When: Sunday, October 13th 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Where: Konferenzraum 1, Podewil (Mitte)

Punching bag, duel or joker?
How to work together through situations of dispute, conflict or boycott

An exchange on practice-oriented approaches and working methods for resolving conflicts in production contexts – facilitated by Sarah Israel

Collaboration, a vital part of artistic creation, is as much a process as it is relationship work and a jointly developed effort. However, in situations where different people come together, each with their own ideas, expectations and diverse cultural and political convictions, their collaboration can quickly be disrupted or even prevented due to crises or conflicts. The pressure to find solutions, the lack of time and the repetition of insensitive conversation patterns often mix together unintentionally — and the trap of a toxic discussion atmosphere slams shut. Ouch! Sad, but true.

In our discussion over warm soup and drinks – with a handicrafts session — we exchange our thoughts on known approaches from our own practices of collaboration, for example, to avert a negative tone in discussions or to de-escalate conflicts. We consider what it could mean to cultivate a playful practice for conflicts that tries to illuminate and change discussion structures in a power-critical way, in order to offer possibilities for enjoyable shifts in perspective, among other aims. In the end, we will work together to develop a funny, yet serious-minded deck of cards that can help us to resolve disputes and come together in times of crisis. Punching bag, duel or joker?

Sarah Israel works as a dramaturge and curator in the field of performing arts in local and international contexts. For her, art is the most beautiful form of expression for experiencing and reflecting on the world and a practice that can be used to bring about collective change in diverse social contexts.