Two people sit facing each other in armchairs, speaking into microphones. A small table with water jugs and glasses stands between them. Two staircases lead upward in the background.
A person is seated in a turquoise armchair, holding a microphone in their right hand and speaking. They are wearing a sleeveless white top and black trousers with a colorful floral pattern. A staircase is visible in the background.
A person sits in a green armchair, speaking into a microphone and gesturing with their left hand. They wear glasses, a dark blue T-shirt with the words “THE FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE,” and pink shorts. Blurred audience heads are visible in the foreground.

RECLAIMING CRIP HISTORY

History und future of Disability Arts Festivals in Germany

In 1991, Ralph Büsing and Renate Weidner did something previously inconceivable: they founded the ‘Europäisches Behinderten-Kultur-Festival SPIRIT OF CRIPS’. In conjunction with this, Germany’s first Disability Arts Festival took place with an international scope at the Kulturzentrum Pavillon in Hannover – and it was led by two autonomous creatives with disabilities. Today, the Disability Arts Festival scene is exclusively in non-disabled hands, aside from occasional co-curators or fig-leaf consultations. A glance at history shows that this all started quite differently, and a different future is possible. In a conversation, Renate Weidner gives us insights into the two versions of the ‘SPIRIT OF CRIPS’ and talks about the courage to just do something.

Production credits

Speakers Renate Weidner, Anna Mülter

Photos Mehdi Amiri