Profile
More space for the arts
HochX is a venue for theater and live art in the Munich neighborhood Au, and has opened in the fall of 2016 after extensive remodeling.
We show works in the field of theater, dance, music, performance, literature, contemporary circus and theater for the young. In addition, we host guest performances of the national and international scene, e.g. within the framework of several festivals presented by the municipality of Munich, like DANCE, SPIELART or RODEO.
HochX has been established as a part of the cultural infrastructure in the city of Munich. It provides a creative space for testing and developing new aesthetics and modes of operation for contemporary performance art. We aim to professionalize work conditions for independent artists, to connect artists on an interregional, international and interdisciplinary level, and to make aesthetic processes accessible to the larger public. In 2021, HochX received the Federal Theater Award of Germany.
We cooperate locally, nationally and internationally.
We bring artists and their audience closer together.
We provide support with organization, technical and artistic questions.
We make contemporary art an experience for everyone.
| Gefördert durch die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien |
Pictures
House and stage
Rehearsal Rooms
History
1883 – 2015
There has been a theater at Entenbachstraße 37 for 150 years. In the early 1870s, the Association of Catholic Journeymen opened their club house there and named it „The Duck“. Thanks to generous donors, allegedly, amongst others, the queen of Sweden, the association was able to acquire the entire building and convert it into a hostel for traveling journeymen. In 1883, the neighboring parcel was purchased as well and the building was extended again: in addition to a big club hall, which now serves as our foyer, an auditorium, a bowling alley (which could also serve as dressing room for theater productions) and additional accommodations were constructed.
During World War I, the association suspended their activities and the hostel was used as a military hospital. During World War II the hostel burned down and collapsed after being struck by a bomb. On April 24th, 1944, the club hall and auditorium were also severely hit and partially destroyed. After the war, the hall, hostel and stage were rebuilt by club members. For decades, they hosted theater shows presented by the Kolping Family and the neighboring hostel. In the early 1990s, Schauburg, the municipal theater for children and youths, found an alternative residence here. From 1993 to 2015, the Theater Association of Munich (Theaterverein München) ran the i-camp / Neues Theater München as infrastructural venue for the independent dance and theater scene, backed by municipal subsidies. After an extensive remodel, HochX has followed the same mission and keeps evolving into a creative hub for independent performance arts in Munich and beyond.
2016 – Today
In the five years since its opening, HochX has presented 700 live shows and 82 online shows, of which 175 were debut performances. We have hosted 1,400 artists and 34,000 visitors. In the summer of 2021, HochX has received the German Federal Theater Award for their artistic programming. The statement of recognition says:
„HochX Munich is a venue catering to the independent theater scene. With limited space and a restricted budget, they have put on an impressive program, while supporting artists from Munich and beyond and founding new alliances. […] Since 2016, HochX with its artistic directors Antonia Beermann and Ute Gröbel has stood out for a sense of optimism and renewal among the Munich independent scene – despite all traditional odds. This is another reason for it to be awarded with the Federal Theater Prize: HochX is a driving force for the independent scene, a production venue creating networks and new impulses in Munich, on the way to national and international radiance.“ (Sophie Diesselhorst).