HAU Hebbel

What HAU Hebbel does

HAU Hebbel am Ufer is a Berlin-based publicly funded cultural institution (Produktionshaus) operating three physical performance venues (HAU1, HAU2, HAU3) in the Kreuzberg district, alongside a digital platform HAU4 launched during the 2020 pandemic. The institution presents contemporary theater, dance, and performance programming for general performing arts audiences, and serves as a residency and coproduction platform for international artists and choreographers, with particular emphasis on MENA-region practitioners through the Un|controlled Gestures project.

The institution's core product surface comprises recurring festivals and series — including the annual international dance festival Tanz im August (in its 38th edition in 2026), Berlin bleibt!, Spy on Me (digital culture), On Violence (discourse series with ADKDW Köln), Every Day, and Love is a Verb — alongside program series Houseclub (electronic music and club culture) and HAU to connect (community outreach). Technology infrastructure centers on HAU4, a digital stage enabling online streaming, archived content (HAUthek), and transnational artistic 'thirdspace', complemented by the HAU3000 publication platform that has produced 33 publications of essays, interviews, and artist commentary since 2014.

HAU operates as a non-profit cultural institution with a hybrid revenue model. Primary funding comes from public cultural sources, including the Bündnis internationaler Produktionshäuser (drawing on Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media funds) and the Hauptstadtkulturfonds, supplemented by ticket sales across venues, publication sales of the HAU-Publikationsreihe festival magazines, and coproduction partnership arrangements with other theaters and cultural institutions. The institution is led by Artistic Director Annemie Vanackere under a five-year directorial cycle that began in 2017, with no parent company or private equity ownership identified.

Name

HAU Hebbel

Legal name

HAU Hebbel am Ufer

Website

https://hebbel-am-ufer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HAU Hebbel am Ufer is a Berlin-based publicly funded cultural institution operating three physical venues (HAU1, HAU2, HAU3) and digital stage HAU4, presenting contemporary theater, dance, and performance for international arts audiences and artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Theater, Comedy & Performing Arts (Digital Performances) (MPAGAOAF)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Contemporary dance festival
• Theater productions
• Digital performance platform
• Cultural publication series

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to performances at HAU1, HAU2, and HAU3 venues
2. Publication Sales: Sale of festival magazines and publications (HAU-Publikationsreihe) covering festivals and thematic programs
3. Institutional Funding: Public funding from cultural ministry and municipal sources, including Hauptstadtkulturfonds
4. Coproduction Partnerships: Coproduction arrangements with other theaters and cultural institutions for joint performances

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HAU Hebbel am Ufer is a publicly funded performing arts production house that presents contemporary theater, dance, and performance productions across three physical venues (HAU1, HAU2, HAU3) in Berlin and a digital stage (HAU4). Its program is built around the annual international dance festival Tanz im August, recurring festivals and discourse series (Berlin bleibt!, Spy on Me, On Violence, Every Day, Love is a Verb), the HAU3000 publication series, and programs such as Houseclub and HAU to connect. The institution also supports international and emerging artists through residencies and coproductions with partner theaters.

Product overview

HAU Hebbel am Ufer is a Berlin-based cultural institution operating three physical venues (HAU1, HAU2, HAU3) for theater, dance, and performance productions. The institution complements its physical programming with HAU4, a digital stage platform enabling online access to performances and creating a 'thirdspace' for transnational artistic expression. HAU operates on a festival-based model, hosting recurring events including Tanz im August (international dance), Berlin bleibt! (urban community), Spy on Me (digital culture/AI), On Violence (discourse series), Every Day (feminist struggles), and Love is a Verb (relationships). The HAU3000 publication series documents artistic positions through essays, interviews, and festival magazines since 2014. Additional programs include Houseclub (electronic music), HAU to connect (community outreach), and project-based initiatives like Un|controlled Gestures supporting artists from the MENA region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HAU4: Digital stage launched during the pandemic for online performances and digital content.
• HAU3000
• Tanz im August
• Houseclub
• HAU to connect

Products and services

• HAU4 Digital Stage
• HAU3000 Publication Series
• Tanz im August
• Berlin bleibt!
• Spy on Me
• On Violence
• Every Day
• Love is a Verb
• Houseclub
• HAU to connect
• Un|controlled Gestures
• HAU-Kiosk

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MERGE – Migration and the Middle East (Humboldt-Universität)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration for 'On Violence #5: Iran – A Feminist Revolution and Beyond' discussing intersectional perspectives of the Iranian revolution.
• BolandgoominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration for 'On Violence #5: Iran – A Feminist Revolution and Beyond' discussing intersectional perspectives of the Iranian revolution.
• Akademie der Künste der Welt / Köln (ADKDW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Cooperation partner for the 'On Violence' discourse series examining contemporary forms of domination, control, discrimination, and violence through lectures and discussions.
• Bündnis internationaler ProduktionshäusercoreOthers · 1 January 2022Funded by the alliance of international production houses from funds of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM). Supports 'On Violence' series and other programs.
• Goethe-InstitutcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Initiator of 'Un|controlled Gestures' project showcasing young choreographers and dancers from MENA countries (Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestinian territories). Project includes residencies in Cairo and Berlin with final presentations at HAU.
• HauptstadtkulturfondscoreOthersFederal cultural funding supporting productions such as 'The Names / שמות' by Ariel Efraim Ashbel and friends.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tanzhaus NRW: Düsseldorf-based venue dedicated to contemporary dance with national and international programming. Comparable as a publicly funded German dance-focused venue with production, presentation, and international guest performance activity similar to HAU's dance programming.
• Kampnagel: Hamburg-based international production house for performing arts (theater, dance, performance, music). Directly comparable to HAU as a German Produktionshaus with similar international programming mandate, multi-stage infrastructure, and festival programming (Internationales Sommerfestival Kampnagel, which has even co-produced Tanz im August premieres with HAU).
• Radialsystem: Berlin-based venue for contemporary dance, performance, and music located at Holzmarktstraße. Directly comparable as a Berlin contemporary performance venue used as a co-presentation partner during Tanz im August, sharing the same artist and audience pools as HAU.
• Mousonturm: Frankfurt-based Produktionshaus for performing arts, dance, and discourse-oriented programming. Comparable as a publicly funded German production house with a comparable international contemporary performance focus and touring/residency activities.
• Haus der Berliner Festspiele: Berlin-based venue operated under the Berliner Festspiele umbrella, hosting international contemporary performance and festivals including co-presentations during Tanz im August. Comparable as a major Berlin performance venue with international contemporary programming and shared artist pipelines.
• Tanz im August festival organization: The festival entity itself, organized jointly by HAU and other Berlin partners. While HAU hosts it, the festival's independent identity makes it both a peer venue/program and a programming co-presenter relationship.
• PACT Zollverein / Choreographisches Zentrum NRW Tanzlandschaft Ruhr: Essen-based center for choreography, dance, and performance with residencies, co-productions, and an annual festival (PACT Zollverein). Directly comparable as a publicly funded German production house focused on contemporary dance and performance with international artist development.

Broad incumbents

• Sadler's Wells: London-based leading international dance venue with multiple performance spaces and a global reputation for contemporary dance programming. Comparable to HAU's Tanz im August in curatorial authority for international contemporary dance, though at significantly larger scale and with commercial ticketing orientation.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Brooklyn-based multi-venue performing arts center presenting international contemporary theater, dance, and performance across multiple stages. Comparable as a major non-profit multi-venue presenter of international contemporary performance with discourse programming alongside productions.

Others

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's international cultural institute promoting German language and culture abroad. Comparable as a partner organization to HAU (initiator of the Un|controlled Gestures MENA project) with shared interest in international cultural exchange and contemporary artistic discourse.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HebbelAmUfer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxXPGCO8xaJgI7c5gT6T3Xg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hauproduktionshaus
• Instagraminstagram.com/hau_berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HAU Hebbel