We want you

WHAT AND FOR WHOM

Making a Difference and tanzhaus nrw are offering a residency at tanzhaus nrw in Düsseldorf for one disabled, Deaf or chronically ill artist from Berlin or North Rhine-Westphalia. Please apply with an idea for a piece. It does not need to be fully developed and may include several phases of research. Making a Difference and tanzhaus nrw are interested in a longer-term collaboration.
Within the framework of this open call, we will only consider projects led by disabled, Deaf or chronically ill artists. We place particular importance on projects that integrate access as an integral part of their artistic concept.

TIMELINE

• 25 August → Arrival

• 26 August to 3 September → studio time, 8 days (Mon–Sat)

• 4 September → Departure

WHAT WE OFFER

• 8 days of studio time (between Monday and Saturday)
• Fee for 10 days for 1 person: €2,500
• Support from an access or communication assistant on site (scheduled upon agreement)
• Coverage of travel and accommodation costs, as well as per diems
• Technical support upon agreement

WORKING SPACES

Various spaces are available depending on prior arrangement:

• Dance and workshop studios with daylight (partially blackout-capable)
• A larger rehearsal space (approx. 150 m²)
• A small black box / proscenium stage

The tanzhaus nrw building is step-free and has an accessible restroom.
Doors are not automatic.
The forecourt has cobblestones and old tram tracks.
Parts of the building do not have a tactile guidance system.
A kitchen is available; the kitchenette is accessible via two steps, but a step-free dining table is provided.
There is an in-house restaurant offering discounted lunch options (2–3 choices), as well as water and coffee for artists.
The venue is located in an urban environment with nearby streets, tram lines, and residential activity.
Workspaces can be adapted according to individual access needs.

https://tanzhaus-nrw.de/en/your-visit

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

Travel and accommodation will be provided in consultation with Making a Difference, based on individual access needs and preferences.

WHO WE ARE

Making a Difference (MAD) is a Berlin-based network that, since 2018, has been working to address gaps in training and artistic development for disabled, Deaf, and chronically ill artists. The network organizes workshops, residencies, peer-to-peer labs, and co-productions, and actively centres Disabled expertise in artistic leadership and advisory roles.
In collaboration with partners from Berlin’s dance scene and beyond, MAD develops models for transregional collaboration and for increasing the visibility of Disabled, Deaf, and chronically ill artists.
tanzhaus nrw, located in a former tram depot in Düsseldorf, is an internationally recognized centre for contemporary dance, with eight studios and two stages across 4,000 square meters. It functions as a performance venue, production house, and academy. The program spans diverse choreographic practices and focuses on the body as a site of artistic inquiry, including themes such as body politics, digitality, urban dance cultures, sustainability, and new forms of community.
tanzhaus nrw is committed to ongoing collaboration with Disabled artists and actively engages with Aesthetics of Access through performances, co-productions, residencies, workshops, discourse, and artistic research.