Open Call 2025
Theatertreffen-Blog
The Theatertreffen-Blog’s open call for applications is aimed at everyone who would like to examine the relevance of the theatre in various social contexts and who is interested in a critical analysis of what they see and discourses about content, aesthetics and representation.
”This form of writing wasn’t about telling things how they were or how they could be, or could have been; it was about how they still vibrate, right now, in the imagination.”
Cristina Rivera Garza
Information on the 2025 Open Call
Theatertreffen in Berlin is considered to be the most important presentation platform of German-language theatre. At its core are the ten most remarkable productions of a season, selected by an independent jury of critics from among up to 600 productions. Since 2005, aspiring arts journalists have been invited to the Theatertreffen-Blog, a 17-day scholarship programme during the festival. They accompany Theatertreffen with their critical coverage under the guidance of experienced journalists.
The 2025 Theatertreffen-Blog, once again headed conceptually and editorially by Grete Götze and Tamara Marszalkowski, sees itself as an editorial workshop where theatre and arts journalism can be tried out in the context of an ongoing festival. It intends to promote emerging journalists at the beginning of their career and aims to grant access to the world of culture and the media to a wide range of voices.
The Open Call of the Theatertreffen-Blog is aimed at aspiring arts journalists with a strong interest in the theatre who would like to critically reflect the 2025 Theatertreffen. Coverage will both include the usual text form and be open to audio and social media formats. A pronounced interest in arts journalism and the festival’s programme is more important than an academic background or experience in journalism. The ten most remarkable productions and the additional festival programme are to be explored from various perspectives and issues of cultural politics will be reflected. Networking with industry experts, with the Theatertreffen-jury as well as with fellows of the International Forum and participants of the Open Campus-programme is another essential component of the programme.
Requirements for participation are willingness for conducting in-depth journalistic work and seeing the ten most remarkable productions, a proven interest in the theatre and attendance in Berlin for the entire duration of the festival. Texts may be written in English; the working language is German.
The scholarship includes accommodation, travelling expenses for fellows not resident in Berlin, attendance at festival events and network meetings as well as an expense allowance. The bloggers’ work will be published on the Theatertreffen-Blog’s website and Instagram channel.
Not all relevant areas of work are barrier-free. We always look for the best possible solutions for individual requirements. Please do not hesitate to ask us about this issue in advance.
Practical Information on the Scholarship Programme
1. Dates
Deadline for applications: 10 February 2025
Announcement of the selected bloggers: mid-March 2025
Preparatory (online) event: April 2025 (to be agreed upon)
Theatertreffen takes place from 2 to 18 May 2025.
2. Programme
- Online preparatory event in April (creating the editorial schedule)
- Attendance at the ten most remarkable productions as well as selected events of the festival’s additional programme as well as various networking and exchange meetings in May
- Regular editorial meetings and expert support during the festival
3. Benefits
- Hotel accommodation during the festival (except for bloggers with residence in Berlin)
- Travel expenses (acc. to the Federal German Travel Expenses Act, BRKG)
- Expense allowance of 800 Euros
- Tickets for Theatertreffen-events
4. Applications
Please send your exclusively digital application including the following documents:
- A motivational letter (max. 3,000 characters incl. blank spaces) that describes yourself and gives an idea of your interest in the Theatertreffen-Blog and of how participation may benefit your further career path
- A tabular CV and information on your language skills
- One to three representative work samples including at least one theatre review (not necessarily published); work samples may have been created within an academic context
- Other samples of journalistic work may include: video material (interviews, coverage etc.), audio material (coverage, features etc.), photographic theatre documentation
Please send all documents as a single PDF-document to theatertreffen-blog@berlinerfestspiele.de
Selected applicants will be contacted via e-mail in March 2025.
Contact
Berliner Festspiele – Theatertreffen – Theatertreffen-Blog
Coordination: Susanne Albrecht
Schaperstraße 24
10719 Berlin
Germany
Tel +49 30 254 89 280
theatertreffen-blog@berlinerfestspiele.de
More information about the Theatertreffen-Blog is available on berlinerfestspiele.de/en/theatertreffen-blog
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