The Berlin GRIPS Theater is considered the founder and important anchor point of the emancipatory children and youth theatre. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of GRIPS Theater, the GRIPS Foundation was founded in spring 2019. It serves as the legal and organisational cornerstone to not only look back, but also look 50 years into the future.
The aim is to make GRIPS independent of political influences and the real estate market and therefore to strengthen the idea of emancipatory children and youth theatre permanently. The foundation will initially focus on GRIPS Theater in Berlin itself. With increasing establishment, the foundation also supports the international network of children and youth theatres that feel committed to the GRIPS idea of emancipatory children and youth theatre.
The GRIPS Foundation secures the theatre in the uncertain times of the corona pandemic. Every month when there is no performance, GRIPS Theater loses significant income. Nevertheless, we try to take all participating artists with us in an emergency plan. This is possible thanks to continued funding from the Berlin Senate, through cost reductions in the company and thanks to many private donations.
In addition to the acute deficit compensation in the current crisis situation, the GRIPS Foundation offers us financial security in the coming years. With the end of the pandemic, new economic problems will arise as the financial possibilities of key financiers of GRIPS Theater will be constrained for an extended period of time, while the operating costs will follow normal price increases.
We need space to lead the most famous contemporary and political theatre for children and young people into the future. We would like to have a new extension of our own with several stages, with rooms for the variety of theatre-educational offers. With child-friendly lounge areas and barrier-free access throughout the building. With an inviting restaurant and adequate infrastructure for offices, technology and workshops. With guest apartments for artists, maybe also for tour groups and school trips. There should be plenty of GRIPS for everyone. For our audience, for our guests, for our actors, for our employees, for our art, in order to depict and negotiate the realities of life of children and young people on stage, for all of our formats in which people meet for socio-political dialogue.
We have ideas and you have ideas. We want to implement them. For some time now there have been talks with the urban development office of the district regarding the open space on Altonaer Strasse/Bachstrasse. This offers a good connection to the old GRIPS Theater and is our preferred location to further develop the area around Hansaplatz in a cultural and sustainable way.
We are happy to receive every donation. Become a sponsor and help secure the future of GRIPS Theater.
Trust account of the theater for the GRIPS Foundation
Account holder: GRIPS Theater gGmbH
IBAN: DE11 1005 0000 0190 8295 08
BIC: BELADEBEXXX
The GRIPS Foundation pursues exclusively charitable purposes and is a non-incorporated foundation that is managed in trust by GRIPS Theater gGmbH and is therefore represented by it in legal and business transactions.
Further information:
Andreas Joppich
Tel. 030 - 39 74 74 - 0
Email: andreas.joppich[at]grips-theater.de
