Rehearsing Futures
None of us needs telling that we live in extraordinary times.
The question is - how do we activate our multifaceted strengths to meet the challenges ahead?
Within the performing arts, we possess the power to embrace transformation and dance with complexity. The IETM Berlin Plenary Meeting 2025 will therefore be rooted in the resources that define our work: cultivating community, amplifying multiple perspectives and making space for processing our experiences by working with language, the body and emotions.
Our host city of Berlin is renowned for its vibrant and diverse performing arts scene that has long welcomed artists from around the world - there are over 100 different venues across the city, presenting work of all scales and styles. It has also recently been grappling with some major challenges - budget cuts of over 13% this year have targeted both small and large institutions alike, and the arts scene feels an increasing sense of insecurity. The nationwide shift towards extreme right-wing politics has resulted in an atmosphere of anxiety and threatened the safety of performers working around Germany. Additionally a recent federal resolution and “anti-discrimination clause” in Berlin have been criticised for their potential to limit freedom of expression.
This meeting has been designed to meet this complex situation. Multiple local partners have united with IETM in a collaborative response that pools resources and which has inspired new approaches and formats, driven by the resourcefulness at the heart of our community.
With radical optimism, we invite you to join us in turning our collective knowledge into the necessary superpowers for brighter futures.
Day 1: Delve into the Berlin independent performing arts scene
On 15 May, we invite all participants to join a new format: you will spend the first day on a series of journeys around the city and region, which will provide a deep dive into the landscape of the local performing arts scene. Each journey will offer something different - be it a discovery tour of performing arts spaces, an introduction to local artists’ practice or a moderated discussion on a burning issue.
You will be asked to sign up for a specific journey, with limited spaces available for each session - look out for an email in April where you will be asked to make your selection.
Days 2 & 3: Celebrating collaborative strategies for the future
Day 2 and 3 will be hosted at ufaFabrik on 16 and 17 May and will focus on sharing knowledge based on our key competences. We will gather together, encompassing our wider international perspectives to address the challenges we face on a systemic level.
A series of practical workshops and informative discussions will explore concrete strategies defending freedom of speech, good-practice approaches to advocacy and creative interventions that tackle challenges such as the global authoritarian shift, the climate crisis and structural inequalities.
Host venue ufaFabrik itself has been pioneering environmentally sustainable practices since 1976 and provides the perfect framework for our workshops on greening the performing arts.
Alongside all of this will be an artistic programme highlighting the work of Berlin-based performance makers, and opportunities to make new connections and network.
What is an IETM Plenary meeting?
The Plenary is IETM’s biggest in-person meeting of the year, bringing together between 400 - 600 cultural practitioners from across the world. Open to IETM network members and non members alike, participants typically represent different genres and disciplines within the contemporary performing arts, and include artists, producers, presenters, students, academics, consultants, government officers and funders.
A typical Plenary programme provides opportunities to:
- Discover the artistic work and important discussions taking place in the host city;
- Unpack the most pressing topics facing the international performing arts sector today through talks, discussions and workshops;
- Network and make connections.
The Plenary meeting is also the forum in which IETM’s annual General Assembly takes place, where the network’s members come together to discuss key decisions, finances and to vote on new members for the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.
What next?
- Register for the meeting - head to the fees page for information on costs, early bird offers and refund deadlines. The early bird deadline is 24 April 2025.
- In April, everyone who’s registered for the meeting will receive an email explaining how to book for the journeys that will take place around Berlin on the first day of the meeting on 15 May. Please keep an eye on your inbox - places are limited for each journey and allocated on a first come, first served basis, so make sure you book in good time to secure a place for your preference. Information on the journeys available will be updated on the programme page in March, so you can begin to read about the content and make decisions on the sessions that are of most interest to you;
- Book your travel and accommodation to Berlin - see the practical information page for useful guidance;
- Information about pre-meetings will be updated on this page if and when they are confirmed.
For any questions regarding registrations, please consult the FAQ page or contact us at registration@ietm.org, a new email set up especially for all your registration enquiries.
