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.

© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer
© by 夏安德
© by Lennart Speer
© by Lennart Speer

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

© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski

„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

© by Christian Clarke
© by Christian Clarke
© by Christian Clarke

“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

© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass

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
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski
© by Dominik Antoni Krolikowski

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

© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass

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.

© by Kati Masami Menze
© by Kati Masami Menze
© by Kati Masami Menze
© by Kati Masami Menze

Spacelab partner:

聚合舞Polymer DMT

Sabina Stücker

德國埃森舞蹈藝術家網絡

© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass
© by Jakob Kielgass

space | lab Events

  • 2023 12月 16日

    "It's more than Bilingual" dance film by Nene Okada and Ching-Mei Huang
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 12月 15日

    WAS VOM TANZE ÜBRIG BLEIBT Presentation of a work in progress with artist talk at space | lab. With Foteini Papadopoulou, Uwe Ernst, Florence Freitag
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 12月 6日

    Meeting IG Tanz
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 6月 2日

    Assembly - How do we wish to live together?
    space | lab is running 23
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 5月 3日

    Sounds of Our City - Noise or Signal? With Anna-Luella Zahner & Frank Niehusmann
    space | lab is running 23
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 4月 5日

    AI - About Cyborgs, Chatbots and Chthuluzän. With Anne Küper & Till Bödeker
    space | lab is running 23
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2023 2月 10日

    Archives - A task for eternity? With Foteini Papadopoulou & Claudia Kauertz
    space | lab is running 23
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 11月 4日

    The flow work - dance & writing - workshop with Judith Ayuso
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 9月 16日

    The flow work - There is always a way: a workshop on freelancing as an artist - with Robert Schulz
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 8月 31日 - 2022 9月 3日

    space | lab @ Agora
    德國杜塞道夫舞蹈博覽會/ 開放工作室系列Düsseldorf, DE
    NRW-ForumDüsseldorf, DE
  • 2022 7月 29日 - 2022 7月 31日

    space | lab is running - summer festival
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 7月 4日 - 2022 7月 10日

    Residency - Foteini Papadopoulou
  • 2022 6月 20日 - 2022 7月 3日

    Residency - Bianca Sere Pulungan
  • 2022 6月 10日

    The flow work - Improvisation with principles of Feldenkrais method - with Mu-Yi Kuo
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 5月 23日 - 2022 6月 5日

    Residency - Josephine Kalies
  • 2022 5月 9日 - 2022 5月 21日

    Residency - Marco Girardin
  • 2022 4月 18日 - 2022 5月 1日

    Residency - Kati Masami Menze
  • 2022 4月 2日

    The flow work - Documentary theatre research workshop - with Fang Yun Lo
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2022 3月 2日 - 2022 3月 6日

    Residency - Marlene Helling
  • 2022 2月 7日 - 2022 2月 17日

    Residency - Marlene Helling
  • 2022 1月 24日 - 2022 2月 6日

    Residency - 李曉婷
  • 2022 1月 17日 - 2022 1月 23日

    Residency - Foteini Papadopoulou
  • 2021 10月 28日

    Encounter #6 - Methods of Inclusion for Dance/Performance Art, with Elisa Kneisel
    線上
  • 2021 8月 20日 - 2021 8月 22日

    the flow work - workshops with Marie-Lena Kaiser, Verena Hahn, Samandhyana Company, Magdalena Öttl and Foteini Papadopoulou
    Maschinenhaus Essen埃森, DE
  • 2021 7月 5日 - 2021 7月 11日

    Folkwang RUNDGANG 2021
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2021 7月 4日

    Encounter #5 - Mobile audio recording techniques for choreographers, with Marius Kirch, Dipl. Audio Engineer
    線上
  • 2021 6月 25日

    Encounter #4 - Turning reality into art - techniques of research and interviewing, with Khuê Phạm, ZEITmagazin
    線上
  • 2021 5月 17日

    Encounter #3 - The Art Sector and Sustainability, with Iris Ping-Chi Hung, Taipei
    線上
  • 2021 4月 29日

    Encounter #2 - Precarious Art, with Prof. Dr. Bojana Kunst, Frankfurt/M., Gießen
    線上
  • 2021 4月 9日

    Meeting on cultural policy - with Muchtar Al-Ghusain, Margrit Lichtschlag
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, DE
  • 2021 3月 22日

    Encounter #1 - Building a regional artists' network, with Cindy Hammer, Magdalena Weniger / TanzNetzDresden e.V.
    線上
  • 2021 3月 12日

    Opening ceremony
    聚合舞埃森創作分享空間埃森, 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