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Tűzraktér Independent Cultural Center and Studio Complex
a unique host institution
Hungary, Budapest, 2011

,,A cultural gathering place.
Space which connects, accepts,
inspires new approaches and creative solutions.''

Pictures about our artists

During the last 6 years of our function we have helped over a thousand artists by offering them studio and performance space as well as our inetrnational network. The recent period has been one of constant uncertainty for Hungarian artists, and our institution, despite its own struggles, tried its best to support them. A stable, independent center for artists is much needed in Hungary, especially in the increasingly daunting everyday cultural climate. In the future we not only want to secure studio space for artists, we also wish to enhance artists’ management and service. We aim to serve as host to civil communities and human rights groups in order to enable their support. Based on the experiences of independent culture in the 80’s, we aim to build on the tradition of invigorating civil consciousness through culture in order to facilitate change within our political structure.

Open Day in Tűzraktér

We wish to become a base for human rights that architects an active civil network while incorporating mainstream independent culture as well. We have taken into consideration that due to the present social circumstances in Hungary, many crucial representatives of culture will be excluded from the Hungarian system. That is why our purpose is to create a structure that is circumspect and protecting of values, one that maintains creative communities and is open to those of other countries and is receptive to every level of society. Human values, culture, dignified human existence as such is in danger in present-day Hungary.


Tűzraktér is part of Budapest’s most active cultural community due to its location within the city, its philosophy, spirit, thematic emphasis and method of function. Tűzraktér is a unique example of cultural mobilization. We are able to muster a great number of people to stand up for our common goals and interests.

Once upon a Time...

The Tűzraktér Independent Cultural Center, supported by the Art Sector Foundation, opened on June 23, 2005, under the name of Tűzraktár, in Budapest, Tűzoltó Street 54-56, in the over 100,000 square foot area of a former factory. Being a multi-art center, every art form and many other fields bordering with art appeared in our daily programs. We secured rehearsal space and studio space to artists working in both Tűzraktár and Tűzraktér. The facility functioned both as a studio complex and as a center for events. Our audiences could attend the majority of the artistic events for free or at a particularly affordable price. 

Japan Mime Studio performance

Tűzraktár was founded as an independent artistic initiation in which the organizers were artists themselves who created the center working as volunteers and continue to be part of it. Our educational programs offered programs and workshop opportunities to professionals, a general audience and children alike. In 2005, we self-funded 6 exhibitions with 180 artists, 64 theatrical performances, 10 dance performances, 147 concerts, 2 circus shows, 13 performances, 5 literary evenings, 7 lectures, 8 festivals and 5 fashion shows.  We organized and participated in several other festivals as well. Several international artists as well as troupes – Mexican, German, Belgian, Norwegian, Austrian, Venezuelan – arrived to work and perform in Tűzraktár.

Our group in the Carneval of Berlin

We also organized international festivals such as the Movimiento Film Festival, OASE exhibition and music festival, and the multi-artistic Estonian Festival. We have also cooperated with outstanding Hungarian theatrical troupes and radio stations in organizing multi-artistic events. A critically acclaimed selection of the work of graduates of the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts as well as the Hungarian Academy of Craft and Design also took place in Tűzraktár. In the field of music, just about every style and genre was present, including jazz, blues, rock, world music, folk music, classical music as well as alternative bands. We were exceptionally happy to secure performances for country bands as well.

Our Hungarian partners are theaters, artistic institutions, periodicals and civil organizations. Tűzraktér is an official member of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Euro-Mediterranean international network of 42 countries and has been accepted as member of the Trans Europe Halls European cultural network as well. Tűzraktér’s activity has been followed by emphasized media attention since the start.
 

Miniatures IV. - Tűzraktér-performance in Trafó

We offer opportunities not only for professional artists but for young up-and-coming artists and performers as well. Our visitors can attend exhibitions, theatrical performances, dance performances, concerts, performances, literary evenings, book premiers, lectures, festivals, fashion shows on a daily basis. Throughout its years of social activity, Tűzraktér has served as home to several civil organizations. Our anti-discrimination activity is a fundamental part of the spirit and mindset of the organization.
Over the last 5 years, we have hosted over 6500 events.

Among these:

Children's Day 2010

More than 40 exhibitions a year,
170 theatrical, circus, dance performances,
120 film showings,
600 educational programs,
100 family- and children's programs,
320 concerts, musical programs are realized.
In our studio complex, aside from our 374 permanent artists, a number of civil groups and artists come to work weekly on short as well as longterm projects.
We are a cultural thoroughfare where it is from the close proximity of entrant as well as successful professional artists that new ideas are born.
We have thus far received for our activity the award of the Hungarian Ministry of Culture, the capital's Pro Urbe Budapest Award, the Culturefest award of the International Cultural Carneval of Berlin,  as well as the European Union's Acknowledgement for Innovation-Euregio Innovation Award. 

Save Tűzraktér - Day of Support

Presently we are forced to relocate to a new building since the district leadership has attempted, without due justification, to obstruct the functioning of our institution through the utilization of authority. In this situation, working together with our Hungarian and international partners, our purpose is to create a cultural center that strongly reflects upon the present societal and cultural climate, in a privately owned building completely independent from state sponsorship.

Tűzraktér was brought into existence with knowledge of the results of artistic centers existing worldwide and their high-level professional support. It is an urban community concentrated in sensitivity, experience, enthusiasm and information, which uncovers possibly points of connection within contemporary art and society. We are a field of experimentation, a cultural crossroads, community space, educational environment, representative of the city, a built-up organism, which always adapts to the current conditions while manages to develop by renewing its own structure. In Tűzraktér, the meeting of contemporaty society and culture gains prominence.

Theater workshop, 2009

Our goal is the creation of a longterm sustainable center which is a microcosm of an ideal society: openness, free processes of exchange, undertaking of responsibility, and the protection and respect of our values will be also represented. Tűzraktér is open both symbolically and in actuality to the four points of the compass: we collect values and knowledge and radiate them outwards. Those that step into Tűzraktér can be a part of this cultural exchange. To those whose ambition is to be creative, Tűzraktér can serve as an island of refuge from the chaos and bustle of the outside world, in the eye of the world it can be a castle of independent (not hierarchized) art, and for those in search of colorful and original programs, a House of Culture, where something is always happening: where life is creativity, and creativity is life. Tűzraktér fulfills a self-evident need in the Hungarian cultural-touristic landscape which secures its place and justifies its reason for existence. Due to its diffuse structure, it is constantly capable of change, which is why during the process of its growth and development it does not occupy others' space but answers calls for new needs and solves problems. 

Major goals:

Pictures form performances

Securing of studio space in the same building for a number of artists.
A theatrical institution that can serve as a base for a national and international network, aiding the distribution of Hungarian productions from the capital as well as the country, as well as that of non-Hungarian productions, thereby giving opportunity for these artists to influence and impact each other and thus mutually grow and shape their own as well as each other's creative efforts.
In the field of music, world music, ethno and jazz are secured a permanent place. We are grounds for a variety of musical styles. Most of our musical events are supervised by noise experts and are conducted in soundproof places especially designed to meet the needs of both musicians and the Hungarian legal requirements. Concerts on account of different events' programs are also of great significance.
Exhibitions, including an annual group show for the artists we provide with studios.

Our major exhibition themes:
Photo exhibits
Photo shows organized with international cooperation
Exhibitions addressing social issues in connection with specific events, such as: Human Rights Day, Roma Day, Children's Rights Day.
Contemporary artists' grant-based solo shows.
Space-specific installations.
Fim programs: the role of a movie theater today is not only a place to consume culture but a social gathering place, and can also serve an educational purpose. It is the meeting of a branch of industry with its consumers. Watching movies is a communal and community-building activity, accompanied by discussing the shown movies in forums afterward; with the theme of equal opportunities there is a chance for civil organizations to introduce themselves.
It is an important part of Tűzraktér's cultural palette that the youngest age group can attend programs of high quality and skill-enhancing activities. This means that children can partake in playhouse activities on a regular basis, as well as children's theater performances which are an organic part of our theatrical troupe-accommodating system and strive to inspire children's imagination through their use of the language of stage design.
Tűzraktér, in accordance with is artistic concept, makes it a priority to create the opportunity of bridging generations and artistic genres. One of the most important parts of this is passing on our acquired knowledge and raising the next generation.  Our long-term goal is the foundation of an “academy” where children can acquire basic techniques and learn, through master courses, get qualification in their chosen field of cultural interest, while acquiring insight into other fields of art as well.
We annually hold our event, the Art Against Discrimination, in each May, which is a special, multidisciplinary artistic program. More than 20 nations partake in this event. It is based on our positive and inspiring experiences with this event that we plan on cultivating and expanding it in the future.

Beside these events, we also have constantly recurring programs such as:
Human Rights Day
Children's Rights Day
Roma Holocaust Day
Roma Day
Chanukah Festival
Anti-Racism Day
Take Action Against Poverty!

The residency programs also requires special attention, by which, we intend to support and inspire the joint program of Hungarian and non-Hungarian artists, and the representatives of different artistic genres.
Lectures, conferences, organizing and giving space to international forums
Individual complex management for artists of the studio, writing of grant applications, accounting, individual development programs.
Project supporting system - support of individual projects in the cultural sphere which are based on our priorities and by involving professionals.

The initiators of the project are working with own architects, creating a modern, flexible space which is suitable for hosting a great variety of short- and long-term activities.

Tűzraktér now is staying in an old school building with artistic and other utilizers of the House. It became an exceptionally attractive, cultural center touristically as well, one which is an example to independent efforts.

Tűzraktér assumes the task of providing for a missing link and to give room for the strengthening of the civil sphere in accord with the support of culture. The design emphasizes the creative environment which the place holds within itself. The result is one that is not ostentatious but economical, at the same time building on consideration of eco priorities. To become a symbol of social thoroughfare and acceptance is a task for which we are willing to fight on a daily basis in the time to com.