Migrantpolitan

How does a collective process celebrate its 10th anniversary? What is an appropriate response to tightening asylum policies and a society that has lost its culture of welcome? Faced with these challenging questions, the Migrantpolitan team came up with a fitting two-day program: Gekommen, um zu bleiben (Here to Stay) and All Power to the Community. One of the highlights is certainly the presentation of the COMMUNITY ART TRIBUTE (CAT), awarded for the first time to outstanding figures in Hamburg’s Community Art Scene. After all, celebrating together strengthens collective morale! So: Come celebrate with us!

DAY 1 / TAG 1: Sat, 03.05.

15:00 Opening & Welcoming Speeches in English and German

15:30 “Music makes the people come together…” Music, Concerts, Dub Ke-Workshop

Featuring live sets by the WKR-Band (yes, the one from Hello Deutschland), Boy Division (yes, the ones who performed in Ramadram as a special police unit), a jam session (yes, with pros and amateurs), and an outdoor Dub Ke Workshop (exactly the one usually held at Dub-Ke, Adventures in Arab Techno in the club).

17:30 “Essen ist Politik auf dem Teller” (Food is Politics on a Plate) Barbecue Session / Spring Festival

One of Migrantpolitan’s core strengths is rooted in two cross-cultural, universal wisdoms: Love goes through the stomach and Food is politics on a plate. And no celebration is complete without good food. So, we’ll eat and chill together while glamorous tension slowly builds on the Red Carpet.

20:00 Collective Red Carpet Moments

Community work is a daily grind, often far from glamorous. And frankly, anyone who has endured a grueling escape or faces everyday racism deserves a hefty dose of Glampowerment. That’s why Migrantpolitan rolls out the purple carpet to spotlight themselves and other migrants, solidaristic allies, and steadfast community-makers, basking in the deserved limelight and soaking up the crowd’s energy.

20:30 Ceremony “Community Art Tribute”

For the first time, the Community Art Tribute will be awarded to outstanding figures from Hamburg’s diverse communities—and, of course, the stars and celebrities of their own bubble. These are people whose creativity, dedication, and lived solidarity make our communities far more than just networks—they create new homes between the lines of geography, in the in-between of languages, in spaces that can’t be mapped. A creative space in the midst of a repressive world.

21:30 Hools of Fashion: Fashion Intervention

Extravaganza in the garden: At dusk, the garden transforms into a full-on catwalk—not just for Migrantpolitan’s community cat Rama, but also for Hamburg’s fashion collective Hools of Fashion, who’ll beautify the sundown with their new collection.

22:00 Afterparty Wohnzimmer Style To keep the peace with the neighbors, the outdoor party ends at 10 PM. In true speak-easy fashion, the rest of the party continues inside Migrantpolitan at room volume.

DAY 2 / TAG 2: Sun, 04.05.

13:00 Art and Encounter: “Feedback Brunch” with Dr. Azadeh Sharifi

Theater scholar Dr. Azadeh Sharifi and the Migrantpolitan team invite you to a Feedback Brunch, where over shared meals, they’ll discuss socioculture, community work, and border regimes. As part of the Art and Encounter module of the Alliance of International Production Houses, this format opens a space for expert discourse, challenging old thought patterns through concrete artistic practices and enabling new alliances.

15:00 Garden Drag-Tour with Dancing Sven

Community gardening star Dancing Sven has successfully nurtured the Migrantpolitan garden for years, turning a tiny parking spot into a blooming mini-oasis through a green thumb, endurance, and devotion. On this little exploration tour, we’ll go from Höckschen to Stöckchen (German idiom for chit-chatting) and learn about Botanical Vogueing, plant meditation, raspberry bushes, and dandelions as a queer, resistant practice.

16:00 Digital Time Travel with Sirwan Ali

Within the Migrantpolitan cosmos, various experimental art forms have emerged, including the founding of the group Agents of History, which engages with colonial and migrant perspectives. The Agents use digital media and technologies to bring suppressed histories into public visibility. Their interactive city tours, exhibitions, and performances raise awareness of anti-colonial resistance and alternative memory cultures, aiming to retell history and spark critical reflection. Mastermind Siro offers insights into past projects.

16:30 10 Years Refugee Radio Network

It’s not just Migrantpolitan celebrating its 10th anniversary. The Refugee Radio Network, co-founded by Migrantpolitan’s Larry Macaulay, also first went on air in 2015, giving refugees a voice. Countless shows, awards, and workshops later, El Capitan reflects on the highlights and evolution of this successful project. The network has not only created a space for refugee experiences but also established a platform for their stories and perspectives, often underrepresented in mainstream media. With programs in multiple languages and formats, the Refugee Radio Network has significantly amplified the visibility and recognition of migrant and refugee voices.

17:30 Concert: Sir0ne & Affirmation Workshop

Migrantpolitan homie SirOne blends melodies from traditional Kurdish instruments with the dynamic rhythms of electronic music, focusing on groove and sound experimentation. After his concert, he’ll lead a short Affirmation Workshop, Inshallah!

18:00 Concert: Gondang Batak Group

Ever since their legendary performance at the *Fanti-Parade 2023*, the Gondang Batak Group Hamburg has been a regular at Migrantpolitan events. This diasporic collective keeps Indonesian musical traditions alive in Hamburg, interpreting folk songs from different regions to reflect their homeland’s diverse musical culture.

18:30/19:00 Community Cooking Finals: Barbecue Special

To close the anniversary celebrations, the audience is in for a culinary highlight! Community Cooking is a staple of Migrantpolitan’s activities, and the Comp_Eat_ion—where two teams cook and the audience picks the winning dish—is a beloved chance to broaden horizons. In this cook-off finale, the winners of past competitions face off at the barbecue grill! One thing’s for sure: It’s gonna be hot!

The program will take place indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. All events are, as always, free. Drop by, in and out as you like! Languages: German, English, Arabic

The anniversary is part of the Art and Encounters project by the Alliance of International Production Houses. Guest: Prof. Azadeh Sharifi