The publication of Correctiv's investigation in January made it abundantly clear once again how real right-wing extremism is in the midst of our society and how urgent it is for civil society to address this reality continuously and consistently. We are also seeing right-wing extremism becoming more prevalent in club culture. Club culture spaces are particularly significant in this context, as they are important places for collective encounters, social cohesion, free expression, and diversity. This makes it all the more concerning when right-wing or right-wing extremist tendencies also find their way into club culture spaces. In particular, the potential and actual effects on the well-being and safety of marginalized visitors are a cause for great concern and undermine the cultural integrity and inclusivity of our spaces. We invite you to examine and analyze this current social situation and to discuss concrete strategies and measures for actively countering right-wing extremism in club culture.

The current reality of Berlin's club culture is characterized by one thing above all else: rising costs and prices and extreme economic pressure. Since the reopening of clubs after the pandemic, their intertwining with the structures of neoliberal capitalism has become glaringly apparent. Everything is becoming more expensive, working conditions are becoming increasingly difficult, and the question arises: Who actually still has access to club culture, and under what conditions? How can diverse and open spaces still be created?

Accessibility means that all areas of daily life are equally accessible to all people without outside help, and is an issue that is also playing an increasingly important role in the context of events and club culture. Nevertheless, people with disabilities are rarely found in clubs, bars, or at concerts because going out independently is impossible for them in many places in Berlin. When clubs, collectives, or event organizers tackle the issue of accessibility, there are many different things to consider. This complexity and the lack of personal experience with barriers to participation in social life can lead to uncertainty and overwhelm, and also to the issue not being addressed at all.

For some time now, we have been receiving reports of spiking in Berlin clubs. We take these reports very seriously and are in contact with various experts and organizations. It is our goal to create spaces where everyone can feel safe. Instead of explaining to potential victims how to protect themselves from spiking, we must do everything we can to prevent these acts and exclude perpetrators from our venues. 

With clubs and venues reopening and after more than two years of intensive work, exchange, networking, and mutual learning, we are once again focusing on one of the fundamental visions with which we launched the Awareness Academy project in 2020: Awareness & Diversity Minimum Standards and Values for Club Culture.

The consumption of G, as well as its use as a knockout drop, places a burden on clubs, their operators, and employees, which are already under threat. On the other hand, the stigmatization of users, as well as fear and overwhelm on the part of clubs, unfortunately also mean that in emergencies, help is sometimes not called, people in need of help are not approached in the club, and users are intoxicated and thrown out the door. This is a vicious circle that must be broken through constructive dialogue, education, sensitization, training, and awareness.

In this roundtable, we want to talk, discuss, and consider together what constructive processes for taking responsibility in our clubs, collectives, and communities might look like and how they can be designed. How can we work together to create safety and support for victims of violence? What steps and skills are needed to recognize when boundaries are crossed and to reflect on this seriously? How can this lead to real change, making club culture a little safer and more inclusive?

Awareness teams, awareness work, awareness as a concept in itself—we see and read about these terms more and more frequently in the context of club events, festivals, and open-air concerts. But where does awareness actually come from, and from which movements did awareness as a practice emerge? What is the special attitude that should underlie every awareness concept, regardless of the space for which it was developed? How can mindful and safer spaces be created and maintained within our club culture, especially for marginalized communities? How could "aware" action become an achievable guideline for all our club culture spaces while maintaining our attitude?

Clubs can provide safe spaces for people who experience stress in their everyday lives due to discrimination or marginalization. The loss of these spaces during the pandemic can lead to increased stress. For the people behind the scenes at clubs, they sometimes also represent stress at work or financial insecurity. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, this roundtable discussed the tension between mental well-being, nightlife behavior, and working in club culture.

The pandemic is not only threatening the livelihoods of many people within club culture, it is also acting as a magnifying glass for the inequalities and injustices in our society. Much of this happens without any concrete awareness of racist mechanisms within our own structures. However, racist behaviors and actions also occur in club culture in various dimensions and areas—in teams, in communication, on the dance floor, at the door, in program planning. For this roundtable, actors and initiatives that actively work against racism and for equal treatment in club culture were invited. Together with all participants, the status quo on this topic was discussed and analyzed, and countermeasures and possible courses of action were developed.

From door policies, discrimination-sensitive rules of conduct, infrastructure for support work, to accepting drug work—awareness work can take many different forms. Each of these comes with its own challenges. For the second roundtable, the Berlin clubs ://aboutblank and Mensch Meier were invited to present their many years of practical work in the field of awareness. Together with all participants, various approaches, possibilities, and problem situations were discussed.

This opening roundtable brought together stakeholders from the club and festival scene to jointly shape the working group and set goals. Only through ongoing and open dialogue with all stakeholders can a diverse club culture free of discrimination emerge. The Awareness Academy presented its work and projects to date.