Event highlights
July programme at the Kunsthalle Barmen: workshops, films and talks on community and social interaction
The exhibition “merry company” is on display at the Kunsthalle Barmen until 13 September 2026 and explores different forms of coexistence – from artistic collectives and social networks to cultural communities. Visitors are invited not only to view the art, but also to get involved and become part of collaborative processes. Full details of the current exhibition can be found here: https://uni-w.de/kwtkt
Construction Site Summer with BarmenUrban: Kunsthalle invites you to get involved
On Thursday 9 July, from 3 pm to 6 pm, the Kunsthalle Barmen will be taking part in BarmenUrban’s ‘Baustellen-Sommer’ event at Geschwister-Scholl-Platz. Following the ‘Baustellen-Frühling’ event at the end of May, BarmenUrban – on behalf of the City of Wuppertal – is once again inviting the whole family to a varied afternoon of activities.
In keeping with its location in front of the Haus der Jugend, the Kunsthalle Barmen is a partner in the event and is offering various hands-on activities: in a ‘sandpit arena’, children can dig, play and search for gemstones. Anyone who finds five treasures will receive an ice-cream voucher for the Wundertüte ice-cream parlour opposite.
Young visitors can also get creative with the team from the Kunsthalle Barmen. They are invited to decorate a piece of wire mesh with fabrics and ribbons and link it to others. The aim is to create a large woven network over the course of the current exhibition.
Tuffi, the official Barmen mascot, will also be on hand for photos. Street music will accompany the event.
Embroidering together: workshop with MACKERINNENANSTALT
On Sunday 19 July, from 2 pm to 6 pm, the artists’ collective MACKERINNENANSTALT invites you to become part of the work “ALLIANZEN STICKEN”.
Visitors can contribute their own drawings, ideas and thoughts directly to the collective embroidery project – either by hand or using an embroidery machine. The resulting work illustrates how individual contributions come together to form a collective piece.
Film evening: “Poesie des Untergrunds”
On Tuesday 21 July at 6 pm, the Kunsthalle Barmen will be screening the documentary “Poesie des Untergrunds” by Matthias Aberle.
The film paints a multi-layered portrait of the artistic subculture in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district from the 1970s to the 1990s. Interviews and rare archive footage tell the stories of artists, musicians and writers who, beyond the confines of official GDR culture, created their own spaces for art, exchange and freedom.
Following the screening, there will be a discussion with the director and author Matthias Aberle. Admission is free.
“Headwrap!”: Workshop and discussion with Babu Noella
On Sunday 26 July at 4 pm, the Kunsthalle Barmen, in collaboration with Babu Noella, invites you to an African headscarf workshop.
Entitled “Headwrap!”, the workshop explores fashion as an expression of identity, history and cultural exchange. Following an introduction to the significance of African headscarves, participants can try out various wrapping techniques and design their own styles.
The subsequent discussion will focus on questions surrounding identity, encounters and the unifying power of clothing. The workshop invites participants to discover new perspectives, engage in conversation with one another and experience cultural exchange in a hands-on way.
Regular events as part of the exhibition
Every Sunday at 3 pm: Guided tour of the exhibition
Every first Saturday of the month: FAMILY AND FRIENDS with creative workshops for children, teenagers and anyone else who fancies joining in!
Every first Thursday of the month: SILENT MODE – the same exhibition, with fewer barriers
Guided tours and workshops for groups: trommer[at]uni-wuppertal.de
Info box: About the Kunsthalle Barmen
The Kunsthalle Barmen, which reopened in 2024 within the Haus der Jugend, is run by the university of Wuppertal and funded by the Rhineland Regional Council and the City of Wuppertal. Since its reorientation, exhibitions including ‘Shared Spaces’, ‘Fertile Structures’, ‘Do Worry Be Happy’, ‘EX NIHILO’ and, most recently, ‘effort + flow – Mathematics and Art in Dialogue’ have been staged. In close collaboration with students, cultural institutions and regional partners, new formats of cultural education and outreach are being developed.
Collaborations are in place with, amongst others, the Pina Bausch Centre, the Von der Heydt Museum, the Wuppertal Institute, Utopiastadt, and higher education institutions such as the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts, Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences and the Folkwang University of the Arts. Schools from the region are also regularly involved through outreach programmes.
