Arrival, registration and networking with coffee.

By moderator Margarita Tsomou.

Prof Dr Margarita Tsomou is a Greek cultural scientist and works from Berlin as an author, dramaturge, moderator and curator. She is curator for theory and discourse at HAU - Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin, is one of the founders and editors of the pop-feminist magazine ‘Missy Magazine’ and is professor for ‘Contemporary Theatre Practice’ at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. Examples of her curatorial work include the series Burning Futures: On Ecologies of Existence, the conference Feminisms reclaming Life: an Internationalist Gathering at HAU-Hebbel am Ufer and the Apatride Society series of events in Paul B. Preciado's discursive programme at Documenta 14.

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Marlene Grunert was born in 1986. After beginning to study theater and cultural studies in Leipzig, she studied law in Hamburg, Paris and Berlin, focusing on European and international law. She completed her legal traineeship at the Berlin Superiour Court, with stages in the cultural department of the German Federal Foreign Office and at PEN America in New York. In 2016 she became a trainee at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Since 2018, she has been working there as a political editor. In 2023, she was a fellow at the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles.

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nora chipaumire gives insights into her work as a dancer and choreographer in conversation with Margarita Tsomou. Where and why is autonomy relevant in her artistic practice? To what extent is autonomy influenced and negotiated by social, cultural and political structures?

nora chipaumire was born in 1965 in what was then known as umtali , Rhodesia (mutare, Zimbabwe ). She is a product of colonial education for black native Africans – known as group B schooling. She has pursued other studies at the university of Zimbabwe (law) and mills college (dance) (Oakland|, California). She is committed to life long study and knowledge sharing especially in non formal spaces and locations.

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The topics of the symposium will be further discussed in table discussions with various experts and moderators: A total of eight working groups will take place in parallel (two of them in English) and provide the opportunity for in-depth discussions from different perspectives. Where is autonomy relevant in one's own work, on an artistic-aesthetic level and on a structural level in theatre companies and in collective work? What challenges arise when exploring this autonomy?

A. ‘Artistic autonomy’? - For whom, with whom?
With Christina Zintl (director Schauspiel Essen) & Kevin Rittberger (director, author), moderated by Alexander Karschnia (theatre maker, author, theorist) & Felix Sodemann (ITI Germany)

B. Autonomy - public - public sector
With Aljoscha Begrich (dramaturge, curator, OSTEN Festival), moderated by Maria Gebhardt (LAFT Saxony-Anhalt) & Lars Hecker (BFDK)

C. Autonomous spaces in theatre structures: between self-determination and solidarity
With Lisa Tuyala (Theater Rampe), Anna Volkland (dramaturge, theatre scholar), moderated by Eylem Sengezer (curator) & Malin Nagel (ITI Germany)

D. Preserving autonomy in restrictive spaces (English)
With Dora Yuemin Cheng (playwright, theatre artist), nora chipaumire (dancer, choreographer), Katalin Erdödi (dramaturge, curator), moderated by Jenny Mahla (dance scholar, dance dramaturge) & Berfin Orman (director, transnational artist)

Lunch break with finger food (vegan and vegetarian). Followed by a choral intervention under the direction of Christine Groß and Roman Ott, with Jona Aulepp, Benjamin Drexler, KAy Garnellen, Perra Inmunda, Kim Ley, Naomi Kelechi Odhiambo, Jayrôme Robinet, Noël Seiß, Julian Süss, Meo Wulf.

In the second round, the experts and initiators change tables; the discussions are supplemented and continued with new perspectives, positions and questions, followed by a short break. Short break afterwards.

Margarita Tsomou in dialogue with the experts and moderators of the working groups. What strategies can we articulate, what connections have emerged and which questions are we considering?

The winners of the Federal Theatre Prize 2024 in conversation with Susanne Burkhardt (DLF Kultur).
With Katrin Hylla (Schwankhalle Bremen), Eva Lange & Carola Unser-Leichtweiß (Hessisches Landestheater Marburg), Gabi dan Droste (FELD Berlin) and Johanna Sandberg (Ernst-Barlach-Theater Güstrow).