Non-white Theaterhaus – Experitheater Zürich

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From the founding statement of September, 17, 2022

Establishment of
Non-white Theaterhaus Zürich and House of Anti-Racism

The founding of a non-white theater house and a house of anti-racism by / for BIPOC* artists and communities is a historically significant movement and moment in Zurich. This history will bear witness and strengthen the global anti-colonial movement. Our safer house stands and stays for / with our BIPOC* people and invites non-BIPOC people to come and restructure their knowledges on history.

The house is permanent. It may change its artistic form and function to strengthen the process of decolonizing white supremacy, preventing structural racism and violence against BIPOC*, and demanding social equality and justice. The house is open to our people as a safer house, meeting place, archive, artistic cultural practices in all forms of art. And it is a house of BIPOC* artists and communities and ... - people who stand, resist, and suffer.

The non-white theater house consists of three spaces in Gessneralle 8 in Zurich: Experi-Werkhalle, Stall 5 (Nordflügel) and the Experi Betriebsbüro (E_BB).

>>> Full statement in English

>>> Statement auf Deutsch

Philosophy and Politics

non-white theaterhaus is a house for non-white actors and a sustainable workspace for the investigation and distillation of colonial knowledge. It strives for tangible continuity while seeking controversial innovation, discussion and discourse through all kinds of decolonial artistic explorations and investigative research forms. It exhibits all kinds of non-white artistic work against global white supremacy.
non-white theaterhaus is a performing arts house with a non-white technical team with flexible infrastructural possibilities.
non-white theaterhaus is an indoor community space of BIPOC* to meet and talk about themselves without fear and anxiety.
non-white theaterhaus is a safe space for BIPOC* artists so they can feel comfortable and work fearlessly.
non-white theaterhaus is a safer space for BIPOC* communities to share their experiences of racism and other discriminations.
non-white theaterhaus is an archive of Black histories where BIPOC* can collect their precolonial/decolonial knowledge.
non-white theaterhaus is an academic house for non-white socio-political scientific study and research.
non-white theaterhaus is a place where BIPOC* can share their thoughts and works with non- BIPOC* people who want to unlearn together.
non-white theaterhaus is a place for continuing encounter and exchange between BIPOC* and non- BIPOC*
non-white theaterhaus is a space for critical whiteness to practice and unlearn more about non- whiteness, and for non-BIPOC people to restructure their knowledge.
non-white theaterhaus is a house of Anti-Racism / the house against racism.
non-white theaterhaus is a non-white theatre house.

Entry statement

Experi-Werkhalle

Experi-Werkhalle is a non-white performers research and rehearsal space occupied by experi_theater in June 2021 and reoccupied in September 2022. The space (north attic part of Gessnerallee – above Stall 6) was long time empty and occasional storage of 20 years old production materials of Gessnerallee.

Programme July 2021 to March 2022

July 17, 2021	SOLO X 2 X LUCID SLEEP Titilayo Adebayo
July 24, 2021	Music Workshop and Lecture Cali P, Stela and Mykel Costa
Sep 3, 2021	Sounds of Sides tracy september
Nov 8-12, 2021	Info-Ausstellung #Sudanuprising
Dec 3, 2021	sono synthesis

Dec 30, 2021- Mar 7, 2022	Rehearsal performance «Black Sand» supported by Recherchebeitrag Stadt Zürich Kultur

From March to August 2022 Experi-Werkhalle had to be emptied because of long term planned construction works.

On the 1st of September 2022 we had to occupy Experi-Werkhalle again.

>> Article on Akut Mag about the reoccupation of Experi-Werkhalle

During the recoccupation of Experi-Werkhalle, «soli-showings» from the windows took place expressing artistic solidarities – to stand and resist against institutionalised white supremacy.

«window acts» resistance program 2022

6. September	dj-set by E-F-U-A Born on a Friday (Deborah Macauley)
7. September	readings & resistance with Meret&Tara
8. September	noise performance by Miao
9. - 11. September	records & resistance sounds archive
12. September	readings & resistance with Meret&Tara
13. - 14. September	records & resistance sounds archive
15. September	sound performance by Silver Tears (Titilayo Adebayo)
16. September	performance by Lateena

Since October 2022, we continue to use a small part of Experi-Werkhalle for gatherings and sharings as well as other spaces in the house and in the city.

Programme since October 2022

Nov 12-13, 2022	Tamil Bookfair in collaboration with London Tamil Book Center
Nov 26 - Dec 14, 2022	Short films by Maisha Maene
Dec 11, 2022	BIPOC Community Outreach by Linke POC
Since Jan, 21, 2023	Regular Twerkshop sessions with Iky, Lateena & Romancio
Mar, 12 + 19. 2023	Community gatherings and performative readings, Aktionstage Justice4Nzoy

Programme of resistance

From September 17, 2022 until October 23, 2022 we occupied Stall 5 (Nordflügel) to establish Non-white Theaterhaus and House of Anti-racism.

>>> WOZ-article about the Stall 5 occupation

From October 19, 2022 to December 20, 2022, we were in mediation talks with the board of the association Theaterhaus Gessnerallee to talk about the future of Non-white Theaterhaus in Stall 5 (Nordflügel).

On November 7, 2022 Stall 5 (Nordflügel) re-opened for one day.

The mediation talks ended with only temporary minor results.

Our process of resistance continues…

Instagram: @nonwhite_theaterhaus