About us

The Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Wuerttemberg (ADK), founded in 2007, prepares students for careers in theatre and also film. The institution aims to provide students with a practical and project-based training in Acting (Bachelor Degree), Directing (Bachelor Degree) and Dramaturgy (Master Degree) as well as in Stage and Costume Design at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. Interdisciplinarity is a core feature of the academic concept of the ADK.

The proximity to the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg and the campus shared by these two institutions as well as a close cooperation with the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design and the University of Education allow to react to an art that is exposed to constant changes. In addition to providing a thorough foundational training for theatre, the ADK offers integrated projects that explore new forms beyond established fields and genres by using the new media.

To build a bridge between studies and professional life and to get access to a wide range of different institutions and personalities in the field of theatrical and artistic practice, the ADK enjoys a fruitful exchange and cooperation with a number of theatres and art institutions through its participation at various festivals and guest performances in Germany and Europe such as in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Hamburg, Bonn, Freiburg, Esslingen, Trier, Munich, Frankfurt, Worms, Brno, Spoleto, Rome, Luxemburg etc).

Additionally the ADK is member of mitos21, a network of theatre professionals of important and influential theatre institutions.

History

2007
Foundation – founding circle: Joachim Uhlmann (MWK), Hans-Georg Koch (MWK), Hartmut Römpp (MWK), Werner Spec (Lord Mayor Ludwigsburg), Prof. Dr. Claus Eiselstein (State Ministry), Dr. Dietrich Birk (MWK), Dr. Klaus Bessey (State Ministry), Prof. Canaris (Musikhochschule Stuttgart) und Prof. Dr. Ludger Hünnekens (ABK)

2007/08
Construction of theatre tower– Many thanks are due to Prof. Zehetgruber,
head of the course of study stage design at Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design for the architectonical design and concept of the theatre tower.

2008-2010
Prof. Wolfgang Bergmann, founding director

2010-2011
Prof. Thomas Schadt, director

2011–2014
Prof. Hans-Jürgen Drescher, director

From Sept. 2014
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Schweeger, director and manager

July 2014
ManieFest – First student festival at ADK

From Sept. 2014
Acceptance in the network mitos21 (group of European theatre professionals)

From 2014
Intensification of the cooperation with the Film Academy and the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design in the disciplines stage and costume design, architecture and photography.

2015
Acceptance in the network of European theatre university and academies E:UTSA

2016
Launch of the series of events »Montags an der ADK« prospects, insights and discussions.
Among the guests are top-class personalities from science, politics, art and culture, e.g. Jörg Armbruster ( journalist, Middle East correspondent), Prof. Dr. Wolf Singer (brain researcher), Prof. Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (biologist at Max Planck Society, Nobel Prize winner), Prof. Dr. Verena Metze-Mangold (president of German commission for UNESCO), Josef Hader (author, director, cabaret artist)

2016
Launch of »Open Academy« in close collaboration with surrounding schools in Ludwigsburg with  the aim of bringing adolescents closer to the theatre

2016
»Lost in (Digital) Space« Authorship in the Digital Age,
Symposium in cooperation with ZKM | Center for Art and Media in Karlsruhe and Akademie Schloss Solitude

2016
FURORE festival – First edition of the international festival, organized by students

2016/17
Cooperation with PH Ludwigsburg in the master study course »Cultural education«

2017
Accreditation of the ADK and thereby international recognition of ADK as a university

2018
Acceptance in the network ELIA – European League of Institutes of the Arts
Acceptance in Ständige Konferenz Schauspielausbildung (SKS)

Boards

ADK’s shareholders are

The State of Baden-Württemberg (majority stake)
The City of Ludwigsburg
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design

The Supervisory Board consists of

State Secretary Petra Olschowski (chair)
Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, Baden-Württemberg

Götz-Markus Schäfer
Ministry of Finance, Baden-Württemberg

Markus Wiedemann
State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg

Werner Spec
Mayor of the City of Ludwigsburg

Prof. Thomas Schadt
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Prof. Dr. Barbara Bader
Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design

Management

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Schwäger
Artistic Director/CEO
See Vita in German

Claudia Valet
Director’s assistant and international affairs
Contact: claudia.valet@adk-bw.de | Phone: +49 7141 30996-11

Marika Köpf
Head of administration

Myriam Bronner
Administrative office and student services
Contact: myriam.bronner@adk-bw.de | Phone: +49 7141 30996-21

 

 

Legal Structure

The Akademie für Darstellende Kunst Baden-Württemberg GmbH (ADK; Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg) is structured as a non-profit GmbH, a German form of limited liability corporation.

The goals of the ADK are project-oriented education of students; support and promotion of performing arts on stage, in film, and in new audio-visual media; and providing related training and education as well as engaging in research and development.

The Academy is part of the tertiary education structure. Pursuant to the German Akademiegesetz, passed by the Landtag on 25 February 1992 and revised 25. July 2007, a successfully completed degree at the Academy is equivalent to comparable degrees of professional qualification conferred by state art academies. The ADK’s degrees are therefore recognized by the state.

Equal Opportunity Policies

Equal Opportunities Officers assist in implementing equal opportunities for men and women, as guaranteed by the German constitution. They also work towards eliminating any existing discriminatory factors for artistic, academic, and/or administrative staff and students. They are also point persons for any concerns regarding fair practices in everyday interaction. The ADK’s Equal Opportunity Officers are:

Instructors/docents: N. N.

Employees: N. N.

Students: N. N.

Quality Management

The ADK aims to make its processes transparent, to work by participation and support rather than by control, and to develop sustainable practices and concepts. In order to preserve the quality of the ADK over the long term, we can create an environment that supports and encourages instructors, staff, and students to do “good work.” To that end, the ADK quality management process aims to enable, encourage, and support feedback and observation, reflection, and dialogue wherever appropriate. For further information, see our quality management concept as presented in the PDF below.

WIN Charta

As a signatory of Baden-Württemberg’s WIN Charta of the Economic Initiative for Sustainability, the ADK is dedicated to economic, ecological, and social responsibility.

To date, the WIN Charta remains the only German sustainability management system specifically developed for small to medium businesses. Signatories commit themselves to developing and communicating own initiatives for sustainability within the framework of the sustainability strategies of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The concept goals of the ADK can be found here. Detailed information on the WIN Charta and other signatories can be found on the German-language website of the initiative: www.win-bw.com

Close collaboration with both the Film Academy of Baden-Württemberg and the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design (ABK) is part of the philosophy that inspired the founding of the Academy of Performing Arts (ADK) in Baden-Württemberg in 2007. This fundamental principle and our links with other cultural and academic institutions at national and international level bear fruit in our course planning.
Since 2016/17 ADK and the Film Academy have also partnered with Ludwigsburg University of Education to offer a new MA in Cultural Education.
In addition to the partnership with ABK, students of Stage and Costume Design benefit from agreements with the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich (master class with Katrin Brack) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden.

We also seek to build bridges with a variety of organisations and individuals in theatre and art practice. These partnerships and the tours to which they give rise are designed to offer our students enhanced conditions of access to areas of practical experience.
Partnerships are being initiated and continued with theatres such as Schauspiel Stuttgart, Theater Rampe, Theater Freiburg, Landesbühne Esslingen, the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, Theater Aalen and Theater Augsburg.

Universities

Film Academy Baden-Württemberg
www.filmakademie.de

Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design
www.abk-stuttgart.de

The Ludwigsburg University of Education
www.ph-ludwigsburg.de

Theatres | Cultural institutions

Staatstheater Stuttgart | www.staatstheater-stuttgart.de

Württembergische Landesbühne Esslingen | www.wlb-esslingen.de

Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe | www.staatstheater.karlsruhe.de

Theater der Stadt Aalen | www.theateraalen.de

Theater Rampe | www.theaterrampe.de

JES Stuttgart | www.jes-stuttgart.de

Theater Freiburg | www.theater.freiburg.de

Theater Augsburg | www.theater-augsburg.de

Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele | www.schlossfestspiele.de

Open Academy

»Open Academy«
Partner schools: Schiller-Gymnasium, Daimler Realschule

When Plato bought the grove of Akademos, he wanted to create a place where he and his students could exchange knowledge and insights into society and human nature. Today, over 2000 years later, the term »academy« has become almost completely independent of its origins—but Platoʼs project is as current as it ever was. And in the spirit of the saying: »Itʼs the flowers that make the garden, not the fence,« the Academy of Performing Arts wants to open its garden gate. We want to make people curious about theater and art, to share our knowledge with the already curious, and are ourselves curious about the constantly changing, vibrant world with which we seek and need contact—because what we do makes no sense without its larger context.

The Academy is therefore making its knowledge about speech, voice, body, literature, presentation, and art more accessible—because we want to do justice to the importance of successful communication, of using language well, and of engaging with other forms of expression, thinking, and living in the world.

These opportunities are geared towards:

• Young people interested in a playful approach to questions and ideas
• Instructors, leaders, and businesses

Program in development
For more details, please contact info@adk-bw.de.

 

Memberships

Memberships
Deutscher  Bühnenverein e.V.  | www.buehnenverein.de

Hochschul- und Wirtschaftsregion Stuttgart e.V.  | www.region-stuttgart.de

 

The Stage Tower

Stages
A stage is a stage.

The architectural heart of the Academy: a multi-functional theater tower designed by Martin Zehetgruber. Performances can take place horizontally, vertically, inside, and outside, as well as moving between these orientations.

Like any other innovative building, the Academy of Performing Arts has a long and varied history. In 2001, architectural firm KMB Kerker, Müller + Braunbeck, of Ludwigsburg, Germany, were tasked with feasibility planning and location scouting for the building of a “theater academy.” Assisting the planning architects were Prof. Martin Zehetgruber, director of stage training at Stuttgart’s State Academy of Performing Arts, and Volker Canaris, then head of the acting program at the Stuttgart Conservatory. The team conceived of the idea of a stage tower capable of being opened in four directions, which has remained the nucleus of the ADK’s architectural conception.

The stage tower offers highly flexible possibilities for open-air staging, inviting exploration of new forms of open play and performance through the stimulus of its unique design. Since a realization of the project in 2001 was impossible for economic, financial, and political reasons, the concept at first disappeared in the archives of its planners. Nearly five years later, in the fall of 2006, the planning and construction process of the Academy was revived, albeit with a slightly altered location and accordingly adapted building plans.

Rehearsal Stage

The Academy’s principal rehearsal stage, with adjoining workshop, tech studio, and costume shop.
The building also contains a movement studio, dressing rooms, and a green room. The Studio, an additional seminar and rehearsal space, is constructed in the transition between rehearsal stage and stage tower.

The Jommelli House

The Jommelli House contains the administrative and director’s offices, as well as student offices and secretaries, press and PR offices all on the second floor. The first floor contains technical directors and production management offices, a cutting room, costuming and set design studios, janitorial staff offices, as well as the library and instructors’ lounge. The ground floor has further seminar rooms, student lounges and computer room, as well as a small kitchen for student use.

The Jommelli House lies on the Stuttgarter Straße, across from Bärenwiese Park. It was erected in 1760 by Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg. From 1763 to 1769 it was occupied by the Italian opera composer Niccolò Jommelli, and is said to have been visited by Mozart himself.

K11. The Rehearsal Center

In 2018, the Academy moved into its new rehearsal spaces in the Kammererstraße 11, directly behind the Ludwigsburg Central Station. In over 16 000 square feet, the building houses a total of 11 rehearsal rooms, music and speaking rooms, dressing rooms, and a kitchen. It is used for classes in movement and speech, for scene and role study, and rehearsals for productions and project development.