Art, city and community. During the Warm-Up Programme for Manifesta 16 Ruhr, places for exchange and encounter already emerge before the biennial begins. Many activities are taking place like the square around the former St Josef Church, the headquarter of Manifesta 16 Ruhr in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf, on Bochumer Straße and inside St Anna Church in Schalke-Nord. Everyone is welcome! Admission is free!

The warm-up programme is already setting the first impulses ahead of Manifesta 16 Ruhr. With #UPSTJOSEF, lala.ruhr, the network for landscape, architecture and spatial planning, is working with local residents to reshape the square in front of the church, building, testing and creating space for conversations. The Social BallerZ, a Gelsenkirchen-based project that promotes movement, team spirit and inclusion on the court, use the interior of the church for open basketball workshops, creating an inclusive place for movement and encounter. At St Anna Church in Gelsenkirchen-Schalke, film screenings and other cultural formats complement the programme and invite visitors to explore different perspectives.