© Nicole Benewaah
Youth vs. Crisis: “2023 Kunstrausch”
Students at the University of Bremen develop a vibrant cultural event for the 2023 Kunstrausch event. Three of them tell us what they have in mind.
On July 7, 2023, for the sixth time, the Kunsthalle Bremen museum will be in the grip of another “Kunstrausch” (art frenzy). In its anniversary year, Kunstrausch coincides with an exhibition conceived especially by and for young people: the “Youth vs. Crisis: A Generation in Search of a Future” exhibition (on display until September 10, 2023). The evening program features live acts from Bremen, hands-on activities, and thought-provoking art performances. Kunstrausch is organized by students of the University of Bremen in cooperation with the Kunsthalle Bremen. The title of the exhibition is “Youth vs. Crisis: A Generation in Search of a Future” and was conceived especially by and for young people. It will be on display until September 10, 2023.
“One of the main objectives of the event is to make art more appealing to younger people,” says one of the curators Mara Fischer. Around 30 students from the University of Bremen, mainly from the humanities and the liberal arts programs, are involved in Kunstrausch. At the beginning of the seminar, students were divided into three main groups. Each group focuses on either event management, PR and marketing, or art communication. Their goal is to create an independent art event.
© Nicole Benewaah
Nele Heins studies English-Speaking Cultures and is part of the event management team. The group is in charge of jointly planning the various acts and programs for the evening, with a special emphasis on supporting local artists. “We meet at the Kunsthalle each Thursdays and discuss current issues. What I like most about it is that so many students from different faculties get together. This exchange is often missing in our usual everyday student life,” says Nele.
Mara Fischer, who studies Political Science, works in the art communication group. Her task is to create features within the exhibition that allow visitors to gain a different perspective or make the experience more playful. The “Youth vs. Crisis: A Generation in Search of a Future” exhibition is really cool and captures the zeitgeist of our generation. I think it is great that we can contribute to it,” says Mara.
Mara Meyer, studies Media and Communication Studies and together with her team, she is responsible for PR and marketing for Kunstrausch 2023. She emphasizes the degree of autonomy that students have in shaping the project. “We are truly free to completely design the project ourselves. You really do not have to be afraid that everything will be dictated to you. We can be wildly creative and still get a lot of support from the Kunsthalle,” she says.
All students agreed that being able to co-create something in such a setting was an extremely valuable experience. Kunstrausch is an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience in event organization and to work towards a concrete goal that will receive public attention. The Kunstrausch event will take place on Friday, July 7, 2023 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Kunsthalle Bremen museum. Tickets are 5 euros and are available at the box office as well as in advance at the Kunsthalle Bremen museum, and on July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mensa cafeteria at the University of Bremen. Further information on the Kunstrausch event, the Youth vs. Crisis exhibition, and the program of the Kunsthalle museum.
Kunstrausch as Part of General Studies
Kunstrausch is a cooperation of the Kunsthalle Bremen and the University of Bremen. Students and museum staff curate the Kunstrausch event together once a year during a seminar offered by Faculty 9. The seminar takes place each summer semester; and students earn three credit points in the field of General Studies for their participation.
