Berlin inaugurates 'day of club culture' on October 3rd

Berlin’s first TAG DER CLUBKULTUR (day of club culture) is taking place this Saturday, October 3rd.

Recipients of the €10,000 TAG DER CLUBKULTUR award will curate individual showcases as part of a city-wide festival this weekend hosted in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations, with dancing allowed during outdoor events. The award recognizes all 40 selected applicants for “their years or decades of commitment to Berlin’s club culture,” as stated on its website. The event shares its date with the 30th anniversary of Germany’s reunification.

Culture senator Klaus Lederer initiated the project, and Clubcommission Berlin organized the festival. Their website also states, with TAG DER CLUBKULTUR, they are “sending a decisive sign of life in times that threaten our existence.”

Venues like Schwuz, ://about blank, Club der Visionaere, Gretchen, So36, arkaoda, Sameheads, Sisyphos, Yaam, and [ipsə] are taking part, alongside collectives including DICE Dice, No Shade, Buttons, Creamcake, Oya, Female:Pressure and La By’le.

Public events remain unaffected by Tuesday’s tightening on restrictions, which focused on private events. As previously reported, dancing inside is still illegal, though clubs can host guests for other indoor activities like viewing art or having a drink. Dance-oriented events can happen in venues with access to open-air spaces. Up to 5,000 people can attend these outdoor events, provided organizers ensure social distancing and necessary hygiene measures are carried out.

The prospect of a coronavirus spike coinciding with a city-wide festival celebrating club culture, however, gave Berlin’s health councillor Knut Mildner-Spindler a “belly pain,” according to a Berliner Morgenpost article. He urged those participating to behave responsibly, but also expressed understanding for the club community’s need to send out this “signal of survival.”

A map of the day’s events is on the TAG DER CLUBKULTUR website. Each showcase will have its own hygiene measures, depending on the curator and the venue.

Image credit: TAG DER CLUBKULTUR

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