AS IT STARTED

History

The first “Founding Encounter ” was created on a ship – not a sea-going vessel, but a small “culture steamer” on Lake of Zurich. Students of the Zurich University of the Arts, ZHDK, developed a small storytelling project together with refugees as part of their training under the drama teacher Louis Naef, which was performed on the waves of the lake.

This resulted in a commissioned project for Caritas Switzerland around asylum seekers and locals.

Ueli Blum, Peter Braschler and the refugee Tamil actor Anton Ponrajah meet in a cultural barracks for a theater project of their own kind. In collaboration with refugees and local actors, a production was created that was completely new at the time and sparked a very large unexpected response. MARALAM was born, without the makers being aware of it.

Structures

Development

The necessity of the stories and the starting point of many works to this day are highly talented people who, for a variety of reasons, have had little or no chance to express themselves here in Zurich, in Switzerland, and in Europe, let alone to establish themselves in the cultural establishment.

The continuing work soon gave rise to the question of more professional structures. The development of new productions and the establishment of lean but effective production structures went hand in hand.

The inclusion of experienced personalities from politics and culture as advisors and door openers (former Federal Councillor Hans Hürlimann, Alfred A. Häsler, Felix Rellstab, founder of the Neumarkttheater and long-time director of the Schauspielakademie in Zurich; Otto Kümin, president of MARALAM, Hugo Loetscher; Hildegard Löhrer; Franz Hohler; Jean Grädel – former director of Theaterhäuser Winkelwiese, Theaterhaus Gessnerallee, Zurich, department head of Theater Tanz, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia) gave the whole enterprise a big push forward. Jean Grädel – former director of Theaterhäuser Winkelwiese, Theaterhaus Gessnerallee, Zurich, head of the department Theater Tanz, Schweizer Kulturstiftung Pro Helvetia – gave the whole enterprise a big push forward. Gradually, a structural basis developed that made MARALAM’s multi-layered activities possible.

Bridge builder between cultural spaces

Since 1985

Due to its “globe spanning ” contacts to cultural practitioners, MARALAM is also involved in local productions but also in various countries: a bridge builder between cultural spaces.

MARALAM has been conceiving and producing transcultural performing arts projects since 1985.

Projects and productions are created at home and abroad with domestic and foreign partner organizations in the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and German-speaking countries, among others.

MARALAM organizes tours, events and workshops of created projects at home and abroad.

MARALAM consults, evaluates and produces cultural projects and programs for and with other institutions at home and abroad.

A further focus is on countless events and performances for schools and young people, both in and out of school. MARALAM conducts events, individually adapted small projects and workshops on movement, play, theatre, text development, music, especially rap and hip hop, and crossover formats with experienced leaders.