City Churches as Open Spaces for Diverse Uses

A conversation with Christel Schürmann, pastor and managing director of the Protestant City Church of St. Petri; Ania Corcilius, curator and artistic director of the project St. Maria als…; Britta Peters, artistic director of Urbane Künste Ruhr; and others.

The Ev. Stadtkirche Sankt Petri (St. Peter's Church), situated in the heart of Dortmund city centre, serves as an open space for the urban community, welcoming a wide variety of formats, regardless of religious, denominational, or parish affiliations. It is an example of how churches can renew themselves from within and function for a variety of uses. 
In this discussion, the speakers will explore how churches can open themselves up to new functions and encounters, beyond the model of the deconsecrated cultural church. Building on the exhibition Uncanny Shifts by Urbane Künste Ruhr, they will also examine the potential and challenges of contemporary art exhibitions in church spaces, which in turn bring their own collections and historical contexts to the table.

The event is organised by Urbane Künste Ruhr and the Ev. Stadtkirche Sankt Petri.