How it all began

In 1979, when ufaFabrik was just beginning, a new genre of circus was born with the show "The second life of the ufa" , which was centered around vaudeville, cabaret, and music. The artists came alive under the circus dome, and were able to share their feeling of community and zest for life with the audience through their witty and highly imaginative performance.

The enthusiasm of the performers was so contagious that the first workshops in juggling, magic, acrobatics and clowning were formed soon thereafter. It was important that some active roles in the performance were given to the spectators - whether as a sculptor, musician, clown or athletes, because actively participating in culture is the best way to learn to respect one another!

With this understanding and the knowledge that culture does not begin on stage but in the minds of children, we established a counterpart to the evening program; The Children’s Circus! It was an instant hit with many ideas on how to make it your own - A Circus You Can Touch - Fun for young and old!

Since 1987, there’s been a regular show called, “Open Stage” which takes place during the “Berlin Spotlight on Children” festival. Twice a year, more than 120 young Berliners between the ages of 4 and 16 take to the stage with artists and musicians from ufaFabrik to put on their best show. The audience shows their appreciation, but the greatest reward for the children is the overwhelming sense of accomplishment they have at having worked hard to put on a excellent, unique show.

Juppy