The festival newspaper aims to develop the work of young cultural journalists. These follow all the events of the Theatertreffen and publish their impressions in reviews, essays and features in their won paper: the tt festivalzeitung. They are supported by experienced critics functioning as mentors who can offer their professional guidance in theatre criticism. In this way the young editors have an opportunity to create a special form of arts section which reaches a wide readership as a supplement to the Berliner Zeitung with a print run of 200,000 copies. The festival newspaper should not appeal solely to theatre enthusiasts, it is our aim to reach readers with little experience of theatre and interest them in the Theatertreffen.
The tt festivalzeitung as a Download
What is theatre criticism? What are its aims and what can it achieve? Many theatremakers believe that the critics often miss the essence of their work, they judge it either according to some personal agenda or on the basis of criteria they cannot explain. On the other hand, mutual dependence can lead to a constructive dialogue – there’s certainly no better advertisement for a production than a good review. But what criteria and assumptions really operate in current theatre criticism? And what forms can writing about the theatre and the people who make it take? Because these are questions which animate us, tt talent also includes a journalistic programme: the tt festivalzeitung.
Conceived by the dramaturg Uwe Gössel, the independent theatre newspaper has accompanied the Theatertreffen since 2005. Emerging critics document the proceedings in at least five editions: reviewing the productions, interviewing the main players, reporting and commenting on the festival’s most varied moments – fresh, talented and right where it’s happening. The editions of tt festivalzeitung are included as supplements in the Berliner Zeitung and are also distributed free of charge at a range of cultural institutions.
Project Management
Silvia Schober
Cooperation Partners
Berliner Zeitung (Dr. Harald Jähner)
Weiterbildungsstudiengang Kulturjournalismus, Universität der Künste Berlin (Verena Tafel)