vier.ruhr

Mülheim an der Ruhr is home to three very different, vibrant theater institutions: the Mülheimer Theatertage, the ensemble theater Theater an der Ruhr, and the co-production house Ringlokschuppen Ruhr. Together, they have formed the theater alliance vier.ruhr since 2019.

vier.ruhr views art and theater as a form of communication that engages with society. The alliance actively shapes the city’s transformation. vier.ruhr stands for the exchange between the three institutions and their unifying fourth dimension—a creative force through which they influence the city of Mülheim, the Ruhr region, and beyond.

At the heart of the alliance is the vier.zentrale: an open project space in downtown Mülheim, free of institutional barriers and accessible to all. This is where everything comes together. In 2021 alone, around 150 group meetings, more than 60 networking events and discussions, 9 exhibitions, and over 10 theater performances took place here. The vier.zentrale revitalizes the city center and brings to life what drives vier.ruhr at its core. Together, the three institutions have realized art projects that would previously have been unthinkable—most recently “Ein Mensch wie Ihr” and “Markt für unnützes Wissen” at the Mülheim Stadthalle. At the same time, each institution is sharpening its own profile: the interdisciplinary ensemble projects at the Theater an der Ruhr, the HundertPro Festival at the Ringlokschuppen Ruhr co-production house, and the StückeWerkstatt at the Mülheim Theater Days. Three distinct aesthetics and approaches; harmonized, complementary, and conceived as a unified whole.