Berlin's Krake Festival announces line-up and focus on artists with disabilities

Krake Festival has announced the line-up for its 2023 edition.

Taking place across June 21, 24 and 25, the Berlin event will showcase a wide range of artists, including DJs, live electronic acts and bands, across genres such as punk, techno, ambient and house.

The festival has also announced plans to focus on accessibility and artists with disabilities, with a press release asking: "Why does club culture bring so few artists with disabilities to the stage - even though the electronic music scene places so much value on diversity?

"This year we want to prove that it is possible to curate a festival with an exciting program whilst bringing a large number of artists with disabilities to the foreground. An event that educates, but that does not necessarily feel like a charity event or a school lecture..."

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Acts set to play include 21 downbeat and Wellen.Brecher (pictured), whose track 'Tierisch Verboten'' is described as a "soundtrack to the discourse around inclusion" for artists with disabilities in electronic music.

The festival starts on Wednesday, June 21, with an opening event at House of Music which is free entry and will feature a panel on inclusion and cultural activism. Bringing together local and international community activists, the speakers will share their work and collectively discuss how an industry in which people with disabilities are given the same opportunities to develop an artistic career can be developed without discrimination.

The session will also be accompanied by a film screening of Crip Camp - A Disability Revolution, a groundbreaking 2020 story of how teens with disabilities in a summer camp joined the radical disability rights movement to advocate for historic legislative changes.

An open studio session will be hosted by collective Ick Mach Walle, where people can try out music production hardware such as synths and drum machines.

There will also be a BBQ and outdoor space for folks who want to network and relax outdoors, and a concert with performances from Choolers Division and Bläck Dävil.

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The weekend brings a 36-hour day-and-night club program across June 24 and 25 at ://about blank, featuring artists of all backgrounds and genres, from established stars to young up-and-comers.

It will be opened by Drag Syndrome, a British collective of drag artists with Down's Syndrome who "bring to the stage everything that's important to [Krake]: expression, daring and lots of fun."

DJs on the bill include The Hacker, Imogen, Wheelman, Luz1e, Acidfinky, DJ Stingray 313, Rhyw, Detroit In Effect, Alienata and Nite Fleit.

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Tickets are on sale now via Krake's website, including discounted for people with disability and their guide/support. There will on-site assistance available for visitors with disabilities, and an information stand on initiatives dealing with inclusive cultural activism.

Vee Pandey is Mixmag's Digital Trainee, follow her on Twitter

EDIT 12/05: This article was updated to more accurately reflect the accessibility focus