Acker Stadt Palast
Dance and new music in a charming rear courtyard
Hidden behind a hinged door in an enchanted rear courtyard, Acker Stadt Palast is home to Berlin's independent arts scene.
That is exactly the kind of historic rear courtyard you think of in Berlin: chipped brick façades, entwined with ivy, complete with an old moped propped up out in front and a colourful collection of weathered garden furniture. Decorated with colourful fairy lights. Space for artists and other creative types.
The AckerStadtPalast was founded in its current form in 2012 by the Verein Freie Bühne Mitte e.V., although the charming courtyard theatre on Ackerstraße has been hosting performances since the early 1990s. At that time, the artists occupied the former chocolate factory and founded the Schokoladen cultural project.
As a place for free, contemporary theatre, the Acker Stadt Palast presents both German and international productions. The excellent acoustics of the Acker Stadt Palast has inspired the organisers to emphasise the dialogue between movement theatre with contemporary music. Both newcomers as well as established artists use this stage as a platform to experiment with new formats and realise common projects.
The Acker Stadt Palast Name
The ACKER (acre) is agricultural and refers to Ackerstraße, but also a place where one plants things, nurtures them and allows them to grow, but intentionally, just as one would in a field. The STADT (city) represents the diversity, possibilities and openness of the city, expressed in the readings, parties, and film screenings that take place here. The PALAST (palace) adds a touch of glamour, hearkening back to the entertainment palaces of old.
Theatre between the Schokoladen and Club der Polnischen Versager
Acker Stadt Palace can be reached by foot from the Rosenthaler Platz station on the U8. The M1, M8, and the No. 12 trams also stop nearby. The Acker Stadt Palace is in the rear courtyard of the Schokoladen and is entered through the double doors between the Schokoladen and the Club der Polnischen Versager. Tickets for performances can be reserved by email or purchased directly at the box office, which opens one hour before each performance. In addition to the stage, the foyer and the courtyard also offer space for events.
