The German Theatre Technical Association (DTHG) is the oldest German professional association for theatre and technology and an important network for all those working in culture and media. Its members have been designing and developing technically safe solutions for effective stage spaces since 1907, in close dialogue with artists.
At the centre of DTHG’s work is the sharing of knowledge. At the trade fairs Showtech and Bühnentechnische Tagung (Stage Technical Conference), as well as at regional group meetings and local Regulars' roundtables, the knowledge of experts is shared through lectures and direct dialogue.
The DTHG Forum is a database of specialist information and a digital platform for exchange. In the Bildungsbühne, the education portal of DTHG, there are education formats on different topics and for different needs, from the free-of-charge Impulse format to individual coaching.
Collaboration on legislation affecting the events industry is also an important area of work. The core topics DTHG researches and works on are sustainability (Theatre Green Book); ventilation and energy; immersive technologies in the theatre; and safety on stage.
As a member of the Creative Skills Europe Partnership, DTHG has signed the Pact for Skills, a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe, issued by the European Commission. In this context, the Virtual Training Tools for Stage Technicians programme is being developed as a professional and internationally recognised competence-oriented learning and training method, in cooperation with partners in Belgium, Finland, Sweden and Italy.
At its trade fairs, DTHG annually awards outstanding stage concepts (the Weltenbauer Award) and innovative products (the Showtech Product Award).
Through its long-standing and close cooperation with the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media on topics such as digital competence or the construction and renovation of cultural venues, DTHG has implemented support programmes for cultural workers several times. In addition to funding programmes and projects, DTHG offers a range of services, such as a book market with specialist literature, and a job market for the theatre industry.
