Taking the stage as a site of spatial, material, and social negotiation, the conference focuses on textile spaces as an aesthetic, performative, and ecological practice. We understand textiles not merely as materials, but as structuring, atmospheric, and processual agents that, unlike rigid materials, enable flexible and reversible spatial configurations.
Against this backdrop, the conference explores the role that textile practices can play in contemporary artistic, architectural, and theatrical contexts. Particular attention is paid to the potential inherent in them with regard to sustainable material use.
Since 2024, rescene has been investigating textile spatial systems for a recyclable stage and exploring how concepts for the sustainable use of environmentally friendly resources in artistic institutions can be derived from this (link to website).
During the conference on 5 and 6 November 2026, various perspectives on the production of textile spaces will be placed in relation to the results of the research work.
Contributions are invited from the arts, science, theatre, architecture and related fields that examine textile spaces from interdisciplinary, experimental and/or research-based perspectives and address questions of materiality, sustainability, use and transformation.
We are looking for submissions on the following topics:
- Textile spaces in art, architecture, theatre and design
- Textiles as spatial practice, performativity, structure or infrastructure
- Temporary, soft or ephemeral spaces
- Colour-treated textiles on a spatial scale
- Sustainable and regenerative approaches, circular economy designs and practices
- Textile futures, utopias and speculative design
Submissions may relate to one or more of these fields or open up new perspectives.
The open call is aimed at students, theatre professionals, artists, designers, architects, scientists, performers, curators and practitioners from related fields. Interdisciplinary, research-based and experimental contributions are particularly welcome.
Each contribution is scheduled to last 60 minutes (45 minutes for the presentation + 15 minutes for preparation, follow-up and audience questions). Presentations, lecture performances and artistic-scientific contributions are welcome. Selected contributions will be included in a final publication.
Submission requirements
Abstract (max. 300–500 words)
Short biography (100 words)
Links to works/documentation, if applicable
Submissions/contributions may be in German or English.
By email to: rescene@hfbk-dresden.de
Submission deadline: 18 May 2026
Notification: 25 May 2026
Conference: 5 + 6 November 2026
Location: HfBK Dresden, Güntzstraße campus, Labortheater, Güntzstraße 34, 01307 Dresden
ESF Junior Research Group in Theatre Design, Department of Scenic Painting/Scenic Space: Samira Akhavan, Sonia Hilpert, Vera Lötzsch, Hannah Rolland
Project lead: Prof. Maren Greinke
Project consultation: Prof. Wolf Gutjahr, Prof. Olaf Lauströer
