Barazani Berlin
Barazani Berlin
Barazani Berlin

Open Call 

«OCCUPY SPACE»

 

BARAZANI.berlin is opening up its space in 2026 to receive four groups who wish to work together over residency periods of one month. We are offering our project space, know-how and a small financial support.

 

Our collective has been working on questions of decolonial practices in art and culture for several years now, in community with collectives, organizations and individuals from many territories. In this time, several questions have arisen for us. How do we engage in these decolonial practices, understanding that decolonisation is always rooted in practices and cannot simply exist in the theoretical? What have we learned doing decolonial work situated here in Berlin, or situated in other territories, or perhaps constantly jumping between many? We are in a moment when solidarity is criminalized and movements are being defunded, making it even more urgent to think about how to continue being in solidarity with one another. What does it mean to be in solidarity with somebody?

 

With these questions in our hearts, we are inviting groups to occupy our project space at Spreeufer 6, Berlin-Mitte, and we use this word in the sense Black feminists in Latin America use it to describe a necessary ‘taking up of space’ as marginalized groups who face multiple oppression. They talk about occupying spaces of power with their voices, bodies, ideas, histories and cultures, to represent one’s community, one’s ancestors and future descendants.

 

The applying groups must situate their work within the vast field of decolonisation within arts and culture work. Possible disciplines can include craft, poetry, dance, music, performance, visual arts, digital arts, humor, spoken word, literature, and food practices, to name a few. 

 

During this residency your group will occupy Spreeufer 6 for one month, using it as a laboratory to try out ideas, methodologies, or formats. At some point during the month, we ask you to have at least one public sharing, which can take shape as a conversation, performance, workshop, walk, or something else. Towards the end of the residency we will co-host a “Barazani Dinner Table” together with you, a project that offers a method for coming together over a shared meal, giving space to digest difficult topics in a relaxed atmosphere.

 

Who can apply?

Constellations of 3-5 people, who all live and work in Berlin. These can be already established collectives, or new ones. The majority of the group should self-identify as BIPOC, jewish or part of the Global Majority. We especially encourage women, LGBTQI+ communities and people with disabilities to apply.

 

What we offer

Our collective is made up of practitioners with an abundance of experiences and knowledge in curation, performance, community organizing, activism, artistic practice, communal cooking and creating public programs.

 

We also offer the following: 

  • Financial support: 250 euros per/person stipend for the residency group  and Materials/expenses budget.
  • Communication & outreach support
  • Hands-on support during public events
  • Curation and organizing support
  • Budget and support for a Barazani Dinner Table event

 

Possible dates for the residency: 30 March - 26 April 2026; 25 May - 21 June 2026; 29 June - 26 July 2026; 5 October - 1 November 2026

 

How to apply

Please send the following application materials as a single PDF document of no more than 3 pages to us via email at barazani.berlin@gmail.com. 

The Deadline is: 15 December 2025

We accept applications in German or English, and the use of automatic translators is acceptable; applications will not be judged based on language/grammar.

 

  1. Send us an outline of what you would like to do at BARAZANI.berlin during a one month residency. What will your practice be? What do you envision sharing with the public? Which dates do you prefer for the residency? -- 1 page maximum
  2. Short biography of each person, which can include information about how you identify (i. e. BIPOC/part of the Global Majority, jewish, woman, LGBTQI+ community, person with disabilities,...) -- 1 page maximum for all group members
  3. Tell us a bit about your group. If you have worked together before, tell us about it. If you haven’t worked together before, tell us why you want to. -- ½ page maximum
  4. How does your work relate to Barazani? How does it relate to the work we are doing, the questions we are working with? – ½ page maximum

 

Who is BARAZANI.berlin 

BARAZANI.berlin is an interdisciplinary collective exploring decolonial issues and practices. It has existed since September 2020 as part of Decolonize Berlin e.V, BARAZANI.berlin was founded during the coronavirus pandemic, initially as a virtual space that imaginarily occupied the undeveloped Schlossplatz square in protest against the reconstruction of the Hohenzollern Palace (so called Humboldt Forum). Since 2021, we have had our own project space at SPREEUFER 6, in the Nikolaiviertel district, opposite the Humboldt Forum.

 

The word "barazani" comes from Swahili and describes a forum for regular, informal, neighborly, and open discussions. We want to create such a space at SPREEUFER.

 

We seek a sincere and appropriate approach to the intergenerational traumas that colonialism and imperialism continue to cause today. We join calls for a new ethics of relationships – for justice and respect, for symbolic and material reparation.

 

As a collectively managed space for decolonial artistic and civic perspectives, the SPREEUFER hosts exhibitions, performances, film screenings, workshops, book launches, concerts, guided tours, discussion formats, and dinner tables. Various decolonial (artist) groups, communities, and activists use the spaces for meetings, cooking, and productions.

 

The project is curated by international artists, scholars, and activists from the global decolonial movement:

Andrea-Vicky Amankwaa-Birago, Angelina Jellesen, Desire Busingye, Arantxa Ciafrino, Christoph Balzar, Fanny Binder, Colleen Ndemeh Fitzgerald, Carina Herring, Sonja Hohenbild, hn. lyonga, Isabel Raabe, Cheng-Jung Tsai .

 

BARAZANI.berlin is supported in the frame of th program “Basisförderung” for project spaces and initiatives by Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt / Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion

 

Instagram: @barazani.berlin

 

Barazani Berlin

Open Call 

«OCCUPY SPACE»

 

BARAZANI.berlin is opening up its space in 2026 to receive four groups who wish to work together over residency periods of one month. We are offering our project space, know-how and a small financial support.

 

Our collective has been working on questions of decolonial practices in art and culture for several years now, in community with collectives, organizations and individuals from many territories. In this time, several questions have arisen for us. How do we engage in these decolonial practices, understanding that decolonisation is always rooted in practices and cannot simply exist in the theoretical? What have we learned doing decolonial work situated here in Berlin, or situated in other territories, or perhaps constantly jumping between many? We are in a moment when solidarity is criminalized and movements are being defunded, making it even more urgent to think about how to continue being in solidarity with one another. What does it mean to be in solidarity with somebody?

 

With these questions in our hearts, we are inviting groups to occupy our project space at Spreeufer 6, Berlin-Mitte, and we use this word in the sense Black feminists in Latin America use it to describe a necessary ‘taking up of space’ as marginalized groups who face multiple oppression. They talk about occupying spaces of power with their voices, bodies, ideas, histories and cultures, to represent one’s community, one’s ancestors and future descendants.

 

The applying groups must situate their work within the vast field of decolonisation within arts and culture work. Possible disciplines can include craft, poetry, dance, music, performance, visual arts, digital arts, humor, spoken word, literature, and food practices, to name a few. 

 

During this residency your group will occupy Spreeufer 6 for one month, using it as a laboratory to try out ideas, methodologies, or formats. At some point during the month, we ask you to have at least one public sharing, which can take shape as a conversation, performance, workshop, walk, or something else. Towards the end of the residency we will co-host a “Barazani Dinner Table” together with you, a project that offers a method for coming together over a shared meal, giving space to digest difficult topics in a relaxed atmosphere.

 

Who can apply?

Constellations of 3-5 people, who all live and work in Berlin. These can be already established collectives, or new ones. The majority of the group should self-identify as BIPOC, jewish or part of the Global Majority. We especially encourage women, LGBTQI+ communities and people with disabilities to apply.

 

What we offer

Our collective is made up of practitioners with an abundance of experiences and knowledge in curation, performance, community organizing, activism, artistic practice, communal cooking and creating public programs.

 

We also offer the following: 

  • Financial support: 250 euros per/person stipend for the residency group  and Materials/expenses budget.
  • Communication & outreach support
  • Hands-on support during public events
  • Curation and organizing support
  • Budget and support for a Barazani Dinner Table event

 

Possible dates for the residency: 30 March - 26 April 2026; 25 May - 21 June 2026; 29 June - 26 July 2026; 5 October - 1 November 2026

 

How to apply

Please send the following application materials as a single PDF document of no more than 3 pages to us via email at barazani.berlin@gmail.com. 

The Deadline is: 15 December 2025

We accept applications in German or English, and the use of automatic translators is acceptable; applications will not be judged based on language/grammar.

 

  1. Send us an outline of what you would like to do at BARAZANI.berlin during a one month residency. What will your practice be? What do you envision sharing with the public? Which dates do you prefer for the residency? -- 1 page maximum
  2. Short biography of each person, which can include information about how you identify (i. e. BIPOC/part of the Global Majority, jewish, woman, LGBTQI+ community, person with disabilities,...) -- 1 page maximum for all group members
  3. Tell us a bit about your group. If you have worked together before, tell us about it. If you haven’t worked together before, tell us why you want to. -- ½ page maximum
  4. How does your work relate to Barazani? How does it relate to the work we are doing, the questions we are working with? – ½ page maximum

 

Who is BARAZANI.berlin 

BARAZANI.berlin is an interdisciplinary collective exploring decolonial issues and practices. It has existed since September 2020 as part of Decolonize Berlin e.V, BARAZANI.berlin was founded during the coronavirus pandemic, initially as a virtual space that imaginarily occupied the undeveloped Schlossplatz square in protest against the reconstruction of the Hohenzollern Palace (so called Humboldt Forum). Since 2021, we have had our own project space at SPREEUFER 6, in the Nikolaiviertel district, opposite the Humboldt Forum.

 

The word "barazani" comes from Swahili and describes a forum for regular, informal, neighborly, and open discussions. We want to create such a space at SPREEUFER.

 

We seek a sincere and appropriate approach to the intergenerational traumas that colonialism and imperialism continue to cause today. We join calls for a new ethics of relationships – for justice and respect, for symbolic and material reparation.

 

As a collectively managed space for decolonial artistic and civic perspectives, the SPREEUFER hosts exhibitions, performances, film screenings, workshops, book launches, concerts, guided tours, discussion formats, and dinner tables. Various decolonial (artist) groups, communities, and activists use the spaces for meetings, cooking, and productions.

 

The project is curated by international artists, scholars, and activists from the global decolonial movement:

Andrea-Vicky Amankwaa-Birago, Angelina Jellesen, Desire Busingye, Arantxa Ciafrino, Christoph Balzar, Fanny Binder, Colleen Ndemeh Fitzgerald, Carina Herring, Sonja Hohenbild, hn. lyonga, Isabel Raabe, Cheng-Jung Tsai .

 

BARAZANI.berlin is supported in the frame of th program “Basisförderung” for project spaces and initiatives by Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt / Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion

 

Instagram: @barazani.berlin