Urbanatix: An Innovative Presentation of Modern Physical Art as Part of RUHR.2010

“The new Ruhr District is no longer inhaling dust, but rather the future.”
Vision is required in order to design the future. Urbanatix empowers young people’s visions to become reality by taking the will, energies, imagination and resources demonstrated by them in the street culture scene and raising these factors to an artistic level that is unique in the Ruhrgebiet and that offers the young participants development opportunities extending far beyond the borders of their respective scenes.
The highpoint of Urbanatix is a large-scale show production in 2010 featuring an innovative presentation of urban physical art and modern artistry. Castings will be held to select the best street artists practicing parkour/free running, tricking/martial arts, break dance, biking and skateboard. They will then receive the opportunity to work with international trainers, choreographers, artists and representatives from the street art scene for a period of one year. The young people’s talents will be developed and shaped in numerous workshops and a 14-day training camp.
2010 will see 40 of the young people selected from the casting performing together with 10 world-class artists in a major show production in one of Europe’s most extraordinary venues: The industrial cathedral, “Jahrhunderthalle”.
Urbanatix – The event will run for three days in May 2010 with a total of six shows before a combined audience of 10,000 spectators.

Ruhrgebiet

The Ruhr Area (German – “Ruhrgebiet”) is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It consists of several large, formerly industrial cities bordered by the rivers Ruhr to the south and Rhine to the west. Since the 19th century the Ruhr towns, such as Duisburg and Essen, Bochum and Dortmund have grown together into a large complex with a vast industrial landscape. Inhabited by some 5.3 million people, it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany, the fourth largest population area in Europe after Moscow, London and Paris.

Ruhr.2010 – European Capital of Culture

The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one calendar year during which it is given the opportunity to showcase its cultural life and cultural development.
3.5 million visitors are expected in 2010.