Guiding principles
HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts is one of the most important international centres of contemporary art in Germany and Europe.
HELLERAU acts as an interdisciplinary co-production and guest performance house and offers contemporary arts dance, music, theatre, performance, media art and visual arts spaces for production and presentation.
HELLERAU initiates and promotes debates on art and society with thematic focuses, festivals and audience formats.
HELLERAU cooperates with other cultural partners regionally, nationally and internationally and is involved in numerous networks.
HELLERAU is a stage of the state capital Dresden and a member of The Alliance of International Production Houses. From the 2018/19 season onwards, the artistic director Carena Schlewitt shapes the fortunes of the house and, together with the HELLERAU team, sets the program with many artists about 250 events per season.
History
Hellerau Festival Theatre, built in 1911 as a school of Rhythmics, is today the location of HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts, Dresden. Following an eventful history – in the 1930s it served as a military camp; later the Soviet army used it as its barracks between 1945 and 1991. In the 1990s, the people of Hellerau and Dresden reclaimed the grounds of the Festival Theatre with art projects and forms of cultural occupation, turning it into a place for the cultural Modern Age.
HELLERAU has since become one of the most important interdisciplinary centres for contemporary arts in Germany. It is home to contemporary dance, musical theatre, contemporary classical music, theatre, performance art, the fine arts and new media, as well as a place for reflection on art and culture. Since April 2009 performances have again been held at the Festival Theatre all year round.
Building and facilities
HELLERAU has multiple stages, and provides also residencies for artists on location (accommodation facilities). For more details, please look at HELLERAU's website.
