cities – The public life)” is a cross-venue undertaking, dedicated to the questions and challenges of progressively diversifying, conflict-ridden and disparate urban societies. During the 2017/18 season, international artists in six cities investigate the role of the arts in social change of our local as well as global urban societies, posing the question for their potential in differentiation and articulation of varying designs in thought, for life and the future. In June 2018, the different artistic approaches, experiments and contributions from the six cities will reflect in a joint programme in Berlin.
As a member of the Alliance of International Production Houses, HAU Hebbel am Ufer was among the theatres that were able to support the granting and implementation of numerous #TakeCare and #TakeHeart residencies from October 2020 to May 2023. Under the banner of “DACH” the Performing Arts Fund launched a residency programme for Ukrainian artists in Germany with funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
In March 2020, the Alliance of International Production Houses has released a committment to non-discrimination.
