Pina Bausch Forum

Pina Bausch Forum is a cultural venue in Wuppertal dedicated to the legacy of choreographer Pina Bausch and the ensemble Tanztheater Wuppertal. The Forum houses rehearsal spaces, performance halls, archives, and exhibition areas that connect German contemporary dance to international networks including institutions such as the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz, Sadler's Wells Theatre, and the Lincoln Center. The center functions as a hub linking practitioners from companies like Batsheva Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Royal Ballet with researchers from universities such as the University of Wuppertal, Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, and the University of the Arts London.

History

The Forum was conceived after the death of Pina Bausch in 2009, when civic leaders in Wuppertal, cultural bodies like the Kulturstiftung der Länder and the Land Nordrhein-Westfalen collaborated with producers from theatres including the Theater Dortmund, the Nationaltheater Mannheim, and the Komische Oper Berlin to preserve Bausch's repertoire. Municipal debates involved figures from the European Capital of Culture discussions and funding negotiations with the Bundesregierung and foundations such as the Stiftung Mercator. Planning drew on precedents like the conversion projects at the Tate Modern, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, while programming models referenced the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Festival d'Avignon. Construction and opening involved collaborations with cultural policymakers from Berlin, representatives from the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and international curators from the Venice Biennale.

Architecture and Design

Designed by architect Jürgen Mayer H., the building integrates elements familiar to projects by firms such as Herzog & de Meuron, OMA, and Zaha Hadid Architects. The complex includes a main auditorium, studio stages, archive rooms, and exhibition galleries reminiscent of adaptive uses seen at the Centre Pompidou, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Centre for Contemporary Arts. Materials and engineering partners referenced builders associated with the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and structural consultants with credits on the Reichstag renovation. Interior spatial concepts echo practices from venues like the Wiener Festwochen stages, while acoustical and lighting designs align with standards used at the Royal Albert Hall and the Philharmonie de Paris.

Programming and Performances

Programming maintains the repertoire of Pina Bausch alongside commissions for choreographers such as William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Kader Attou. The Forum presents festivals and collaborations with companies including Martha Graham Dance Company, Mark Morris Dance Group, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Paris Opera Ballet, and ensembles from the Staatsballett Berlin. Guest curators from institutions like Tate Modern, Kunsthalle München, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago have staged retrospectives that bring together collectors, critics from The Guardian, The New York Times, and festival directors from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Multimedia partnerships have featured composers and musicians associated with Philip Glass, Max Richter, Steve Reich, and film-makers affiliated with the Berlinale and the Cannes Film Festival.

Educational and Community Activities

The Forum runs residency programs and workshops targeting students from the Folkwang University of the Arts, Codarts Rotterdam, Juilliard School, and the Hochschule für Schauspielkunst "Ernst Busch", and collaborates with outreach partners such as the Deutscher Kulturrat, local schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, and community arts organizations akin to Artistic Research Network projects. Public programming includes masterclasses led by former company members, seminars with scholars from the University of Oxford, Sorbonne University, and the Free University of Berlin, and participatory projects similar to those at the Barbican Centre and the Stary Browar. Archive access supports research by curators from the Victoria and Albert Museum, doctoral candidates from the Berlin University of the Arts, and journalists from outlets like Der Spiegel and Die Zeit.

Management and Funding

Governance involves municipal oversight by the Stadt Wuppertal cultural department, an artistic advisory board with advisors drawn from institutions such as the Deutsche Bühnenverein and the European Cultural Foundation, and operational partnerships with freelance producers and impresarios who have worked at the Komische Oper Berlin and Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel. Funding is a blend of public grants from the Kulturstiftung des Bundes, sponsorship deals with corporations like those that back the Hamburger Kunsthalle and philanthropic support modeled on the Guggenheim Foundation and the Goethe-Institut. Ticketing and touring logistics align with networks operated by promoters at Live Nation and festival consortia including the International Theatre Institute.

Category:Buildings and structures in Wuppertal Category:Dance venues in Germany