Bühne der Kulturen

The bühne der KULTUREN stood in Cologne-Ehrenfeld as the region’s only theatre of its kind. Founded in 1983 by Necati Şahin as the Arkadaş Theatre, it specialised in plays about life between cultures. In 1986 it moved into its own building, becoming a recognised stage for Turkish-German exchange. The theatre won the Cologne Children’s and Youth Theatre Prize in 2003. Its work was noted by the German Cultural Council, which placed it on the Red List in June 2017. By July that year the stage had closed its doors after thirty-four years in the same place. The building still hosts performances, now under the name Urania Theatre. The old auditorium and foyer remain largely unchanged. Visitors can still sense the spirit of the former programme in the foyer’s layout.