Also, young artists can afford living here with less money than in other European capitals, such as London or Paris, for example. Berlin is a tolerant city and has a curious audience, opened for all type of arts and for experimentation in all levels.’

Atelier of Gil Munuera / Atelier of Armindo Salgueiro. Photo: Katerina Valdivia Bruch

The recent crop of artists taking part in the residencies have come from all parts of the globe, including Colombia, Spain, Israel, the U.S. and the U.K.

Sarah Newman, a photographer from Miami, Florida, has spent three months living and working at the GlogauAIR space. She has used her time there to develop a new photographic series, documenting children’s playgrounds in Berlin at night, using a process involving directed lighting and long exposures. She explained to me her interest in Berlin, as a city that has much potential to inspire and inform her work.

Grounds for Play. Photo: Sarah Newman

“I’m fascinated by the urban landscape of Berlin. During my time here I’ve walked a lot throughout the city, and in Kreuzberg especially, where there’s so many parks and open spaces, and I was amazed to note how many children’s playgrounds exist. So I decided to create a body of work around these playground spaces, and document them in a specific, controlled way.”

Open Studios September 2007, View from the work of Shiro Masuyama © Katerina Valdivia Bruch

Indeed, for many artists, coming to Berlin is not just about discovering urban spaces, it’s also about meeting other artists, and it seems Berlin has become somewhat of an international meeting point. The general feeling seems to be, that Berlin’s art scene is a little more open and welcoming than many other major cities.