Cultural grounds
The cultural grounds in eastern Frankfurt are the harbor, base, and heart of our projects and activities. Here, in the middle of a former industrial area, we have 5,000 square meters of space for events, workshops and courses, residencies, and productions. The premises offer a protected setting for a diverse range of offerings.
Theater has been performed here for more than 25 years. Over the years, adaptable and efficient structures have been created, so that today the site offers every opportunity for hosting events and producing performing arts. Scroll down for the tour!
Venue
residence
The cultural grounds offer not only production facilities but also the necessary living and residential facilities. Artists and groups will find comfortable spaces for shorter or longer stays. These structures, developed over many years and designed by artists, offer a unique, inspiring environment for artists and large groups. For large-scale projects such as the Sommerwerft, up to 150 people can be accommodated and catered for.
sustainability
At protagon, we like to make things ourselves – and are perhaps what you could call a recycling cultural association. It's been that way for us – 20 years ago, there was simply no money to go shopping for stage sets or event technology. Over time, necessity has become value: Why buy new when you can give things a second life with a little ingenuity? From stage sets, creative festival signage, and decorative items to Bedouin tents, festival bars, and colorfully painted food trucks, you'll find a lot of homemade items. We make an effort to ensure that all of our materials have a long-term future – and the resource consumption for our projects is probably far lower than for other projects of a comparable size. Sustainability is therefore not only a constant focus in the content of our offerings, but is also reflected in the implementation. At the Sommerwerft, for example, the food served at the Sommerwerft has been almost exclusively vegan and sourced from regional and organic sources for years. On the protagon cultural grounds, too, the communal spirit means that living together conserves resources. We share everyday items, cook with rescued food, and the outdoor area feels like a green oasis amidst the industrial surroundings. The large, lovingly tended garden has composting toilets, the solar panel system on the roof is working, and we go shopping on one of the association's cargo bikes.
Production facility
All the things we're allowed to show at our events, be it theater productions or festival guides, first have to be created somewhere, tinkered with and experimented with, planned, and coordinated. Our seven production sites are waiting to be conquered by imaginative artists and creators.
The event hall is a multifunctional, multi-purpose hall. It also serves as a rehearsal stage for artists, a venue for theater and various workshops and workshop series, and is a venue for the Winterwerft and the International Women's* Theater Festival. The hall can be rented upon request. It can be used for theater and performance evenings, rehearsals, various course or workshop formats, as well as conferences or birthday parties. The approximately 400 m² usable space is equipped with a bar, lighting and sound technology, a stage, and restrooms. The industrial hall, with brick columns, a wooden supporting structure, and a wooden sprung floor, can be used flexibly for partial and multifunctional purposes thanks to movable partition walls. Up to 165 m² can serve as a stage or separate rehearsal and workshop space. A covered outdoor ramp and the site's courtyard can also be integrated into the spatial concept.
For events
The hall can be rented for events or celebrations upon request. The bar and catering facilities are designed to accommodate up to 150 people.
Upon request, we will develop a suitable room concept in consultation with the tenant and decorate it to suit the event. Whether it's an exhibition opening, an after-show party, or a performance stage - our foyer is flexible and can find a creative solution for every idea.
We will stock the bar according to your wishes or take your drinks.
