Making a Difference – Teaser in German Sign Language with German subtitles.

Making a Difference

Making a Difference is a Berlin-based network founded in 2018 to promote the independent work of disabled, d/Deaf and chronically ill artists in dance. Eight organisations have joined forces to create high-quality, accessible training and production opportunities through workshops, residencies and co-productions. The central guideline of the project is to fill all leadership and expert positions with disabled, d/Deaf and chronically ill people.

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Project in transition

The funding for Making a Difference as part of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund ended on February 29, 2024. The administration of the network project moved from Sophiensæle to Uferstudios.

Juli, a female read, white person in her early 40s with dark blonde, long hair and Leo, a trans* non-binary, white person in their early 30s with short hair are sitting on or in front of a purple beanbag. They are sitting half in front of each other, half next to each other and leaning slightly towards each other. Leo is slightly leaning back and has one leg bent in front of them. They look straight and fixedly into the camera. Juli is leaning against the beanbag with her left hand resting on her bent knee and her head turned slightly to the side. She is also looking directly into the camera. Both are wearing (by chance) white, short-sleeved shirts and light-coloured trousers. Plants are growing around them. In front, tall grass partially covers their legs, while the background is fully covered by a green climbing plant blocking out the daylight.

Since July 2024, there has been a new project management team consisting of Leo Naomi Baur (they/them, on the right side) and Juli Reinartz (she/her, on the left side). Here they introduce themselves.

Leo Naomi Baur and Juli Reinartz can now be reached at mad@uferstudios.com. If telephoning is more accessible for you, please contact Uferstudios by phone and ask for a call back. The number for Uferstudios is: 030 460 60 887.

As the project management is currently not working full-time, it may take one to two working days to answer your inquiries. We ask for your understanding.

To stay up to date and not miss any open calls or dates, follow Making a Difference on Instagram at @mad_berlin and sign up for the newsletter! Simply send an email to mad@uferstudios.com with the subject “Registration Newsletter”.

Our publication is out!

Under the title „Making a Difference 2018-2024. Developing, cultivating, and strengthening anti-ableist practice in the field of dance”, we look back on the last six years. In the form of interviews with artists and reports on developments in the network’s partner organisations, Chapter 1 provides insights into project practice over the last six years. Chapter 2 “What it takes to act – a knowledge transfer” gives an overview of our perspectives on disability, ableism, privilege and audism as well as initial practical recommendations for anti-ableist working practices in the cultural sector and beyond.

Click here to open the digital publication as accessible PDF

Five questions for…

As we conclude the project, we look back on the last six years and realise: Making a Difference has made a difference. Under the title “Five questions for…” we interviewed six artists over the past year, who co-produced a piece with Making a Difference under their own artistic direction. In the interviews, Tamara Rettenmund, Carolin Hartmann, Rita Mazza, Jan Kress, Camilla Pölzer und Sophia Neises talk about their artistic projects, their plans and wishes for the future.

The video interviews are available on our website and social media channels. They are in German spoken language, German Sign Language and come with German and English subtitles and transcripts.

Click here to access the videos