MS Stubnitz

he Motorship Stubnitz is an 80 meters long ex East German fishing vessel transformed in 1992 into a moving platform for cultural research and exchange. Originally Built in 1964 in the former East German city of Stralsund and weighing in at over two and half thousand tons the Stubnitz “roving neutral venue” travels from its homeport Rostock around the Baltic and North Sea, physically networking with cities such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Newcastle , Hamburg, St. Petersburg and now, since July 2012 in London. Including the outside deck there are four fully-equipped event areas transformed out of the old cargo holds catering for audience(s) of up to seven hundred people. The last twenty years have seen several thousand artists on board , from diverse cultural disciplines including performance, theater, dance , spoken word, music and parties. This huge variety of diverse content is documented , edited and preserved in an on board media archive. Operating on a predominantly voluntary basis, the Stubnitz crew, like the project itself, is in a constant state of flux, and ranges from weekend helpers to year-round live in residents. Those entering into the cultural side can engage in maritime roles and vice versa resulting in a unique working dynamic , a blend of traditionally hierarchical shipping structures and arts-based collectivism. Stubnitz has always remained outside of any scene or genre, open to any and all.