News

Tanzhaus Zürich, one of Switzerland’s foremost centres for contemporary dance and performance, has been hosting Drag Story Time for the past four years. The reading hour was conceived by Zurich-based performance artist Brandy Butler, who runs it together with her drag friends. The event is immensely popular with young and grown-up audience members alike. Drag Story Time teaches diversity, inclusion and tolerance and thrives on an open discourse about gender identities and role models.

On Sunday, October 16, the event was disrupted by a group belonging to the radical right-wing scene. An attempt was made to unfurl a banner in the performance space. In addition, a group of about nine people blocked the path in front of Tanzhaus Zürich – a path that is also used by our café, which was full at the time. The above-mentioned persons lit smoke flares and chanted slogans. The event, the artists and – last, but not least – our guests were massively disturbed and frightened.

A group later claimed responsibility on social media. We are deliberately not mentioning their name here because we do not want to offer them an additional platform, but we have filed a complaint with the police.

We condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Tanzhaus Zürich is and remains a place of encounter, openness, tolerance and artistic freedom. Drag Story Time forms an integral part of our programme and the values and ideals conveyed therein are also our values and ideals. The fact that an event for families, of all things, was attacked, appals us even more. Together with our partners and friends from the cultural scene of Zürich, we are hereby setting a sign against hatred, exclusion and right-wing propaganda. These have no place in our society, and we will not stop defending and communicating our values. We are convinced that art and culture can contribute to making this world a better place – which is what we stand up for every day with our work.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have already shown your solidarity in various ways. You're the best!