Monsters and Politics - Impulse Festival 2026

Räume halten I

Monsters and Politics

Cultural policy discussion

“Räume halten“ is a new discursive format responding to the growing influence of (right-wing) reactionary positions on the arts and cultural landscape. At its core lies the question of which strategies can be employed to defend, sustain, and reimagine spaces for art, critical thinking, financial resources, and a progressive understanding of culture. These are essential conditions for enabling diverse aesthetic experiences, participation and access, as well as critical and complex discourse—and for valuing them within a democratic society.

The discussion will address practical examples of clear positioning and successful dialogue: how do we respond to the instrumentalisation and shifting of discourses? In what ways does the contemporary “monstrous” manifest itself in (cultural) politics and in the everyday practices of artists and cultural practitioners—and what strategies of solidarity, persistence, and holding space can be developed?

In this first edition of the series, Der Spiegel bestselling author and cultural journalist Şeyda Kurt (including “Radikale Zärtlichkeit“, “Hass“), Martin Naundorf, co-director and curator of the festival OSTEN in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Batıkağan Pulat, chair of the cultural committee in Bochum, and Noëmi Sander of “Radikale Töchter” will discuss the “monsters and politics” of our time.

The new series “Räume halten“ brings together cultural practitioners, artists, venues, and thinkers to counter the growing influence of right-wing and reactionary actors and to develop strategies for defending cultural spaces and interpretive agency. Conceived as a travelling format, the series will continue at further independent arts festivals across North Rhine-Westphalia, extending the discourse on space, interpretive authority, art, and culture. Upcoming editions are planned at the asphalt Festival Düsseldorf (15 July–2 August) and the FAVORITEN Festival Dortmund (1–11 October).

Concept and moderation: Leonie Adam

Dates

13 June, 15:00–16:30

Tickets

Free entry

Venue

PRT Bochum

Duration

90 minutes

Language

Deutsch

Accessibility

Biographies

Batıkağan Pulat is a Turkish-German teacher from the Ruhr region. He won a direct mandate in Bochum for Die Linke and has been nominated as chair of the Committee for Culture and Tourism. Shaped by his engagement in refugee support, culture, and trade unions, he advocates for accessible politics and stronger support for the independent cultural sector.

Leonie Ute Maria Adam is a dramaturge, theatre educator, and lecturer. After studying at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, she has worked at Theatre Bremen, Schauspielhaus Bochum, the FAVORITEN Festival Dortmund, and Folkwang University of the Arts, among others. She is currently training as a drama therapist and regularly moderates artistic and discursive formats.

Martin Naundorf is a curator and part of the artistic direction of OSTEN – Festival for Art and Mutual Interest in Bitterfeld-Wolfen. Most recently, he co-curated the exhibition ”Faust“ at the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. He studied Curatorial Cultures at HGB Leipzig and Cultural Work in Potsdam and Amsterdam. Following his studies, he worked as an artistic production manager for institutions including Kunstfest Weimar, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, the production office YMUSIC, and the Marc Sinan Company. His current curatorial practice focuses on public space, “the East” and the festival as a format.

Noëmi Sander / Radikale Töchter: Since 2019, Radikale Töchter have been inspiring new and effective forms of political participation through their work in civic education. Their training approach—combining action, art, and politics—is designed to ignite a spark and to demonstrate how accessible it can be to take action. Their aim is a critical mass of people who once again feel a passionate commitment: to democracy, to social justice, to solidarity. Noëmi Sander identifies as a “Radikale Tochter” because, in the face of unjust power structures, remaining silent and inactive is not an option.

Şeyda Kurt is an author and journalist. In July 2026, she will publish her third book, ”Zeit der Monster“, following “Radikale Zärtlichkeit” and “Hass – Von der Macht eines widerständigen Gefühls". Her work is widely regarded as an important contribution to contemporary political thought. In Bochum, she is also known as a moderator at Schauspielhaus Bochum, where she hosts the series “What a Feeling” and “What a Crime”.