about the input session
This session is the second out of three public input sessions within the frame of the digital companionship programme: transnational contexts & relations, that is organised and hosted by Kreativ-Transfer, a project of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland and produktionsbande. In the companionship programme, one companion with transnational expertise supports one participant in the development and expansion of their own transnational working practice as a producer in the independent performing arts.

In this session we shall attempt to dig deep into the idea of what constitutes hospitality in the arts, especially while we tour. Touring brings together cultures and communities that might be vastly different with unequal resources and opportunities, keeping this in mind, we will try to do a deep dive into the how, what and why of navigating and negotiating our differences and similarities. Together we shall critically examine both our formal and informal structures, as well as the benefit of shared wisdom across cultures. We will also use our time together to try and form informal connections for future collaborations.

Speaker: Nimi Ravindran
Nimi Ravindran is a writer and theatre practitioner with over 20 years of experience in the theatre working in various capacities. She is based in Bangalore, in Southern India and is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of Sandbox Collective, a feminist artists' collective working at the intersection of art and gender and the initiators of the Gender Bender festival (currently in its 10th edition). She also serves on the advisory board of two arts organistations based in India and she holds a senior fellowship in Theatre from the Ministry of Culture, Goverment of India.

Working Internationally with transnational cohorts has always been an incredible learning experience and yet fraught. The more we work with individuals and organisations that are unlike what we're used to, the more we build transnational solidarities and a non-negotiable space for art and artists. And, while such collaborations are almost always intertwined within a web of complexities reeking of inequalities based on our social-political realities, I still believe that the only way forward is through discussions, navigations and negotiations. If we believe in a better world, we can only build it together, not in silos and this is a dream worth pursuing, we can't give up on this simply because some of us don't have a choice, and some of us don't believe in giving up.

Withholding tax, reverse charge procedure and double taxation agreements - all things that you have already encountered and yet everything remains complicated: When does the so-called reverse charge procedure apply? Does the Kleinunternehmerregelung (small business regulation) also apply abroad? What about VAT when a company invites artists from abroad? What is the new One-Stop-Shop (OSS) procedure all about? Where does income tax apply if a choreographer based in Germany has guest performances in Belgium and France? Are rehearsal fees subject to withholding tax? What should you know about net and gross agreements when negotiating contracts? And in which cases can performances be exempt from tax?

Sebastian Hoffmann, a consultant at touring artists and others, will provide an introduction to the topic of "International taxation" and share important basic knowledge so that you can avoid potential hurdles in your international activities. He will explain practical examples, clarify typical misunderstandings and answer your individual questions.

Sebastian Hoffmann: 
Sebastian Hoffmann works for the German Centre of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) where he coordinates the touring artists help desk service on the administrative regulations of cross-border work in the cultural sector (all disciplines). He studied North American Studies and Film Studies at FU Berlin and Reed College (USA) and has worked as an agent and promoter in the music sector as well as a consultant at Music Pool Berlin and the Smart Cooperative. 

This session is the first out of three public input sessions within the frame of the digital companionship programme: transnational contexts & relations, that is organised and hosted by Kreativ-Transfer, a project of Dachverband Tanz Deutschland and produktionsbande. In the companionship programme, one companion with transnational expertise supports one participant in the development and expansion of their own transnational working practice as a producer in the independent performing arts.

In this session we invite a critical eye on our existing networks, our informal champions and how to utilise these tools to identify new opportunities, disseminate work and push producing practices. We will look at the structure of networks and the importance of reciprocity in building lasting relationships. We will use this time to form a temporal network of information exchange where participants will be invited to offer their experiences and talk about their desires.

Speaker: Bek Berger

Bek Berger is an artist, curator and producer originally from Australia, based now in Berlin. Though from 2020 to September 2024, Bek the curator of the International Festival of Contemporary Theatre, Homo Novus. 

Bek’s practice binds curiosity with innovation in order to design new models of connection, collaboration and reciprocity between artists and communities, across borders and art forms. Her expertise lies across festival making and dance creation, having intuited a number of large international collaborations such as Baltic Take Over Helsinki (LV, LT, EE, FI), The Shake Down with Rosendal Theatre (LV, NO), The Festivals Path with ANTI festival (LV, FI). She created an artistic tarot deck ’THESE CARDS ARE NOT MAGIC’ which is used to improve communication inartistic process and she is currently collaborating with Gob Squad to generate a new deck “Something to do until the rain stops”, designed to assist collaborativeprocesses using their dramaturgicalstrategies as a starting point. 

Since 2017, alongside the curatorial practice she collaborates as a Dance Dramaturg and producer with choregrapher James Batchelor. They have presented in over 20 countries and in such contexts as Centre Pompidou (FR), New Baltic Dance (LT), Tanz Im August (DE), Impulstanz (AT) and Dance Massive (AU). As a producer, she worked for such festivals as American Realness (NYC), Dance Massive (AU), Darwin Festival (AU), Fierce Festival (UK) and Forest Fringe (UK). 

Bek serves on the board of the international performing arts network, IETM, was an ISPA fellow in 2022/2023 and in 2023 Bek was a SAARI fellow/resident in Finland supported by the Kone Foundation.

Let’s connect and exchange: Producers, managers, agents, cultural workers, initiatives and networks from all parts of the world. InfoPlus/Dachverband Tanz Deutschland, Berlin Performing Arts Program and produktionsbande - network performing arts producers invite producers, managers, agents and distributors to have chats with old fellows, meet new colleagues and get to know established as well as emerging producers’ networks and initiatives. Let’s gather, exchange experiences and discuss recent developments in our practices and the performing arts. 

Together with Kreativ-Transfer, the funding programme of the Dachverband Tanz Deutschland, and  Goethe-Institut dance professionals are discussing the visibility of their work: What does it need to ensure that productions don`t disappear again immediately after production? More stages, more platforms, shared performances or feature models? And who takes responsibility for ensuring that they remain visible? And can increased (international) visibility only be achieved through (international) guest performances and touring?

The compulsion to produce contradicts the mission of sustainability - this seems to be accepted and consented by now. But how can sustainability function as repetitive and self-determined artistic practice? Are artists able to position themselves on the market with the distribution of their works by not leaving the touring policy exclusively to the inviting institutions? What are future production and dissemination channels for art and how can the sustainable claim of more touring, instead of always producing anew, be reconciled with the fact that there are not enough stages for everyone?

Alongside these urgent questions about touring in Germany, a group of dance professionals invites you to discuss both the respective scope for action of dance professionals themselves and the federalist funding and theatre structures designed for overproduction.

This event is part of Kreativ-Transfer in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, Antje Pfundtner in Gesellschaft and the above-mentioned dance professionals producing in Germany. The idea for this discussion came up within an exchange group on the topic of "distribution" around: Antje Pfundtner in Gesellschaft (Anne Kersting, Hannah Melder, Antje Pfundtner), Jenny Beyer, Josep Caballero Garcia, Fabrice Mazliah, Sheena McGrandles, Stephanie Thiersch, Ursina Tossi, Elke Weber and Katharina von Wilcke.

Supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, and in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut and Antje Pfundtner in Gesellschaft, supported by TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund with support of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

Thanks to the direct communication channels of social media, it is now easier to set a topic and make yourself and your work known. You don't have to convince journalists to draw attention to your work. This offers tremendous opportunities for creatives, artists, managers and producers to promote themselves successfully - also internationally. But how can these new opportunities be used in a targeted and effective way? What content is particularly suitable for social media? In what form must content be prepared so that it is heard in the numerous channels? And which target groups can and should be reached via social media?
"Storytelling" is an excellent way of drawing attention to your own work in a playful and effective way. After all, it is no longer sufficient to simply post single events on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (Twitter) & Co.

In the workshop by and with Dr. Ina Roß, you will learn how you can achieve more (international) publicity for yourself and your work with the help of exciting stories or with a glimpse behind the scenes. You will receive creative ideas for the use of social media, identify content that is easy to transform into a narrative and work on your own social media stories. Using examples and exercises from different sectors, you will learn how to actively and emotionally engage your recipients and creatively expand your communication activities.