Digital Work Meeting: Strategy Development – Art, Culture and Their Democratic Spaces

The results of the recent German federal election are, unfortunately, not surprising, but are, nevertheless, a reason to be concerned. Right-wing populist and right-wing extremist positions are increasingly in fashion. A plural society, democratic structures and a solidary coexistence with each other is being openly quesitoned, criticized and attacked. Culture is also frequently the target of attacks – as a social and discursive space, it not infrequently offers counternarratives to populist and simplified narratives. 

Now, the question is how art, culture and their institutions can remain spaces for plural, solidary, coexistence despite attacks by right-wing positions? How can we secure and expand upon the democratic potenial of these spaces? And, how can art be even more strongly solidary with civil society initiatives whose successful work is becoming more and more important and who are subject to attacks themselves? 

Specifically, this digital work meeting will be used to shine some light on aspects of the right-wing “playbook” and to discuss practical strategies for dealing with these. Representatives of institutions, civil society initiatives as well as politically and socially engaged artists will share their challenges and successes in dealing with right-wing positions and the attacks associated with this. They will discuss specific strategies and proven tools and invite the participants to reflect upon these together. 

The work meeting will be moderated by För Künkel.

För Kunkel works as a scenographer and costume designer and conducts research on the performing arts in archives. She is politically engaged in a variety of artistic and civil society initiatives.

The Speakers

Sayime Temocin is the co-founder of Bavul Sanat und Kultur Café, a self-organized, solidary place that brings people together.

For many years, Mobile Beratung gegen Rechtsextremismus Berlin has advised people working in the fields of art, culture and history in dealing with right-wing extremism, right-wing populism, racism and antisemitism.

Laura Strack works as a literary translator and dramaturg at the crossroads of theater, theory and text. In 2024/2025, she was one of the initiators of the general assembly of schöne Leben NRW (live more beautifully in Northrhine-Westphalia) and, with others, established the Observatoire solidaire et critique des politiques culturelles. 

Nele Mai is an academic associate of the John-Dewey-Forschungsstelle für die Didaktik der Demokratie (JoDDiD, the John Dewey Research Center for the Didactics of Democracry).  This research center sees itself as a center of innovation in the field of political education and has the tasks of conducting research into new formats, methods and mediation concepts, further developing them and making them visible.

Registration

Registrations are no longer possible. 

Participation in the event is free of charge. The event will take place online via the digital platform Ecosero. The link will be provided upon registration.

Language

The event will be held in German spoken language.

Contact

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Sarah Stührenberg at: sarah.stuehrenberg [at] pap-berlin.de or 030/ 20 45 979 14 (Mondays and Thursdays, 11 am to 4 pm).