The occupation of the Volksbühne theatre in Berlin has been condemned as “not acceptable” by its new director, who the activists fear will take the radical venue in a more commercial direction.

The protest against the appointment of Chris Dercon, a former director of the Tate Modern in London, began on Friday and swelled over the weekend after fruitless negotiations between activists, city authorities and Dercon.

“The talks have ended for now without results,” the Volksbühne said on its Facebook page. “It remains to be seen whether rehearsals will resume on Monday.”



In a statement, Dercon and the programme director, Marietta Piekenbrock, said: “We in no way condemn the occupiers, and their social and policy issue, which are important for Berlin. But we condemn the irresponsible way in which they swooped in the building on Friday afternoon.

“In spite of their efforts, the occupiers put their concerns above the safety of our employees and their own audience. And they position themselves above our artists and their work with an unprecedented arrogance.”

Dercon and Piekenbrock said they would like to restart rehearsals for performances scheduled for November as soon as possible, but any rehearsals would clash with the occupiers’ “night-and-day events and parties”.

“This occupation is not acceptable. We ask politicians to now live up to their responsibility and take action,” they said.

The protesters, who have formed an artists’ collective called From Dust to Glitter, plan to occupy the building in east Berlin for three months while staging performances free of charge.

They held their first “assembly” on Saturday evening, urging theatre lovers to show up in force and bring supplies such as toilet paper, printers and food and drink.

The appeal was so successful that police said no more supporters could be allowed in after the building reached its maximum capacity of 500 people.

With its protest action, the collective said it wanted to “send a message against the current politics” and creeping gentrification in Germany’s capital.

Volksbühne artists have been strongly critical of Dercon, who this year replaced the renowned Frank Castorf, who led the avant garde theatre for almost 25 years.

Rebuilt after the second world war in an imposing Stalinist style, using remnants of Hitler’s destroyed chancellery, the Volksbühne (people’s stage) prides itself on caustic commentary on political and capitalist hypocrisy.

Born out of an eponymous movement with the express mission to bring art to working-class people, it continued to remain true to its vision during the theatre’s 40 years on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall.

Carstorf, a prominent theatre director as well as artistic director, was credited with turning the Volksbühne into one of Europe’s leading venues with his bold, controversial and often lengthy productions.

Dercon, whose nomination has been controversial since it was announced in 2015, will be the first non-artist to take the helm. It is not his first role in Germany, however. Before joining Tate Modern, he spent eight years in charge of Munich’s Haus der Kunst, where he won much praise.

Critics fear his tenure will herald a shift to less provocative and more commercial productions at the heavily subsidised Volksbühne.

They have also questioned whether Belgian-born Dercon can bring the radical sensibility and awareness of Berlin’s tumultuous history that is woven into the fabric of the theatre.

Last summer, about 200 people affiliated with the theatre signed an open letter warning of “the destruction of originality and obstinacy, which has gained the Volksbühne an international reputation and worldwide recognition”.

In response, an open letter in support of Dercon appeared, signed by prominent figures in the art world. It said the protests were a “concerted public circus” and called the appointment of Dercon a “bold and inspired” choice.

Seemingly undeterred by the protest, in which piles of faeces have been left outside his office on a daily basis, Dercon launched the theatre’s new season with a 12-hour dance event outside the former Tempelhof airport on 10 September.

At the time of the open letter, Dercon released a statement to say fears were unfounded.

“We are planning a programme that builds a bridge between the present and the history of theatre, and the history of the Volksbühne,” he said. “In every generation, this theatre has put a revolution on the stage, and every time the circumstances were more flexible afterwards than they were before.”