BUTIÖR – German Association for Theatre in Public Spaces
BUTIÖR has set itself the goal of sustainably strengthening the performing arts in public spaces. It focuses on the special aesthetics and production conditions found in public space and sees itself as a network and lobby group at national and international level. It campaigns for the recognition of the performing arts in public spaces and for the improvement of production and presentation possibilities. Its members are individual artists and ensembles, promoters, festivals, producers, agents and cultural workers who are active professionally in the field.
The emergence of the network
The idea of founding a German-speaking association for street theatre and the performing arts in public spaces arose in 2005 at the first International Street Theatre Conference organised by Theater Titanick in Münster. Artists and producers from Germany and Europe met to exchange experiences and reflect on the specifics of their art form.
On 8 May 2006, twenty founding members signed the statutes of the German Association for Theatre in Public Spaces at the Antagon TheaterAKTion in Frankfurt am Main.
Areas of responsibility
- Promoting and developing the genre as a component of the contemporary performing arts
- Increasing recognition of theatre in public spaces as an art form both on a cultural-political and a cultural-historical level
- Developing and strengthening the means of funding for the genre, making the scene visible to institutions, networking and jury work in funding bodies
- Giving a voice to the genre and providing a contact body for politicians, academics and the media
- Providing a network for artists and festivals at a national and international level
- As an interface for information, discussion, documentation and research of the performing arts in public spaces.
- Promoting and establishing production sites
- Promoting specialised training and further education