Spacelab is a research and co-working space in Essen. It is open to freelance groups, choreographers, dancers and performance artists from Essen and the surrounding area. The space is also the office and headquarters of Polymer DMT / Fang Yun Lo.
Address: Kreuzeskirchstr. 25, 45127 Essen, Germany
Contact / Info: Kati Masami Menze, Marlene Helling, spacelab@polymerdmt.com
In addition to work facilities, Spacelab offers a regular programme of workshops and lectures for members of IG Tanz Essen and interested artists from the region - the Spacelab encounters (2021), The flow work (2022) and space|lab is running (2022/23). We also organise festivals and other events and help coordinate the activities of IG Tanz Essen.
Our current programme (scroll down for the archive):
OPEN CALL
space | lab connects: Future Land - How do we want to live together?
The project "space | lab connects" connects places in the Essen Nord neighborhood and artists from the Ruhr area through artistic collaborations on the topic of "Future Land - How do we want to live together?".
After the summer festival "space | lab is running" in 2022, where we created an artistic parcours through the neighborhood with dance and performances, and a talk format in 2023, where we invited different perspectives on a topic, we now want to work with and at 4 venues from our immediate neighborhood. We are looking for artistic positions from the performing arts such as dance, performance, music and media art.
Possible artistic collaborations could be, for example: a concert behind the counter, a video installation in a small store, a performance between the shelves. Anything is possible.
The concepts submitted should be flexible enough to take place at all participating venues and relate to the theme "Future Land - How do we want to live together?". The call for entries is aimed at up-and-coming artists from Essen and the surrounding area who are at the beginning of their career. The concepts should be realizable with little or no technology. In addition to the final presentation, the focus of "space | lab connects" is on the artists' collaboration with the venues and in the neighborhood.
The venues
We will announce the participating locations after the application deadline. They will be locations such as a post office, a parking garage, a bakery or even a hairdressing salon. Nevertheless, it is important that your concepts are not written exclusively for one location, as the locations will choose a concept.
Selection process
The space | lab team collects the applications and compiles them for the venues. The artistic positions are selected at the end of April. The participating locations will each select an artistic concept for themselves from the applications submitted.
space | lab connects offers:
- A gross fee of €2,300 per artistic position
- Organizational support from the space | lab team
- Material costs by arrangement
- Artistic work in places of everyday life
What we need from you:
- please send your application to spacelab@polymerdmt.com
- Concept and letter of motivation max. 2 pages
- Overview of previous work max. 1 page
- Short biography max. 1000 characters
Time frame:
- Applications by April 21 2024
- Feedback by the beginning of May 2024
- Work phase with the locations June 10 to June 21 2024 (5 days during this period)
- Rehearsal dates will be coordinated with locations during the working phase
Public showing at the locations: between June 20 and 22 2024
„A DIGITAL HABITAT FOR (MEMORIES OF) MOVEMENTS PAST – loading“
The remains of the dance – showing and sharing event of a work in-progress with artist talk in space | lab, on Friday, 15 December 2023, at 6pm
a project by Foteini Papadopoulou
Funded by Kulturamt der Stadt Essen (Cultural Affairs Office of the City of Essen)
cooperation partners: Deutsches Tanzarchiv Köln (German Dance Archive Cologne); space | lab – Forschungs- und Co-Working-Raum in Essen (space | lab – research and co-working space in Essen)
Artistic direction, choreography, exhibition concept: Foteini Papadopoulou
Photography: Christian Clarke
Design of the website prototype: Uwe Ernst
Curatorial and dramaturgical dialogue partner: Florence Freitag
Graphic design: Valentina Boneva
Press and public relations: Daniela Endrulat
“It’s more than Bilingual”
In space | lab on Saturday 16 December at 18:30 for a screening with snacks and drinks!
from December 16th to December 30th on Youtube
In their dance film "It's more than Bilingual" Nene Okada and Ching-Mei Huang explore their differing artistic processes and singular perspectives influenced by their distinct cultural upbringings.
Individually choreographed but recorded in the same space and on the same piece of music, intertwining and overlapping their movements, the artists bridge the gap between their cultures while the set design quite literally offers a frame in which to reflect on their individual histories and find a common narrative.
"space|lab is running 23 - one theme, two perspectives".
In this series of talks in space|lab and in our immediate neighbourhood, we want to talk to artists and specialists from teaching, research and science about their expertise and socially relevant topics. Which parallels exist in art and science, how and what can we learn from each other?
FRI, 10 FEBRUARY 2023, 19:00 [Start in Kunstraum jETZT, Weberstraße 8, Essen]
Archives - A task for eternity? - with Foteini Papadopoulou, freelance choreographer & Dr. Claudia Kauertz, head of Haus der Essener Geschichte/ Stadtarchiv
WED, 05 APRIL 2023, 19:00
AI - About Cyborgs, Chatbots and Chthuluzän - with Till Bödeker, visual artist & Anne Küper, Researcher in the DFG post-graduate programme “The Documentary. Excess and Withdrawal”, Ruhr-University Bochum
WED, 03 MAY, 2023, 19:00
Sounds of Our City - Noise or Signal? With Anna-Luella Zahner, dramaturge and translator & Frank Niehusmann, composer
Fri, 02 JUNE, 2023, 19:00
Assembly - How do we want to live together?
- We invite you to a dinner where different perspectives on a future life in the city will have space. How do we want to live? How do we imagine the city and urban society in the future?
- Admission free, pre-registration requested: spacelab@polymerdmt.com
space | lab is running 2022
The summer festival of IG Tanz Essen
DAY 1: JULY 29, 2022 - to start.
- 11:00 - 16:00, space | lab [not public] – Internal Sharing of the IG Tanz artists and the space | lab residents with representatives of the art and culture scene NRW. With: Alberto Curci, Marlene Helling, Marie-Lena Kaiser, Josephine Kalies, Gustavo Leite, Fang Yun Lo, Kati Masami Menze, Foteini Papadopoulou, Robert Schulz, Giovanni Zazzera Z Art Dance Company mit Enora Gemin
- 18:00, Gitterraum – Opening space | lab is running, drinks and food
- 19:00 - 21:00, Gitterraum – DJ Set
DAY 2: JULY 30, 2022 - we are running.
A tour through Essen's City Nord, transformed through dance, performance, music, film and exhibitions by dance and performance artists from IG Tanz.
- 14:00 START (in the order of the tour)
- space | lab: “Octupus.” by Pin-Chen Hsu, “Salz ||: im Blut” by Camila Scholtbach, “STAND BY” by Lara Pilloni/ music by Alvaro Severino (video works)
- Gitterraum: “now we're talking” by Josephine Kalies in collaboration with Kati Masami Menze, Paloma García de Juan, Elisa Spina and Tristan Berger (performative tryout / photo work)
- Weberplatz: “Frauen.Frieden.Flügel” by Anca Huma (dance performance)
- Konsumforum 2nd floor: “Untouch” by Alexandra Krutikova and Jan Chris Pollert (dance performance)
- Gitterraum: experimental concert by Marco Girardin
- Kopstadtplatz: “Zwei alte Damen” by Claudia Mauerer and Mariela Rossi (street performance)
- Kunstraum jETZT: “MOVEMENT JOURNALS/MOVING JOURNALS” by Foteini Papadopoulou and Christian Clarke (photo work)
- former Restaurant Mayflower: “Asia Restaurant” by Polymer DMT/Fang Yun Lo (video installation)
- 16:45 Picnic at the Weberplatz
DAY 3: JULY 31, 2022 - to finish.
Film screenings and discussions about choreographers' and dancers' engagement with film
- 11:00 - 14:00, space | lab
- Talk about the video installation "Asia Restaurant" with the artists of Polymer DMT/Fang Yun Lo
- Film screening "Die Erde ist gewaltig schön, doch sicher ist sie nicht" by SKORONEL RELOADED
- Film screening "Vale of shadow" by Annalisa Palmieri and Stsiapan Hurski
the flow work - unsere Veranstaltungsreihe 2022
2 APRIL 2022
Documentary theatre research workshop - with Fang Yun Lo
10 JUNE 2022
Improvisation with principles of Feldenkrais method - with Mu-Yi Kuo
16 SEPTEMBER 2022
There is always a way: a workshop on freelancing as an artist - with Robert Schulz
4 NOVEMBER 2022
dance & writing - Workshop with Judith Ayuso
Spacelab encounters - our digital event series 2021
28 OCTOBER 2021
Encounter #6 - Methods of inclusion for dance/performance art, with Elisa Kneisel
4 JULY 2021
Encounter #5 - Mobile audio recording techniques for choreographers, with Marius Kirch, Dipl. Audio Engineer
25 JUNE 2021
Encounter #4 - Transforming reality into art - techniques of research and interviewing, with Khuê Phạm, ZEITmagazin
17 MAY 2021
Encounter #3 - The Art Sector and Sustainability, with Iris Ping-Chi Hung, Taipei
29 APRIL 2021
Encounter #2 - Precarious Art, with Prof. Dr Bojana Kunst, Frankfurt/M., Gießen
22 MARCH 2021
Encounter #1 - Building a regional artists' network, with Cindy Hammer, Magdalena Weniger / TanzNetzDresden e.V.
Spacelab partner:
space | lab Events
Dec 16 2023
"It's more than Bilingual" dance film by Nene Okada and Ching-Mei HuangSpacelabEssen, DEDec 15 2023
WAS VOM TANZE ÜBRIG BLEIBT Presentation of a work in progress with artist talk at space | lab. With Foteini Papadopoulou, Uwe Ernst, Florence FreitagSpacelabEssen, DEDec 6 2023
Meeting IG TanzSpacelabEssen, DEJun 2 2023
May 3 2023
Sounds of Our City - Noise or Signal? With Anna-Luella Zahner & Frank Niehusmannspace | lab is running 23SpacelabEssen, DEApr 5 2023
AI - About Cyborgs, Chatbots and Chthuluzän. With Anne Küper & Till Bödekerspace | lab is running 23SpacelabEssen, DEFeb 10 2023
Archives - A task for eternity? With Foteini Papadopoulou & Claudia Kauertzspace | lab is running 23SpacelabEssen, DENov 4 2022
The flow work - dance & writing - workshop with Judith AyusoSpacelabEssen, DESep 16 2022
The flow work - There is always a way: a workshop on freelancing as an artist - with Robert SchulzSpacelabEssen, DEAug 31 2022 - Sep 3 2022
Jul 29 2022 - Jul 31 2022
space | lab is running - summer festivalSpacelabEssen, DEJul 4 2022 - Jul 10 2022
Residency - Foteini PapadopoulouJun 20 2022 - Jul 3 2022
Residency - Bianca Sere PulunganJun 10 2022
The flow work - Improvisation with principles of Feldenkrais method - with Mu-Yi KuoSpacelabEssen, DEMay 23 2022 - Jun 5 2022
Residency - Josephine KaliesMay 9 2022 - May 21 2022
Residency - Marco GirardinApr 18 2022 - May 1 2022
Residency - Kati Masami MenzeApr 2 2022
The flow work - Documentary theatre research workshop - with Fang Yun LoSpacelabEssen, DEMar 2 2022 - Mar 6 2022
Residency - Marlene HellingFeb 7 2022 - Feb 17 2022
Residency - Marlene HellingJan 24 2022 - Feb 6 2022
Residency - Hsiao-Ting LeeJan 17 2022 - Jan 23 2022
Residency - Foteini PapadopoulouOct 28 2021
Encounter #6 - Methods of Inclusion for Dance/Performance Art, with Elisa KneiselOnlineAug 20 2021 - Aug 22 2021
the flow work - workshops with Marie-Lena Kaiser, Verena Hahn, Samandhyana Company, Magdalena Öttl and Foteini PapadopoulouMaschinenhaus EssenEssen, DEJul 5 2021 - Jul 11 2021
Folkwang RUNDGANG 2021SpacelabEssen, DEJul 4 2021
Encounter #5 - Mobile audio recording techniques for choreographers, with Marius Kirch, Dipl. Audio EngineerOnlineJun 25 2021
Encounter #4 - Turning reality into art - techniques of research and interviewing, with Khuê Phạm, ZEITmagazinOnlineMay 17 2021
Encounter #3 - The Art Sector and Sustainability, with Iris Ping-Chi Hung, TaipeiOnlineApr 29 2021
Encounter #2 - Precarious Art, with Prof. Dr. Bojana Kunst, Frankfurt/M., GießenOnlineApr 9 2021
Meeting on cultural policy - with Muchtar Al-Ghusain, Margrit LichtschlagSpacelabEssen, DEMar 22 2021
Encounter #1 - Building a regional artists' network, with Cindy Hammer, Magdalena Weniger / TanzNetzDresden e.V.OnlineMar 12 2021
Opening ceremonySpacelabEssen, DE
Spacelab is an initiative of Polymer DMT / Fang Yun Lo, in co-operation with IG Tanz Essen and Sabina Stücker Kulturproduktion, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia - Spitzenförderung Tanz, and the Cultural Office of the City of Essen - institutional funding.
Individual projects in Spacelab are supported by Kreativ.Quartiere Ruhr (funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, conducted by ecce GmbH).
The founding of Spacelab was substantially supported by the programme TANZPAKT RECONNECT, conducted by BUREAU RITTER, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of the NEUSTART KULTUR initiative. Hilfsprogramm Tanz