Chris Dercon Resigns as Director of Berlin's Volksbühne Theatre After Controversial Tenure
Chris Dercon has stepped down as the director of Berlin's Volksbühne Theatre, just shy of a year since he took the role in 2017. His selection in 2015 to succeed Frank Castorf, who had a nearly 25-year tenure, was met with swift backlash from the German arts community. An open letter in 2016 raised alarms about his vision, leading to protests in August and September 2017, which included feces left at his office and a six-day occupation by anti-gentrification activists. Klaus Lederer, Berlin's culture senator, noted that both sides recognized Dercon's approach was unsuccessful and that the theatre requires an urgent reboot. Klaus Dorr has been named acting director. Dercon's short time included works by Tino Sehgal, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Yael Bartana. The Art Newspaper reported on his exit.
Key facts
- Chris Dercon stepped down as director of Berlin's Volksbühne Theatre
- His tenure lasted less than a year after officially starting in 2017
- He was appointed in 2015 to replace Frank Castorf who directed for nearly 25 years
- German culture professionals wrote an open letter expressing concern in 2016
- Protests occurred in August and September 2017 including excrement left outside his office
- Anti-gentrification groups occupied the theatre for six days
- Berlin culture senator Klaus Lederer said Dercon's concept didn't work and the theatre needs a fresh start
- Managing director Klaus Dorr has been appointed acting director
Entities
Artists
- Chris Dercon
- Frank Castorf
- Tino Sehgal
- Calla Henkel
- Max Pitegoff
- Apichatpong Weerasethakul
- Yael Bartana
- Samuel Beckett
- J.J. Charlesworth
Institutions
- Volksbühne Theatre
- Tate Modern
- The Art Newspaper
- Artreview
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany