Tamara-Danz-Höfe & Cura Berlin

One of Berlin's newest open-air venues already looks right at home beside the RAW-Gelände in the city's growing music district near Warschauer Straße. The creative collective CURA has created a new space for theater, art performances, workshops, music, art and culture on the former parking lot in Rudolf Street.

Focus on sustainability and inclusion

What better place to turn into an artistic, cultural and musical hub than a big old ugly car park? The idea of converting the epitome of car-centred society into a place for people to enjoy arts and culture is an important one, both environmentally and symbolically, especially in what is an increasingly busy and commercialised section of Berlin. There was even a symbolic 'Unseal the City' event in July 2021 when a small section of the tarmac was dug up to 'unseal' the area to create a habitat more suitable for people.

Much of Cura's event areas have been constructed from recycled and upcycled materials, including an old gazebo and the bar counter from the famed techno club Bar25 that closed in 2010. Plants and green spaces speckle the area. Cura are also very clear in their philosophy that everyone is welcome at the space and that racism, sexism and homophobia will not be tolerated.

Open air parties with the Draussenstadt initiative

Tamara-Danz-Höfe is proof that some good can come out of the Coronavirus pandemic. By now, we all know that being outdoors reduces the risk of virus transmission, so the new 'Draussenstadt' initiative (City Outdoors, loosely translated) by the Berlin Senate is an attempt to cultivate more outdoor spaces that can safely host events. This development ensures that Berliners can keep enjoying the city's rich and diverse music and culture scene even when indoor events aren't possible. This is now one of twelve locations around the city that can legally hold open air parties. But the plans for the space don't stop there.

The future is bright

Over the coming years, the space at Tamara-Danz-Höfe – named for the lead singer of the GDR band Silly who passed away in 1996 – will grow and develop. There are plans for a club, office spaces for music industry businesses as well as rehearsal spaces and studios.

From wild raves to discussions about culture: It's all here

You'll need to pay close attention to Cura's social media channels to keep up with the enormous variety of events they host. There's music, of course, and plenty of it, but there are also music industry-related workshops, like music production workshops as well as practical music DIY workshops on how to repair broken cables and master DJ sets. They also host panel discussions, such as a recent discussion on the future of the music industry hosted by Clubcommission Berlin. There are drag shows. There are raves. There are exhibitions. And, of course, there is excellent food. You can come for a specific event or you can just come to soak up the atmosphere.

How to get to Tamara-Danz-Höfe

There aren't many places in Berlin as well connected to public transport. With U+S-Bahn station Warschauer Straße just a minute's walk away, you can easily reach Tamara-Danz-Höfe on the U1, S3, S5, S7 or S9 as well as the M10 tram. The Ringbahn at Ostkreuz is just 15 minutes away on foot. The entire area is full of attractions:

• RAW-Gelände – a collection of clubs, restaurants, bars and galleries (including the Urban Spree gallery) in a former industrial area – is on the other side of the train tracks across Warschauer Brücke
• East Side Mall is just across Warschauer Straße
• East Side Gallery is a short walk away