Freischwimmen is a production platform for performance and theatre, supported by brut Wien, FFT Düsseldorf, Gessnerallee Zürich, Schwankhalle Bremen, Sophiensæle Berlin, and Theater Rampe Stuttgart.
Since 2018, the platform has constituted itself in a new constellation and under the title FREISCHWIMMEN as an international exchange and production platform for young groups and artists* from theatre and performance. This reorientation is aimed in particular at making the model more flexible: there are now individual modules with residencies, workshop shows and guest performances and labs, which can be combined in different ways according to the needs of the artists and capacities of the theatres.
The modules are intended to enable young artists* and groups to better network and establish themselves both locally and nationally. This is intended to create space for experiments, to liberate quickly produced pieces from the pressure of expectations, and to facilitate long-term development work on the part of the production houses.
The collaborating venues nominate artists who will be invited to FREISCHWIMMEN following a joint selection process. The following artists were selected for the first round in 2018/19:
Caroline Creutzburg (Berlin/Frankfurt), Christians//Schwenk (Berlin), die apokalyptischen tänzer*innen (Stuttgart), Follow Us! (Zurich), Gruppe CIS (Stuttgart), hannsjana (Berlin), Mobile Albania (Bremen), Rotterdam Presenta (Düsseldorf), and Sööt/Zeyringer (Vienna).
A touring festival will not take place any more. The collaborating venues make individual decisions about the organisation of FREISCHWIMMEN festivals, curated by themselves, or the invitation of individual productions to already existing festivals and thematic focuses.
studio brut
Zieglergasse 25, 1070 Wien
U-Bahn: U3 (Zieglergasse), Tram: 49 (Westbahnstraße / Zieglergasse)
Rudolf-Salinger-Platz 1, 1030 Wien
U-Bahn: U4 (Stadtpark)
Siebensterngasse 31, 1070 Wien
U-Bahn: U3 (Neubaugasse), Tram: 49 (Siebensterngasse)
Franz-Josefs-Kai 3, 1010 Wien
U-Bahn: U1, U4 (Schwedenplatz) Tram: 1, 2 (Julius-Raab-Platz)
Laudongasse 15-19, 1080 Vienna
Tram: 5, 33 (Laudongasse, Lange Gasse), 43, 44 (Lange Gasse), Bus: 13A (Laudongasse)
Argentinierstraße 30a, 1040 Wien
U-Bahn: U1 (Taubstummengase) Tram: D (Plößlgasse)
MuseumsQuartier Wien, Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna
U-Bahn: U2 (Museumsquartier, Volkstheater), U3 (Volkstheater), Bus: 13A (Mariahilfer Straße / Stiftgasse), 57A (Burgring), Tram: 1, 2, 71, D (Burgring)