Our Workshop Location
A cultural association called heimatBEWEGEN (in English: make a difference in your home) will be hosting our workshop in the historic residential and cultural town of Ballenstedt. It is located in the mountain area called Harz and is home to around 9.000 residents. First mentioned in the 11th century, the town played a significant role in the Middle Ages and is now known as the „Cradle of Anhalt“ due to its historical ties to the noble Ascanian family.
Particularly impressive is the Ballenstedt Castle, whose glorious past can be experienced firsthand in its historic rooms. The castle also hosts a fantastic film museum with a small cozy cinema and a castle theater, one of the oldest surviving Baroque theaters in Germany. Our workshop will start on 20th of June 2026 in this beautiful 18th century building where we will kick off our acting-directing journey.
Our Leisure Location
Our meeting and eating base will be an old farm called Gut Ziegenberg. Gut Ziegenberg is a volunteer-run community center located in the heart of Ballenstedt, on a 400-year-old estate with a huge, communal garden. The ravages of time have taken their toll on the historic buildings but also give them a special atmosphere of renewal, inspiration, ideas, community and encounters. Here, there are many opportunities to enjoy your free time and be active without stress. The courtyard, the garden and several common rooms invite you to linger.
Our Work Location
Our working location is a former Lost Place. Like a lot of small cities in the German countryside also Ballenstedt in the Harz region is struggling with vacancy. A young collective has transformed an old butcher shop into a techno club called „Feinkost.“ Hundreds of guests from Ballenstedt and the surrounding region come to the parties. This not only creates exciting nights but also, in the long term, offers young people a chance to stay and value their hometown. For us the old factory is the perfect place to experience, discover, learn and explore the Travis Technique for Directors and Actors.
Your Sleeping Place
Ballenstedt may not be large, but the hearts of its residents are all the bigger. For this reason, they have created a Student in Residence program. This means all students are accommodated with local families. This gives you a glimpse into everyday German family life and an opportunity to network with the locals to find out their favorite places and things to do in Ballenstedt.
How to get to Ballenstedt
The closest airports to Ballenstedt are in Leipzig and Hannover. If you arrive at one of them, we can pick you up by car and drive you directly to Ballenstedt. For some of you it will be cheaper and easier to take the train. The closest train stations where we can pick you up are in Quedlinburg, Magdeburg, Halle or Braunschweig. For information about German train timetables and prizes, please check the Deutsche Bahn website.