Aktuelles
Current Situation
We are glad that we are still here!
Fortunately, our strategy of continuing to work for the time being despite the halving of our budget and finding alternative financing in the current year has paid off.
We made it through 2025 thanks to funds granted at short notice by the German Class Lottery Foundation, ticket sales, fines and the overwhelming support of private foundations and numerous private donors.
The situation looks similar for 2026. Fortunately, the Senate has not further reduced our halved budget, and we have already received confirmation of funding from the Capital Cultural Fund for our Jungfernheide production.
In view of this, we are cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get through the coming year unscathed if visitor numbers and income remain the same.
However, as for many other independent groups and organisations in Berlin's social and cultural sector, there is still no planning security for us beyond that. We therefore look to the future with mixed feelings, continue to take things ‘as they come’ and hope that political decision-makers will soon be found who can help prison theatre regain a more stable future.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters for their assistance, advocacy and the wide range of help they have given us over the past few months!
Appeal
Immediately after the cuts were announced in December 2024, four former justice senators wrote an appeal to the Berlin House of Representatives and Senate to withdraw the planned cuts to the prison theatre aufBruch. This appeal was signed by more than 150 people from the fields of science, culture, politics and justice.
Since December 2024, over 7,000 people have signed a petition supporting the appeal.
#Berlinistkultur campaign days at the Berliner Ensemble
17 December 2024: Presentation of the prison theatre project on the main stage following a BE performance
As part of the Berlin-wide campaign #BerlinistKultur from 16 to 18 December 2024, the Berliner Ensemble showed solidarity with cultural institutions whose existence is seriously threatened by planned cuts. On 16 and 17 December, the Berliner Ensemble invited representatives of the Schaubude and the prison theatre aufBruch to speak to the audience after the performances in the Großes Haus and to contribute their perspective to the current debates on cuts.
https://www.berliner-ensemble.de/aktionstage-berlinistkultur
6 September 2025: €10,000 for Berlin theatres affected by cuts
During each performance of ‘Heroes’, artist Reinhard Kleist draws live and illustrates the action. The audience can then bid for the artworks at auction after the performance – with the proceeds going to Berlin theatres that have been severely affected by cultural funding cuts. Alexander Scheer and his team have already raised €10,000 in this way.
https://www.berliner-ensemble.de/magazin/10000-euro-fuer-von-kuerzungen-betroffene-berliner-theater
We are delighted that we are still here!
Our strategy of continuing to work for the time being despite our budget being halved and finding alternative sources of funding during the current year has fortunately paid off.
We made it through 2025 thanks to funds granted at short notice by the German Class Lottery Foundation, ticket sales, fines and the overwhelming support of private foundations and numerous private donors.
The situation looks similar for 2026. Fortunately, the Senate has not further reduced our halved budget, and we have already received confirmation of funding from the Capital Cultural Fund for our Jungfernheide production.
In view of this, we are cautiously optimistic that we will be able to get through the coming year unscathed if visitor numbers and income remain the same.
However, as for many other independent groups and organisations in Berlin's social and cultural sector, there is still no planning security for us beyond that. We therefore look to the future with mixed feelings, continue to take things ‘as they come’ and hope that political decision-makers will soon be found who will help prison theatre regain a more stable future.
Voices
Letters from prison
Prison therapist opposes cuts to prison theatre
Cutting back here means cutting back on humanism and safety.
A guest article by Karoline Klemke.
Call to preserve the independent cultural scene
5 December 2025: Appeal to the Berlin Senate by concept-funded theatres, the English Theatre, and structurally funded groups and individual artists in Berlin.
Pressestimmen
Ein Beitrag von Petra Gute.
Berlins ungewöhnlichster Bühne droht das Aus
Das Theater aufBruch leistet einen Beitrag zur Resozialisierung Strafgefangener. Das Publikum honoriert es mit ausverkauften Aufführungen. Doch Berlin stellt das Gefängnistheater nun offenbar infrage und kürzt die Förderung. Die Verantwortung liegt diesmal aber nicht beim Kultursenator.
von Jakob Hayner
Aufbruch vor Abbruch
Dem Gefangenentheater aufBruch werden massiv die Mittel gestrichen. Statt vier Produktionen ist allenfalls noch eine pro Jahr drin. Reicht doch, heißt es von der Justizverwaltung.
von Sabine Seifert
Im Knast des Geldes
Gefängnis-Insassen sollen nicht mehr Theater spielen
von Peter Kümmel
Max Sonnenberg ist im Gefängnistheater "Aufbruch" zum Schauspiel gekommen. Für ihn war es ein Schlüsselerlebnis. Dass das Theater jetzt durch die Sparpläne des Senats in Gefahr ist, macht ihm Angst. Was das Spiel für ihn bedeutet, erzählt er im Interview.
von David Donschen
