Illustration: Lause Bleibt.
The household collective Lause Bleibt in Berlin presents an art and activism residency program for artists residing in the Central Denmark Region. The program is supported by neighborhood initiatives and provides shared housing, studio and contacts to art institutions throughout the city. Lause Bleibt is located in Lausitzerstraße 10+11 that has grown over decades. It consists of political and artistic initiatives, NGOs, crafts people and creatives, families and shared homes.
In December 2016 the tenants of Lause became aware that plans were in place to sell the buildings which are owned by the Taekker Group. The conversion of the commercial spaces into privately owned apartments – and the explosive rise in rents that would follow – would mean the end of the existing life and work structures at the Lause. Since the tenants learned about this threat they have been fighting to stay. Taekker is known in Denmark to be a sponsor of the arts and has long run a residency program in the neighborhood of Lause. In Berlin, he is known as “the worst Landlord in town.”
In February 2019 the Taekker group and their partners announced the end of the Taekker AirBerlin Art Residency. To fill this void and to tighten the bonds between artists in Denmark and Berlin Lause is now offering artists residing in Denmark a new way to experience Berlin and the political art scene: The Lause Art and Activism Residency. Among others the following institutions and initatives will support the residency: Andromeda Aarhus, District Berlin, Nachbarschaftsakademie Prinzessinnengarten, Regenbogenfabrik Kreuzberg, TTT Werkstattraum e.V., Flutgraben e.V., HAU (Hebbel am Ufer), nGbK neue Gesellschaft Bildende Kunst Oranienstraße, Interflugs, Raumerweiterungshalle, Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien and of course Lause Bleibt.
“Being an artist is rarely a golden rain”, says Jørn Tækker.
“However, it is international solidarity that keeps us moving”, adds Lause Bleibt.
OPEN CALL
All artists (performers, writers and visual artists) from Central Denmark Region can apply for a residence in Berlin and make use of the program provided by Lause Bleibt and its partners. The initiatives will evaluate the applications in collaboration. Applicants must be affiliated with Region Midtjylland (domicile, education or other), but may seek to stay together with a partner from another city or another country.
Duration of stay:
One month.
First residency
: 1.-31. August, 2019.
Second residency:
1.-30. September, 2019.
The residency program offers to:
host the residents for a conversation about art and urban struggles at the moment in Berlin with associated people from artistic and activist communities.
create contacts for the residents throughout the neighborhood and city based on the ideas and research they might want to follow.
encourage/support/facilitate artists to make critical research in relation to our own context of real estate development and arts funding.
provide a space for exhibition/performance.
host a public conversation with Lause and antigentrification residency alliance and the residents.
support in public communication.
Deadline: June 15, 2019.
Please send your applications to
bewerbung@lausebleibt.de
(Preferably before June 15, 2019.
Please apply either for august or september).