Open Calls

In deinen Augen – Ein neues Langzeitprojekt von Mats Staub

Zwei Menschen, die auf besondere Weise miteinander verbunden sind, sitzen einander gegenüber und schauen sich in die Augen.

Zunächst denken sie an die frühesten Erinnerungen, die sie von ihrem Gegenüber haben, an ihre ersten gemeinsamen Erlebnisse und an wichtige Momente ihrer Geschichte; danach blicken sie auf die Gegenwart und stellen sich schließlich vor, was in naher und weiter Zukunft aus ihnen werden könnte. Alles ohne Worte, für mehrere Minuten, solange sie möchten. Dabei werden sie gefilmt. Das Video soll Teil einer größeren Installation werden, einem Panorama von besonderen Verbindungen – die Beteiligten werden ihre Aufnahme aber auch immer als Geschenk erhalten, als einzigartiges Dokument ihrer Beziehung.

Gesucht werden dafür Menschen, die sich sehr unterschiedlich lange kennen: beispielsweise zwei Jugendliche, die seit dem Kindergarten beste Freunde sind; Paare, die erst kürzlich zusammengefunden haben oder auf 13 oder 27 gemeinsame Jahre zurückblicken; ein Onkel mit seinem 15-jährigen Neffen; zwei über 50jährige Schwestern. Es ist willkommen, wenn Teilnehmende mehrmals mit unterschiedlichen Gegenübern mitmachen – beispielsweise mit der 10-jährigen Tochter, mit dem pensionierten Vater und mit der neuen Nachbarin.

Die ersten Aufnahmen finden in Frankfurt am Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm am 9., 10., 11., 12., 13., 14. und 18. Dezember 2025 statt. Jede Aufnahmesitzung dauert ca. 30 Minuten (auch wenn das eigentliche Filmen nicht so lange dauern wird).

Rückfragen, Anmeldung und Terminfindung über die E-Mail-Adresse praktikant.in@mousonturm.de.

OPEN CALL to choreographers based in Germany and dance collectives based in Frankfurt am Main and region.

explore dance – Netzwerk Tanz für junges Publikum (dance network for young audiences) is looking for a choreographer or a dance collective for the creation of a contemporary, mobile dance piece (Pop-Up format) for a young audience. Premiere in autumn 2026.

Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm produces a new Pop-up format premiering in September 2026 in cooperation with a choreographer or a dance collective in Frankfurt am Main.

The mobile dance productions for young audiences (Pop-ups) are designed to be technically uncomplicated, tour-ready and flexible. Shown in venues such as school classrooms, gyms, community cultural centres, galleries, theatre spaces, libraries, and public spaces, they enable access to dance as an art form for young audiences beyond traditional venues. Pop ups last about 30 – 40 minutes and are therefore tailored to a young audience and school performances. A close exchange between the artists and the young target audience is part of the creation process. A mediation format (workshop, post-performance discussion etc.) is included in the process as well and part of the performance.

explore dance – Netzwerk Tanz für junges Publikum is a production – and touring network by fabrik Potsdam, Fokus Tanz München, HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste Dresden, K3 – Zentrum für Choreographie | Tanzplan Hamburg, Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt/Main und Perform[d]ance Stralsund. Over the past seven years, over 36 productions for young audiences have been created with over 600 performances. More information about explore dance under www.explore-dance.de .

Production conditions:

• the open call is addressed to experienced choreographers and dance collectives living or working in Germany and are motivated to produce for a young audience. When applying as a collective, it is a prerequisite you are based in Frankfurt or the immediate surrounding region
• the production is created with a professional artistic team and is targeted to a young audience aged between 6 – 8 years old (1st and 2nd school years)
• short set-up and take-down times without technical support
• minimal equipment which is easy to transport
• production period: 6 weeks in total from May – September 2026 (most probably split into 2 – 3 rehearsal blocks)
• The artistic team consists of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 people
• touring is planned for maximum 3 people
• production time: 1 week of choreographic research (max. 2 people), 5 weeks of rehearsals for the whole team
• 5 performances at production site are guaranteed (until the end of Dec 2026), further guest performances at partner locations are planned
• This is a production by Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm in frame of Zentrum Junger Tanz in collaboration with explore dance – Netzwerk Tanz für junges Publikum and the artistic team.

Production budget:

• Rehearsal fee for max. 4 people: 2x 6 weeks; 2x5 weeks
• material costs: 2.000,00€ (equipment, costume, technical costs)
• transport costs to the respective venues
• necessary travel costs, accommodation and transport costs in accordance with the Federal Travel Expenses Act (Bundesreisekostengesetz)
• extra fee for the premiere and performances
• fees follow the recommendations of the BFDK:

https://darstellende-kuenste.de/aktuelles/neue-honoraruntergrenze-fuer-freischaffende-akteurinnen-den-darstellenden

Application

Please submit:

• an exposé of max. 2 pages (German or English) including

• a project description
• your choreographic approach in contemporary dance
• your motivation to choreograph for a young audience
• thoughts on involving the young audience within the creation process
• a short and easy description in German for a young advisory board (children and young adults)
• short biographies as well as video links to previous works as well as short biographies of contributors (if already known)

Submission deadline: 12th of January 2026 | applications to be sent to juliane.raschel@mousonturm.de   

Decision: Mid-February 2026 by an advisory panel consisting of educational professionals, a choreographer, children and young adults, as well as the explore dance project team.

The explore dance partners fabrik moves Potsdam as well as Perform(d)ance Stralsund are sending out calls for project submissions simultaneous to this open call.

Zoom consultation hours:

For anyone interested, we are offering consultation hours via Zoom on 16th of December 2025, from 4 to 5 p.m., and on 8th of January 2026, from 12 to 1 p.m. If you are interested, please register at least two days in advance. Registration and questions in advance can be sent to  juliane.raschel@mousonturm.de (Curation and Coordination of Zentrum Junger Tanz – Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm).

Representation of the cultural diversity of our society is important to us. Applications from artists who have experienced discrimination are explicitly welcome for all calls for applications. We foster professional equality for people of all genders and the compatibility of family and career.

Availability:

Questions about the open call can be asked via phone under +49 69 40589563 or sent by email to: juliane.raschel@mousonturm.de (Curation and Coordination of Zentrum Junger Tanz – Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm). Please note the Christmas break between 20th of December 2025, and 5th of January 2026.

explore dance – Network Dance for Young Audience is an alliance of fabrik (moves) Potsdam, Fokus Tanz / Tanz und Schule e.V. Munich, HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts Dresden, K3 - Centre for Choreography | Tanzplan Hamburg, Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt/Main and Perform[d]ance Stralsund. explore dance is funded by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media, the explore dance activities of the project partners are respectively co-financed by the City of Potsdam, the Brandenburg State Ministry for Science, Research and Culture, the Cultural Department of the City of Munich, the Bavarian State Association for Contemporary Dance thanks to the Bavarian State Ministry, the City of Dresden, the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Tourism and the Arts, the Department for Culture and Media of the City of Hamburg, the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Cultural Fund, the Crespo Foundation, the Ministry of Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and the district of Vorpommern-Rügen. With the support of the Beisheim Foundation and the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne.