MISSION STATEMENT

About us

We are the Clubcommission. Since 2001, we are the network for Berlin’s club culture. We are club operators, collectives, and creators of club culture, in and from Berlin. Made up of a large team of staff and board members, our association works together day and night on the issues closest to the hearts of our members and club culture activists. Clubs are cultural spaces, and clubs are culture. In Berlin we prove this, 24/7.

Our mission

Our mission is to advocate for the interests of our members. We provide support to those who need it. Our approach to our work is interdisciplinary, intersectional and open to feedback. The protection of club cultural space is the core of our work. The economic, social and cultural relevance of these spaces must be preserved—and for this, we call for its recognition and equal status. We do this in dialogue with representatives of culture, business and politics in Berlin. Clubs are spaces for social cohesion. We are therefore committed to equitable participation and free development. We identify problems and develop approaches to address them, both collectively and in exchange with other stakeholders, for example in the form of projects, roundtables, workshops and initiatives.

Our vision

Club cultural spaces are defined by diversity. Clubs seek to bring people with different backgrounds and life experiences together on Berlin’s dance floors. We commit ourselves to this.

Club culture works to create places where all people are welcome. Here, everyone should have the opportunity to feel safe and worry-free. Our vision is a democratic society that rests on the principles of justice, inclusion, and solidarity.

We unequivocally condemn all forms of stereotyping, discrimination, and psychological and physical violence.

In order to actively combat all forms of discrimination, we offer various programs and initiatives which aim to dismantle prejudice and celebrate diversity. There is no place here for hatred, hate speech, and prejudice, nor for specific forms thereof, like antisemitism, classism, racism, sexism, and right-wing extremism. We oppose the structural abuse of power. We support and promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, and we promote gender equality. Through a variety of initiatives, we want to create an environment of artistic freedom and free expression, in which everyone can express themselves, develop and feel comfortable in club culture.

Our strategy

We actively fight for free space and the recognition of clubs as culture. We are also committed to including more people in making important decisions, and sharing power and responsibility. We strengthen club culture as an inclusive place of empowerment and diversity, so that all people, especially marginalized people, can use their voices and creative potential to shape spaces.

We are measured by the values we communicate publicly. We want to take on the responsibility of using our work toward a fairer, more progressive society. This also includes improving access to and distribution of resources.

We build networks between club culture and social actors from different walks of life. We reflect on our working methods on an ongoing basis, and this self-assessment enables us to continually adapt our structures and to stay open to feedback.

We use projects to strengthen club culture, and these include functions like advising members, continuing education offers, and steps to secure space. We create access to subculture and promote emerging talent. This enables our members and other club culture actors to continue learning and to access recommendations for action, on varied topics that include anti-discriminatory, inclusive, and power-critical behavior.

We also support the preservation of club cultural spaces through working groups, which are made up of members of our office staff and board. These working groups deal with important topics such as awareness, free open airs, urban policy, and usage of space.

Our framework for action

We support our members’ interests through advising, facilitating dialogue and promoting exchange. We take part in debates that affect Berlin’s club culture and mediate between different positions. We provide support in finding solutions. At the same time, our scope of action has limits.

Our office team and voluntary board are a diverse community of people who come from different backgrounds; this enables us to offer a wide range of expertise and to effectively pursue our goals. When we need further expertise, we seek support from external experts, which broadens our own experience and enables healthy growth.

We are currently developing a Code of Conduct based on these values, which is being incorporated into our internal structures.

All current projects and working groups are listed on our website. If you have any questions, please send an e-mail to info@clubcommission.de.