History of

THE bEAR

THE bEAR was founded in 2015, by the speaker coach Dyane Neiman to give Berliners a dignified setting to share their truths in front of a live audience. She currently serves as the executive and artistic director with the vision to create a more sustainable organization with additional professionals. Hanna Martus joined the team in 2016 and created THE bEAR’s branding and strategy. Hanna continues to find innovative ways to make ideas become reality. Michael Rost has been a core driving force from the start. He evaluates our strategy, documents live performances, and has become a master story coach.

In 2020, THE bEAR registered as a charity under the name “Verein zur Förderung der Kunst des biographischen Geschichtenerzählens e.V.” (Association to Promote the Art of Biographical Storytelling).

With the community at the heart of our work, THE bEAR empowers people from all socio-economic-gender-ability backgrounds to discover autobiographical storytelling as a form of self expression and self-realization.