Manifesta 16 +

The selected projects of the Open Call “This is not a church” have been announced. During Manifesta 16 Ruhr they will transform vacant church buildings in ten cities across the Ruhr Area into spaces for gathering, exchange and collective practice.

Published in June 2025, the Open Call “This is not a church” invited individuals, artists and local initiatives with a strong connection to the Ruhr Area to submit their ideas. It sought creative concepts that address social, cultural or ecological questions and develop their formats together with local communities. The response was significant. A total of 217 submissions were received, 145 of them from within the Ruhr Area. They reflect the diversity and de-centralised character of the region. Proposals were also submitted by groups and cultural practitioners from other parts of Germany and Europe.

An international jury selected 16 projects that will be realised in Dortmund, Herne, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Marl, Bottrop, Essen, Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Duisburg and Oberhausen. Key factors in the decision were the local grounding of each initiative and its commitment to working with the communities on site. The selected projects will transform the vacant churches into open meeting places where neighbourhoods can come together and explore new forms of shared activity and learning.

The projects will be implemented as part of the Manifesta 16 + Programme from 21st of June to 4th of October 2026. They highlight the potential of the architectural and social spaces of the former churches and show how these sites can be revitalised through collective initiatives.

Working closely with Manifesta 16 Ruhr, the project teams aim to create long-term impact within their neighbourhoods. Through participatory methods and artistic approaches they arebuilding a diverse network of activities that brings the different realities of the Ruhr Area into view while also creating new connections.