Making a Difference

OPEN CALL for a disabled, Deaf, or chronically ill artist

Making a Difference and Tanzfabrik Berlin BÜHNE are offering a grant for a presentation of an existing work as part of Tanznacht Berlin, including an R.E.D. residency in 2027

WHAT AND FOR WHOM

We are awarding a grant for an existing work, including an R.E.D. residency at Tanzfabrik and a guest performance at Tanznacht Berlin, for an artist living in Berlin. The grant for the rework will be paid out in 2026; the residency and the guest performance will take place in 2027.

For this open call, we will only consider projects led by disabled, Deaf, or chronically ill people. Please apply with an existing piece that premiered between 2020 and 2025. Preference will be given to projects that firmly integrate access for the audience as well into their artistic concept.

To apply for this open call, you must be officially registered (Anmeldung) in Berlin.

TIMELINE

2026                November / December: Payment of the grant

2027               First half of the year: R.E.D Residency (4 weeks)

From 8 to 12. September: 2 shows (tbc) as part of Tanznacht Berlin 2027

WHAT WE OFFER

• Grant of 6.000€
• 4 weeks of studio time, ideally in one block, at Tanzfabrik Berlin BÜHNE, between March and June 2027
• Stipend during the residency: 5.000€ (subject to funds being made available within the Residenzförderung Tanz 2027 RED from Tanzfabrik Berlin through Land Berlin)
• Support from an access or communication assistant on site (scheduled upon agreement)
• Technical support upon agreement
• Studio time for final rehearsals in September 2027 (upon agreement)
• Performance fee for the guest performance at Tanznacht Berlin (2 performances, subject to concrete planning)

WORKING SPACES

Uferstudio 4 is available for the residency:

• Dance studio with daylight (partial blackout possible)
• One large rehearsal space (approx. 150 m²)
• Studio 4 is fully step-free and therefore accessible without stairs. Beanbags are available. The accessible toilet is located in the studio’s foyer, in front of Studio 3.

The large communal kitchen is available to all users of the Uferstudios. The spacious seating and kitchen area invites you to linger.

The communal kitchen is reached via a ramp with a 1% gradient. The door width is 0,90m.

A decompression room is also available on the Uferstudios grounds during the residency, run jointly by HZT Berlin and Tanzfabrik Berlin Bühne. The room is accessible and freely open, with various seating and lying options as well as different stim toys available. A key for access is provided in your residency studio.

The Uferstudios site can be reached via two ground-level entrances, which are usually open Monday to Friday from approx. 8 am to 7 pm and are therefore freely passable during these times. The entrance at Badstraße 41a is 1,10m wide and not intended for vehicles. The metal gate can be opened from the inside with a strong twisting movement, which requires more force. On Badstraße itself, at the junction of Exerzierstraße/Koloniestraße, there is currently an unclear routing due to construction work. We ask for special caution here. Vehicles may only enter the grounds via the entrance at Uferstraße 23. If the electric rolling gate at Uferstraße 23 is not open and access is therefore not possible, please contact our staff, who will be happy to open the gate for you.

The workspaces will be equipped according to individual needs and in consultation with you.

Further information on accessibility at Tanzfabrik Berlin Bühne: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/en/barrierefreiheit

APPLICATION

• Description of the piece (including notes on required/desired studio equipment)
• Short bio
• Optional: an access rider (What are your access needs?)
• Confirmation that you/your group are available for the performance dates between September 8 and 12
• Project documentation and press from previous performances

You can submit your application in the following media formats:

Description of the piece + bio + access rider

• PDF text: max. 4 pages
• Audio: max. 7 minutes
• Video: max. 5 minutes
  
  

and

2. Documentation as video, audio, or PDF (max. 4 pages)

DEADLINE

Submit applications via email or download link to mad@uferstudios.com.

Deadline: 06.10.2026, 23:59 CET

Subject line “R.E.D. Residenz/Tanznacht”

Applicants may expect a response by 22 October 2026.

QUESTIONS AND CONTACT

If you do not fully see yourself reflected in the conditions of this open call, we encourage you to get in touch—we are open to conversation.

For access-related questions or to discuss your needs, please contact Making a Difference:

Email: mad@uferstudios.com

Phone: +49 30 460 60 887

WHO WE ARE        

Making a Difference (MAD) is a Berlin-based network project supporting the independent work of disabled, Deaf and chronically ill artists in dance. We create high-quality, accessible production opportunities through residencies and co-productions and support the transfer of knowledge on accessible working conditions and anti-ableist cultural work through artist labs and workshops.

In collaboration with partners from Berlin’s dance scene, such as the Uferstudios, Tanzfabrik Berlin, Sophiensaele, Junges Tanzhaus Berlin/TanzZeit, Tanzbüro Berlin, HZT Berlin, LAFT Berlin/FAIRSTAGE, HAU Hebbel am Ufer/Tanz im August and Radialsystem, as well as nationwide collaborations with Kampnagel Hamburg, tanzhaus nrw, Theater RAMPE Stuttgart, Festival Theaterformen/Real Dance Festival Hannover/Braunschweig and the University of the Arts in Social Contexts, Ottersberg, MAD’s model for cross-regional collaboration makes visible and raises the profile of disabled, Deaf and chronically ill artists.

Die Tanzfabrik Berlin ist ein Ort für Tanzkunst, Choreografie und Performance. Wir schaffen vielfältige und differenzierte Angebote für alle durch Tanz geprägten, auf Tanz neugierigen oder im Tanz spezialisierten Menschen. Wir eröffnen der Stadt und einem internationalen Publikum praktisch-sinnliche und intellektuelle Zugänge zu Tanzkunst, Choreografie und Performance. Dadurch ermöglichen wir Beteiligung am gesellschaftlichen Wandel durch Tanz.

Unsere Arbeitsweise und unsere Werte sind hier nachzulesen: https://www.tanzfabrik-berlin.de/de/netzwerke#

R.E.D. ist das Residenzprogramm der Tanzfabrik Berlin für Choreograf*innen, die ihre künstlerische Praxis im Austausch mit sozialen Räumen und Gemeinschaften weiterentwickeln möchten. Inspiriert vom Konzept der „sozialen Choreografie“ nach Andrew Hewitt verbindet das Programm ästhetische Forschung mit gesellschaftlicher Relevanz. Im Zentrum stehen Projekte, die mit Communities in Dialog treten, neue Formen der Begegnung erproben oder alternative Modelle von Wissen und Körperlichkeit vorschlagen.

Die TANZNACHT BERLIN ist das biennale Festival der Tanzfabrik Berlin und präsentiert aktuelle Positionen des zeitgenössischen Tanzes aus Berlin. Seit fast 30 Jahren bietet sie einen konzentrierten Einblick in die Vielfalt der lokalen Tanzszene und bringt Künstler*innen unterschiedlicher Generationen mit einem Berliner und internationalen Publikum sowie Fachpublikum zusammen. Als einziges Festival der Stadt, das ausschließlich Berliner Tanzschaffenden gewidmet ist, stärkt die TANZNACHT BERLIN die Sichtbarkeit der lokalen Szene und schafft Raum für künstlerischen Austausch, Vernetzung und Diskurs.

Here you can listen to the audioflyer in english spoken language:

DGS Video:

Further funding through TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund

Making a Difference has once again been selected for funding in the fourth round of applications for TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund! Over the next three years, we will continue our work to empower disabled, Deaf, and chronically ill artists in dance!

We are particularly pleased that our network will continue to grow in the new project phase: with HAU Hebbel am Ufer / Tanz im August and Radialsystem, two important Berlin institutions are joining us. At the same time, we are establishing permanent collaborations in five other federal states for the first time with Kampnagel Hamburg, tanzhaus nrw, Theater RAMPE Stuttgart, Festival Theaterformen/Real Dance Festival Hannover/Braunschweig, and the University of the Arts in Social Work, Ottersberg.

The aim is to make the approaches developed in Berlin for barrier-free production and presentation processes accessible nationwide on a sustainable basis. Together with these partners, who already pursue inclusive programs, standards for barrier removal, fair working conditions, and long-term prospects in artistic work are being developed. Residencies, co-productions, guest performances, and knowledge transfer go hand in hand with peer-to-peer empowerment, awareness-raising, and mediation formats.

In this way, we are continuing on our path of not only demanding structural change, but also actively implementing it—and continuously strengthening the visibility of a growing community.

We look forward to the next three years!