University of Leipzig, Institute of Theatre Studies / Center of Competence for Theatre (CCT)
2026
Why hold a festival in Bitterfeld-Wolfen? What social impact can art have at a local level, and what happens when cultural work encounters political resistance and attacks from the far right? Together with curator Martin Naundorf, theatre studies students from Leipzig will explore the origins and development of the OSTEN festival, which was relaunched in 2022 in the former industrial centre of Bitterfeld-Wolfen as a decidedly interdisciplinary, regional and participatory festival. We will discuss cultural practice in rural eastern Germany and how, amidst industrial history, social change and political polarisation, spaces for encounter, participation and the future can emerge. Drawing on concrete experiences, the discussion will also address how to deal with right-wing extremism, resilience in cultural work, and the question: where, if not here, can stories of change be told?