The FREIRAUM Project

FREIRAUM, the collaborative space for concept and work, has been made possible through support lent by the TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund. Since its opening in January 2020, it has also been perceived as an “artist run space”, as operated by the Ben J. Riepe team. Situated at Engelbertstraße 13 in Düsseldorf Flingern, its doors are open to artists and cooperation partners from administration, project management, dramaturgy, or technical departments as well as for scientists and advanced students with intersections towards the arts, for free-of-charge work stays. Featuring a multi-workplace coworking space as well as two studios, with 110 and 41 sqm respectively, artists from the independent local scene will find opportunities for a collaborative work approach during the research and concept phases as well as for the start into joint rehearsals here. Smaller presentations and internal showings may also be conceived and realised on-site.

A Space of Possibilities

We strive to offer a safe coworking space for the arts, independently of any specific production, which acts as a catalyst for free encounters between the artistic genres, affiliated sciences, and the different work sectors through its flat hierarchic structure. In line with artist empowerment, FREIRAUM shall be a space for possibilities to pursue virulent questions in art and society together: How can we conquer boundaries and conceive of new, interdisciplinary concepts, how can we come into shared power and voice? How can we think and bring about the impact of art into society? Yet our collaborators are not only active parts of FREIRAUM solely to intensely work on and discuss those questions: The offers provided at FREIRAUM should rather reflect the knowledge, the ideas, and the visions of all actors. Everyone is invited to share their “superpowers”, so that the manifold capacities of everyone involved may result in mutual stimulation while bringing about expanding knowledge within the independent scene.

Cocreation and Community

The FREIRAUM is a learning, hybrid institution that will continually evolve according to the needs of its users. This institutional flexibility creates a space of arrival, of (renewed) trust and (new) creation, especially in times of crisis. The FREIRAUM offers a non-commercial alternative for conceptional work, experimental rehearsals, open-process research, and an open discourse for numerous artists, graduates, and further experts.

This creates a space for thought and action which simultaneously fosters self-conception of the artist as a cooperative, empathic, and co-creative creature that constantly renews connections with others. If physical encounters prove impossible, FREIRAUM also offers digital formats as paths of encounter and networking. Connections, solidarity, and mutual care are especially important during critical times. We would like to provide the space for this. We look forward to further shape and develop the FREIRAUM into a laboratory for a new future communion, together with you!

Team

Ben J. Riepe
Artistic direction

Janine Blöß
Dramaturgy and conception
janine@benjriepe.com

Anja Kunz
Project management FREIRAUM
freiraum@benjriepe.com
+49 (0)211 158 155 83

Izaskun Abrego
Administration and coordination
izaskun@benjriepe.com
+49 (0)211 980 77 141

Jolande Hörrmann
Project management Digitale Agora

Jessica Prestipino
Project management Ben J. Riepe

Nassrah Alexia-Denif
Management Ben J. Riepe
Presse- & Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

FREIRAUM is funded by TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund with support of the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Cultural Office of the State Capital Düsseldorf and Kunststiftung NRW.