”Things don’t seem to have changed that much“ – 10 Jahre IfZ – frohfroh – electronic music from leipzig

These days the Institute for the Future is celebrating its first big anniversary – and we say Happy 10th anniversary! With a little review and outlook.

“Things don't seem to have changed that much” – this graffiti awaits you directly on the back wall of the Dark Room in the Institute for the Future. And things really don't seem to have changed much there for some time – in the best possible way. For ten years now, the IfZ has been opening its iron double doors several times a week and hosting the biggest parties. With fluffy house or dark industrial techno, we'll celebrate for and with you until the morning. And in the coming days we will celebrate the IfZ. Happy 10th anniversary!

Anyone who has ever been there knows the minimalist look of the IfZ. The location contains relics from a time when the club was still a large fruit and vegetable logistics center. On Wing 1, people are stomping over former ammonia basins that were used to cool food. The pools have now been filled with concrete and the old pressure gauges on the walls are only used for decoration. But the post-industrial aesthetic continues to impress.

New and old challenges

Ten years don't leave a club unaffected. Expanded by a 30-person party crew and opened somewhat bumpily in spring 2014, over 100 people now work for the IfZ. Cleaning staff, bar, security, door, awareness, editorial, booking and many more. All in-house. “The larger the team becomes, the more different perspectives come into the discourse,” explains Xavi, co-founder and managing director of GbR IfZ. And he adds: “The people in the team are becoming more and more diverse, just like the people who come to celebrate here.” Xavi has observed a paradigm shift over the years and has seen different generations come and go at the club. For him, the exchange between people and crews is exactly what a store like the IfZ should be about. But it also represents one of the biggest challenges. Ultimately, everyone should feel heard so that we can make progressive utopias come true together.

That's not the only challenge: Corona funding pots have currently been used up and the financial situation remains tense. However, the IfZ works a lot with the newly introduced Leipzig Night Council and is therefore in close contact with the city administration. Xavi is optimistic: “Hopefully the next ten years are secured.”

First concrete plans for the future

The club has changed and will continue to change. That's why we can look forward to more genre-specific variety: “People want fast music, trance and Gabba. At the beginning I resisted, but what's the point of judging when people obviously enjoy it,” says Xavi. But we should be careful not to always leave the parties so early. The IfZ team was very surprised: “Since Corona, people often leave at around 5 and then just go to sleep, which is something I don’t know before,” laughs Xavi.

But the IfZ has even more plans. For a year now, it has been possible to enter a calendar during the week to use the internal rehearsal room on Wing 3. Here you can learn and practice DJing. There is now a platform on wing 1 where live acts occasionally perform. More live music is on the agenda. The IfZ also wants to remain politically active. “We are very proud to have been the first club in Leipzig with its own safer clubbing and awareness concept,” says Xavi. Until last year, readings and discussions by Kulturraum e. V. offered at the IfZ. But it has now dissolved. Now there is a void that would like to be filled again.

But until then, it's time to celebrate: the hedonism of the club culture and the tenth anniversary and establishment as a permanent fixture in Leipzig's club culture – despite all adversities.

Z E H N – Das 10th anniversary program

April 27, 2024 – TEN Part I – Concert
On Saturday it starts at 6 p.m. with two punk and wave concerts and pizza: Burnout OstWest and LeftforPleasure are playing live.

27. April 2024 – TEN Part I – Club Night Extended
After the concerts, from midnight, sections 1, 2 and 3 are open for wild partying with well-known DJs such as Freddy K., :Mumm, Alinka, Apøllo, Aurora Polaris, Blanka, Carlotta Jacobi, DJ Ferrari, DJ Mille, Illousion, Janein , Judith van Waterkant, Kikimike, Kontinum, Leyah, Lisa Filou, Momo, Murky fm, Neele, Perm, Salomé, Subkutan, Stigmatique, The Peergroup, Wellengenerator. There's also karaoke in the Dark Room.

April 30, 2024 – TEN Part III – Club Night
If you haven't had enough, come back on Tuesday at midnight and celebrate straight into the day of industrial action with ILoveDaddyz, I$A b2b Ttyfal, Quest, Fka.m4a, Karete Bu b2b Janthe, Gal b2b Valeska, Nissa, Rarri b2b Neelie, DJ Luiser b2b Angelconda, Ostbam b2b Bephål, Genelle b2b Itsadisasta, Quest and many more.

Further reading tip: IfZ story at Groove

Our author Nasti alias Antoinette Blume wrote a detailed story about the Institute for the Future at Groove. Highly recommended to delve even deeper into the club's history and present.