2019,

District

*Schule ohne Zentrum e. V.

2019,

2009

Bessemerstraße

2-14

Berlin

12103

district-berlin.com

Schule ohne Zentrum, Foto: Khaled Barakeh

Klassensprachen, 2017, Foto: Nina Hoffmann

The city has become more expensive overall and therefore there is less free space – there are less “Freiräume”. Our definition has not changed as a project space. The concept of an ideal space is completely dependent on what the organizers/artists/curators are interested in doing. In our opinion, there isn’t ONE type of space that is ideal which is actually what is so wonderful about project spaces in general – they are diverse, and completely different. It seems that because of the lack of spaces and the increased rents, more project spaces have turned towards commercial models. But since funding has become more commonplace in the scene, meaning it’s more common to pay artists who are involved in shows, performances, readings, events, etc. at project spaces, this has put more pressure on spaces in general to have to secure financing. We would argue that since funding has become more readily available, the structures have begun to change. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. It’s wonderful to receive funding and be able to support artists, and as a result, the scene has become much more professional. But at the same time, it is harder in some ways to do projects more spontaneously and in an improvised fashion. This, as a result, has changed the (power) dynamics between the artists and the project space organizers, as very often the organizers are NOT funded but the artists participating in the projects are. This creates a rather awkward dynamic and as organizers ourselves, it’s frustrating for us to not be paid for our efforts and contributions to the “Freie Szene”.Verwertungslogik und Karrieredenken unter den „alternativen“ Projekten haben zugenommen, neue Strategien nähern sich eher dem Markt an, statt eine alternative Arbeitsweise zu verkörpern/zu leben, damit stirbt ein großes Stück der „alten“ Einstellungen und Haltungen und auch ein großes Stück des experimentellen Berlins. Optimistisch betrachtet: Immer wieder Lücken nutzen und das Unmögliche machen und leben.For many decades Berlin has developed a lively, diverse, and independent way of producing culture and counteracting government decisions, based on, local, generous, and enthusiastic, but also worried, social communities that exchanged resources and ideas within a larger political debate. The city became a “natural” shelter and fertile environment for dissidents, artists, political refugees, and immigrants with any background also due to the need to overcome a traumatic past full of human generated atrocities that are still present in people memories and behaviour.