On the way to becoming European Capital of Culture 2025, the micro-projects are a real success story in Chemnitz and the cultural region!
Initiated in 2017 as part of the application process for the European Capital of Culture 2025, we have been able to continuously develop this small project funding and have now firmly integrated it into our Capital of Culture programme.
With the completion of this 10th round, we have been able to financially support more than 120 micro-projects with a total funding amount of 270,000 euros. Funding is also planned for the coming years, with further project rounds to be organised twice a year until 2025.
In line with the approach of "making a big difference on a small scale", a large number of projects in all neighbourhoods of Chemnitz and the cultural region show how real doership works, how Europe can be made visible and what lived diversity looks like. All of the projects have a positive impact on Chemnitz and/or the cultural region and are characterised in part by a clearly visible European dimension.
Once again, over 100 project ideas were submitted by the application deadline for the 10th round of microprojects. The independent micro-project jury, which is made up of various stakeholders from the city and the cultural region, held several meetings to select the projects that best met our evaluation criteria. These will now be implemented in the second half of 2022. In total, 19 projects will be supported with a total funding amount of 45,000 euros.
The current microproject jury consists of
- Nadine Rothe (Chairwoman of the jury, freelance artist for communication design and illustration, member of Huhlern e.V. and Kulturbündnis Hand in Hand e.V., former member of the Chemnitz2025 programme council)
- Tobias Möller (Deputy Chairman of the jury, employee of Netzwerk für Kultur- und Jugendarbeit e.V., member of the Cultural Advisory Board of the City of Chemnitz, former member of the Chemnitz2025 Programme Council)
- Prof. Dr. Bernadette Malinowski (Professor of Modern German and Comparative Literature at Chemnitz University of Technology, former member of the Chemnitz2025 Programme Council)
- Simone Becht (responsible for "Art in Public Space, Visual Arts" of the City of Chemnitz, former Head of the Capital of Culture Office)
- Benjamin Knoblauch (freelance artist Garlix-Art, Niederwürschnitz)
- Wolfgang Dorn (Managing Director of "Die Theatermacher UG", Limbach-Oberfrohna)
- Kristina Ebert (Director of the Stadthalle Oelsnitz/Erzgebirge)
- Kerstin Pfeil (retired cultural manager, Hainichen)
The 19 new micro-projects for the European Capital of Culture 2025:
Art and cake
A variety of craft skills such as lace-making, embroidery, fermentation or preserving food are increasingly being forgotten. However, the Barbara-Uttmann-Haus Elterlein e.V. support centre in Annaberg-Buchholz wants to show how much sustainability there is in these old techniques by offering hands-on activities and workshops, especially for children and people with mental illnesses.
Information board - new forest
In recent years, some of the woodland in Chemnitz-Einsiedel had to be cleared by force. Reforestation of a mixed forest and revitalisation of the ecosystem has now begun. A large information board and an insect hotel invite visitors to learn more about the forest habitat.
Short-term shop in Oelsnitz/Erzgebirge
Filling the empty space in Oelsnitz with new life in a meaningful way - the Kurzzeitladen invites regional traders and artists to run their own shop on a trial basis and in an uncomplicated way, as well as to organise workshops and hands-on activities.
What a juice economy!
The "Solidarity Juice Economy" platform, which is currently being set up, aims to bring together owners of fruit trees and orchards, motivated harvesters and cideries so that they can work together in a coordinated manner.
Make Bubbles not Troubles - giant bubbles to join in with
Giant soap bubbles fascinate and amaze. In a cosy atmosphere and combined with a picnic, the Schlossteichinsel becomes a meeting place.
Centre of Chemnitz
Where is the geographical centre of Chemnitz? Pupils from the Chemnitz school model have calculated this. This centre of gravity is now to be made visible with a stele.
A walk beyond the edge of the plate
As part of a culinary city tour through Chemnitz, international hosts invite you to find out more about their cultural and personal backgrounds.
Hands-on international art at Wildeck Castle
European makers invite children and young people from Zschopau to get to know their passion for creative work, get creative together and experience togetherness in Europe.
(K)eine Einheit - How GenZ thinks about the East
The film project shows perspectives on a united Germany from young people who never knew the division. It is about the feeling of inner conflict between ideals shaped by the West and the East and the lack of perspective in the East.
T-move(s)
Textile production has a long tradition in Chemnitz and the cultural region - the aim of the encounter project is to invite people to exchange experiences and talk about past, present and future work processes in this craft.
Chemnitz Untold
C the Unseen - tell the untold. The project uses videos, images, texts and a podcast to tell us about the lives of people with an international history and show us their ideas for Chemnitz. In addition to digital formats, a first photo exhibition of the project has already taken place at KOSMOS 2022.
The good story
Oberwiesenthal is known as a town that is open to discussion. These are the stories that we have been told and that we believe. But there is another way: the big and small stories of activists and people who positively shape life on the mountain are to be shown in a film.
VRloves (in) Chemnitz
Using digital virtual reality technology to travel to Chemnitz's favourite places - this will soon be possible for people with limited mobility in Chemnitz. The worlds of young, tech-savvy volunteers and fellow citizens, most of whom are no longer fully mobile due to their age, will be brought together.
Intercultural picnic
The park of the Olbernhau manor opens its doors for a large picnic. All citizens from Olbernhau and the neighbouring Czech communities are invited to come along and get to know each other and talk to each other while having fun, playing games and listening to music.
A visit to Count Dracula's horror villa
At the end of October, on Halloween, a world opens up in the villa of the Jungendhaus Punkt West e.V. in Chemnitz-Rabenstein for all those interested in art, theatre and horror.
Mirrored, you recognise yourself better
Trainees from the cultural region and the Romanian mining region of Retrosani get to know each other in this exchange project and help to set up social projects. In doing so, they reflect on each other and revise their own, often false, images of others.
Carl Friedrich Tango - unheard of!
Travelling in the footsteps of the bandoneon - the sounds of the keyboard instrument developed in Chemnitz are digitally reworked and combined with energetic, modern tango music. The result of this musical crossover will be performed at the Garage Campus.
Speed dating "Solidarity City / City for All"
How can we succeed in making Chemnitz a city of diversity and a home for everyone? This project aims to connect and create a platform for exchange and discussion for Chemnitz residents with and without a migration background.
The second life
A photography exhibition invites you to get to know people who have experienced flight and migration and their new lives in Chemnitz. How did they manage to set up their own business and what are they involved in in civil society?
