Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rent the screentprint studio/ darkroom/ photo studio for a few hours?

Well, not really. We don’t rent our studio our equipment by the hour – we don’t have the staff to run that. And also that is also not our “business” model, which is membership-based – we rely on sustainable long term relations where people take an interest in the place, use it and help to maintain and develop it for the next generation of users. This creates a friendly environment and keeps the costs extremely low and accessible. (And don’t panic: “Long term” in Berlin means anything above six months…)
If you just want to give it a try or, for the moment, only have a one-shot project, that is no problem: You can use our facilities with the help and supervision of one of our experienced members. This is called a workshop, and we are usually very flexible about the modalities – just ask us.

So do you offer workshops?

Yes, with pleasure! We regularly offer single and group workshops which you can join (a bit less due to the current pandemic), and some of our members also offer workshops in their own name. Some of the workshops can be booked via our website – but if you don’t find what you are looking for, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Can I become a member of STATTLAB?

Certainly! STATTLAB is not a closed shop, we want to be open for all who want to be part of the group long term (long term in Berlin means something above six months). Since we can’t grow too much and too fast, there sometimes might be a waiting list for new memberships – but never for long. The first step in order to become a member is a workshop (in screenprinting or photography, depending on which workshop you are planning to use), which allows you to meet STATTLAB. The next step is having tea with some board members – but don’t worry, this will not be a stressful exam or a pitch situation, this is more about getting to know each other. The rest – not very surprisingly – is formalities with a form, a deposit, and the dramatic handover of the keys. You neither need to buy business parts or sign with blood. The membership can be terminated any time with a two month notice.

Do you offer internships?

No. We are always happy about visits and like to show what we do – but we don’t have a structure where we can take care of interns. Please understand that we all work unpaid for STATTLAB while even paying membership fees while learning how to do things – which means that in a way, we all are interns. Therefore: If you liked your visit and want to participate, why not do a workshop or later maybe become a member!

Could you print T-Shirts for me?

STATTLAB e.V. itself does not accept commission work. But many of our members accept artistic and commercial print jobs – therefore feel free to ask. They will also be able to give advice, whether artisanal screenprint is the right approach for your project, or if a different technique (digital print, some other provider) might be a better choice. By the way, instead of having your project printed, why not do a workshop and print it yourself at STATTLAB with the help of an experienced printer…

Can I become a member although I never went to art school?

Absolutely. We don’t provide support for art in a narrow academic sense, but with a larger scope, enabling as many people as possible to be creative, to express themselves, and to see and learn how to produce art. Many of our members have never seen an academy from the inside or have an art school degree. It is not even necessary that you call yourself an artist. Many of our members see art as something they do in their spare time, many of them have one or more jobs because they can’t (or don’t want) to live from art alone.

I have no tattoos, no piercings, and sometimes I even wear ironed shirts – is there still a chance I can join STATTLAB?

Sure! At STATTLAB, we try to by tolerant and open-minded – towards any attitude which is not against the peaceful cooperation of our community or is in contrast with the fulfilment of our mission. This tolerance includes – among others – religion, colour of skin, political opinions, cultural and geographical origin, nutritional practices, clothing habits, sexual preferences and taste of music.

I would love to become a member, unfortunately I have very little money. Could you make an exception for me regarding the membership fee?

Errh, unfortunately not, sorry. We finance STATTLAB’s expenses (rent and material mainly, there are no salaries) almost entirely through the fees. Only occasionally we receive public funding or substantial donations. And the fee is not high – considering how much the lease of commercial space costs, considering the equipment and the expendable materials that are included and also considering that even coffee and tea are free (which means you could theoretically get your membership fee back already by coming every day and drinking two espresso).

However, we are a highly solidary community and so far, we found a solution for almost every case of personal financial hardship – but we cannot generally waive the obligation to pay fees, which applies to all members in an equal and transparent manner.

I don’t have much money, but I would love to do a workshop. Is there a way?

See above – we have to cover our costs, so the first answer is “no”. However, we make an exception if your project is so interesting and of general interest, that we want to run it as one of our STATTLAB projects. Also, you can count on our support if you are a non-profit organization, a school etc. yourself.

I guess your are some fashionable hipster location where everybody speaks english?

Nope. We see ourselves rather as down to earth, curious, wedding-based (Berlin Wedding still is not Friedrichshein/ Neuköln), so not really hip (besides, we mostly wear unfashionable clothing and have boring haircuts). Seriously, we are a local artists association, we get by with little money, we work in our quarter with people from the neighborhood. Also, many of our members come from many different countries and speak many different languages. Some don’t speak german at all yet or not very well. So yes, there can be situations where bad english is the only language that all people present in a conversation understand. But hey, this is Berlin…

Low fees and free coffee – that sounds great! I will move over from my WeWork shared office co-workingspace to you guys, ok?

Whoa, stop, no. We are definitely not a co-workingspace. Even if you can, at STATTLAB, spend hours in a giant sun-lit factory loft style working area, sit at big wooden community desks with fast wifi, enjoy great coffee and play on your macbook, we are, however, not a service provider who puts office space at your disposal and then leaves you alone. We take an interest in our members and expect them to also take an interest in the community. This means that you should identify with the goals of STATTLAB, that you should exchange with other members and should help to keep the place running, that you should invest time into STATTLAB projects and also should have your own creative ideas. If you rather want to stay undisturbed inside your noise-cancelling headphones as a general idea, and if, seeing something like a full trash bin, you think of complaining rather than of quickly helping to sort out the issue – well, then actually WeWork might be the place you are looking for…