Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Clubcommission has been handling the risk of infection by Covid-19 very responsibly and has supported the ongoing closure of Berlin club interiors since March 2020. Since then, the Clubcommission has been able to highlight the importance of a long-term perspective in times of a pandemic for Berlin club culture with numerous research projects, pilot events, counseling services, networking events and other initiatives, which are always re-evaluated depending on the ever developing framework conditions dictated by infection numbers.
A global cultural platform and community-driven streaming initiative in the digital space grew out of the united response to Covid-19 and the shutdown of Berlin club culture. Cross-genre and interdisciplinary streams connect local cultural spaces, artists, cultural workers, companies and institutions with a global audience.
The DAY OF CLUB CULTURE was created on the initiative of Berlin's Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer in order to send a clear signal for diversity and importance of Berlin's club culture in times when its existence is threatened. Forty clubs and collectives were awarded 10,000 euros for their commitment to Berlin's club culture as part of this showcase festival on October 3, 2020. They presented themselves as well as the diversity and vibrancy of Berlin's club culture under the necessary hygiene and security regulations.
With about 70 people, a live concert took place at Säälchen (Holzmarkt) in front of an audience that had previously tested COVID-19 negative. The pilot project, in cooperation with the Senate Department for Culture and Europe and in collaboration with Holzmarkt, tested the staging of events in conjunction with SARS-CoV-2 antigen testing. In preparation for the event, procedures between ticket providers, testing centers and the venue were closely coordinated and finally tested during the pilot event.
On April 1, 2021, the two-year research project Hygieia on effectiveness and impact of hygiene concepts and infection control in the event industry started. As a result, event and production facilities will be provided with a scientifically based handout for general use.
From 23 to 25 March 2021, the School of Economics and Law, the PopKW association from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Impuls Brandenburg and the Clubcommission Berlin held the 2nd specialist conference on "Security Concepts for Small and Medium-Sized Festivals". More than 600 representatives from the fields of security services, the event industry, security authorities, construction supervision, law enforcement and the two universities discussed the current challenges of hygiene and security concepts.
In April 2021, the first Club Monitoring survey went online. The survey provided the first comprehensive picture of the Berlin club scene after 14 months of the pandemic. 160 club operators and promoters took part in the survey. Two further surveys will follow this year.
Despite the turbulent last weeks, new concepts for the use of public spaces could be implemented. Within the initiative Draussenstadt, the Clubcommission was able to contribute 13 pilot spaces. The selected Berlin fallow land, parking lots and similar facilities, which can be easily used by Berlin cultural workers for artistic performance, are charged and managed by the Clubcommission.
Together with representatives of Berlin's club culture as well as officials, scientists, etc., we discuss the current situation and the future of Berlin's club culture. In doing so, we ask ourselves questions such as: Under what circumstances can we/would we like to reopen clubs? What role do model projects play on the way to reopening club spaces? How can a reopening be organized for Berlin club culture in the first place?
The pilot event "Clubculture Reboot" as part of the campaign "Perspective Culture: Berlin Pilot Project Testing" initiated by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe shall highlight, under supervision of scientists of the Charité, whether and how dance events in clubs can be safe in the future, even under pandemic conditions. The pilot project will initially take place from Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 8.
In the week of August 2-6, five nights of vaccination are planned in the Arena Berlin in cooperation with the Clubcommission.
A high vaccination rate is required to enable nightlife without restrictions again. The event is intended to encourage people to get vaccinated in an informal way during the evening. Artists and staff of the vaccination centers Arena and Tegel will also have the opportunity to present themselves to the visitors. The message: We can only make it through the pandemic together.
The DAY OF CLUB CULTURE will take place again this year on October 03 as an award and sign of appreciation for the scene. After the pause and radical transition, the DAY OF CLUB CULTURE 2021 will be an opportunity for clubs and collectives to reflect on the club culture of tomorrow. This year's focus will be on turning an optimistic eye on the revival of Berlin's club culture - both outdoors and inside the clubs, in compliance with hygiene regulations. The PRIZE OF CLUB CULTURE will be awarded in September. The award focuses on the commitment as well as the artistic quality of the work of the clubs and collectives during the pandemic as well as their visions for the future.