Marcus Schütte - Oberhausen
City of Socioculture, International Short Film Days and More
Early on, Schütte devoted himself to online topics, in the early days of the Web, for example, with the Dieter Nuhr series "Nuhr Internet". This resulted in the founding of NETZKULT, an area for online communication. Since then, social media campaigns, blogs and websites have complemented his cultural marketing portfolio. He can therefore literally be described as a cross-media specialist. Recently, the Dortmunder U, the Jubilee „200 Jahre Westfalen.Jetzt!“, the exhibition "The World of Tim Burton" at the Max Ernst Museum in Brühl, the platform NRW-Skulptur as well as the film release of Winkelmann's masterpiece „Junges Licht“ and „Beltracchi, Kunst der Fälschung“ (winner of the Deutscher Filmpreis) were supported by MaschMedia.
"I am one of the last iron workers who still works at the Osterfeld Colliery," Marcus Schütte told the WAZ in 2007 and is thus not only an actor of the local cultural scene, but also living proof of the structural change in the Ruhr area. Although meanwhile his office is located at the Max-Planck-Ring, he still continues to play this local role. For example, he is currently involved in the realisation of the Concordia sculpture by artist Jörg Mazur and he is also active in the "Kreativquartier Eisenheim e.V." to revitalise the listed buildings that are the oldest workplace settlement in the Ruhr area.
Foto: Bernhard Handick
District centre with lots of culture
Drama, stand-up and cabaret, music and exhibitions - the Ebertplatz in Oberhausen is the starting point for a great variety of cultural experiences. From here, you can reach not only Theater Oberhausen and its small stage, the Malersaal. Diagonally opposite is the Ebertbad, an art nouveau building dating back to 1895, with cabaret and comedy, revues and concerts taking place in its beautiful stage space. New to the square, opposite the Ebertbad, you can now also visit Kiez Ruhr. The new multi-functional location offers space for exhibitions, sales, workshops, workplaces - everything a creative mind could wish for.
Text: Max Florian Kühlem
Ebertstraße 4 46045 Oberhausen
Short films - long tradition
The short film is very lively within its niche. If you want to experience this at first hand, visit Oberhausen in May. The oldest short film festival in the world takes place in and around the beautiful Lichtburg Filmpalast cinema in the old town centre - already for the 63rd time in 2017. In addition to the international, German, NRW and international children's and youth film competitions, there is also a prize for music videos and a different thematic focus each year. In 2011 this was "Cinema of the Animals", and in 2016 "In Search of the New Latin America".
Next Date: 11.-16.5.2017
Text: Max Florian Kühlem
Fotos: Chris Schönund Daniel Gasenzer
Elsässer Str. 26 46045 Oberhausen http://www.kurzfilmtage.de
A seductive jump across the canal
With Kaisergarten and Schloss Oberhausen, between which the Ludwiggalerie can be found, the Rehberger bridge over the Rhine-Herne Canal connect two of the most beautiful places in the city - and is itself more a destination than a way. The 460-meter-long span bridge is named after its designer, sculptor Tobias Rehberger, looks like a caterpillar glowing in bright colours and also bears another name: "Slinky springs to fame". After its opening in 2011, the city already had to carry out the first renovations in early 2016. Vandalism and the improper removal of so-called "love padlocks" had damaged it - yet it is still very much worth a visit.
Text: Max Florian Kühlem
Foto: Thomas Wolf
Konrad-Adenauer-Allee 46 46049 Oberhausen
Innovative spatial design for every generation
Many cities currently face the challenge of setting up their libraries in a sustainable way for the future. It is important to react to new forms of media use and demographic conditions. The district library in Oberhausen-Sterkrade is exemplary in this: opened in March 2016 in a former Sparkasse bank building which had long been vacant, it offers media of all kinds, free internet workstations, space for study groups, a cafeteria, an outside terrace and a fixed stage – and not just for lectures. Theatre, cabaret, console game evenings and repair cafes also take place here.
- Text: Max Florian Kühlem*
Wilhelmstraße 9, 46145 Oberhausen http://www.oberhausen.de
Insider's tip for theatre culture
If you want to know how much the Oberhausers care about their theatre, look at their history: After Theater Oberhausen was destructed in the Second World War, it was the first German theatre to resume playing in 1947. With just under 600 seats, it certainly isn't one of the biggest in the region, but it is definitely one of the most beautiful and interesting theatres: artistic director Peter Carp has managed to attract nationwide attention to the theatre by setting up a great ensemble and engaging exciting directors such as Herbert Fritsch from the Volksbühne. Great conditions for successor Florian Fiedler, who will take his place in the summer of 2017.
Text: Max Florian Kühlem
Will-Quadflieg-Platz 1 46045 Oberhausen http://www.theater-oberhausen.de
City of Socioculture
If you want to describe the Ruhr as a metropolis, then describe it as a metropolis with many centres rather than one huge collection of small cities. In such an urban space it is important to manifest cultural activities outside the large urban centres. In Oberhausen this is done in an unprecedented high number of sociocultural centres. The Ruhrwerkstatt, for example, is located in a former fish factory in the district of Styrum – a stone's throw away from the neighbouring cities of Mülheim and Duisburg. It is a family centre, nursing home facility, educational institution, organiser of district festivals and cultural programmes in the beautiful café and stage room AKA 103. Founded in 1969, the oldest, still active sociocultural centre of Germany, Fabrik K14, is located south of the old inner city of Oberhausen. Here, people of all ages, religions and nationalities meet for conversation, games and events. The Drucklufthaus is a real institution and a stomping ground for leftist subcultures. Here you can celebrate phenomenal, alternative parties on five floors and a beautiful outdoor area, and experience legendary live concert. Also near the station, another institution with a great cultural programme is Das Zentrum Altenberg.
Text: Max Florian Kühlem