In the event series ›Art & Encounters‹, the seven institutions that are part of the Alliance of International Production houses will discuss their strategies for participation in a diverse society.

PROGRAMME THURSDAY, 25.09.
Insights into the work of WerkStadt as a local laboratory and meeting place

from 11:00 - Cooking together

WerkStadt and AK Kunst und Begegnung invite you to join them in cooking the neighbourhood lunch. Everyone from the neighbourhood is welcome to participate, engage in conversation with others, and set the tone for the day.

Participation is free of charge. Please register by emailing: werkstadt@pact-zollverein.de.

from 13:00 – Neighbourhood lunch

In a relaxed atmosphere, we will come together for a joint lunch – sharing conversations and memories from the neighbourhood.

Starting at 14:30, the Arbeitskreis Kunst und Soziales and the AG Art and Encounters of the Alliance of International Production Houses will hold a private discussion on belonging, change and artistic work in the district.

from 16:30 – Walk to the exhibition at Kleiner Laden

At 16:30, a walk will take us through Katernberg to the new exhibition space ›Der Kleine Laden‹, where Kira Fröse's exhibition ›Über Flüssigkeit – überflüssig – Überflüssigkeit‹ on the subject of water is on display. In an exchange, we will look back on previous processes and discuss the origin, impact and significance of the exhibition for the district, as well as connections at the local level.

Please register by sending an email to werkstadt@pact-zollverein.de.

from 17:30 – Talk with the women's group ›Stimmen aus Katernberg‹ & cooking at the Bürgerzentrum Kon-Takt

At the Bürgerzentrum Kon-Takt, we will meet the women's group ›Stimmen aus Katernberg‹ around Mahtab Mahboub and Siham Saado. While we prepare dinner together, we talk about the group's work, challenges, wishes and prospects in the neighbourhood.

18:30 – Jana Mila Lippitz & Sophie Meuresch ›TRÄNEN‹ – Performance 

In the evening, the programme continues at WerkStadt with the performance ›TRÄNEN‹ by Jana Mila Lippitz and Sophie Meuresch. ›TRÄNEN‹ is a performative, collaborative evening where we talk to one another about our (personal) experience of crying while preparing an onion soup together. The event concludes with a joint dinner.

Please register by sending an email to werkstadt@pact-zollverein.de.

From 20:30 – Joint dinner

At the end of the day, we gather at WerkStadt, share the onion soup we prepared together, and conclude the evening on a note of exchange and solidarity. 

Admission is free, but we kindly request that you register by email at werkstadt@pact-zollverein.de

PROGRAMME FRIDAY, 26.09.

13:00 – 15:30 - Culinary and social reflection with Monira Wali and the Interkulturelles Frauennetzwerk Essen

Monira Wali has been volunteering for almost ten years for an ever-growing network of around 120 women from eight different countries – many of whom have Afghan roots. Among them are journalists, artists, lawyers, mothers and many other experts with different backgrounds.

The afternoon will centre around cooking and eating together at PACT, which not only nourishes but also creates space for exchange, visibility and reflection. Monira Wali will talk about her commitment to education, women's rights and the heterogeneity of Afghan perspectives in Germany.

Admission is free. We kindly request that you register by email at service@pact-zollverein.de until 20.09.2025.

16:00 – 17:30 – Dessert, Dance, Funding - We want it all!

Nach dem gemeinsamen Essen laden die Tanzpädagoginnen Cinthia Nisiyama und Bianca Pulungan zu einem bewegten Gesprächsrundgang ein. Seit vielen Jahren arbeiten sie regelmäßig mit Kindern unterschiedlicher Altersgruppen in Katernberg. Bei dem Rundgang werden sie sich gemeinsam mit dem Publikum durch die bereits betanzten Orte rund um die Zeche Zollverein bewegen. Sie werden von den Herausforderungen und Erfolgen ihrer freiberuflichen Arbeit und ihrem Umgang damit berichten.

After the joint meal, dance teachers Cinthia Nisiyama and Bianca Pulungan invite guests to join them on a walking tour. They have been working regularly with children of different age groups in Katernberg for many years. During the tour, they will move together with the audience through the locations around Zeche Zollverein that have already been danced on. They will talk about the challenges and successes of their freelance work and how they deal with them.

from 18:30  – House of Namus / BaBa ZuLa – Bazaar Ambience and a concert in the PACT foyer

The Friday kicks off with an open space for conversation, coffee and reflection. In the evening, starting at 18:30., PACT opens its foyer to the public: House of Namus – founded in 2023 in the Ruhr District by Prince Emrah and Interkultur Ruhr (RVR) – is a community that celebrates queer culture, art and diversity. From henna to reading coffee grounds to the bazaar-style surroundings, the focus is on exchange, change and celebration. There follows a concert by BaBa ZuLa, the legendary psychedelic Anatolian band from Istanbul, which unleashes its intoxicating mix of dub, saz and ecstasy: an evening full of glamour, resistance and rhythm – between Istanbul and Katernberg, past and future.
 

Art and Encounters is an event series within the framework of the Alliance of International Production Houses, funded by the Office of the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media.