Creative research and exchange platform for needs and practices of care after cultural events
Date: Ongoing since 2025
Location:Traveling format. 2026 in Chemnitz after the year of the European Cultural Capital
Role: Co-Initiator, research design, data collection and analysis, curating
Project Team: Martin Leibinger (research, curating), Giuliana Marmo (curating, education and mediation, communication)
Artists: Christiane Limper, Ryts Mone, Nadja Kracunovic
Graphic design: Gabriela Parra Sánchez
Collaborators: Klub Solitaer (cultural initiative in Chemnitz), Yana Klichuk (former head of education and mediation at Manifesta), Carlo Coppola (former production manager at Manifesta), Elena Blesa (head of mediation and education at Manifesta)
Funding: Stiftung Kunstfonds, “Plattformen”, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, “Beyond Now”
Website: https://biennialofcare.com
The Biennial of Care is a curatorial research project that explores the afterlife of large cultural events. Festivals and biennials often create countable outcomes such as new infrastructure, extended networks and broader audience. Organizers often speak of “legacy.” At the same time, cultural events often live from social engagement and participation by local communities and cultural actors. Effects of this work are less countable and tangible and easily overlooked. Our question is: What remains in terms of expectations, relationships, engagement? Adding to a current debate in the cultural sector, we use the term “care.”
Aftercare for large-scale cultural events
Throughout 2026, we focused on Chemnitz after the year of of the European Capital of Culture. Our project used creative research and artistic means to create awareness and exchange for topics of aftercare. In our research phase, from February to June 2026, we met with cultural actors in Chemnitz and with organizers of the Capital of Culture. In the artistic phase, in August, three artists conducted actions in public space, engaging with questions that we extracted from our research.Nadja Kracunovic explored exhaustion. What does the exhausted body tell us — not only about what has passed, but also about what could emerge anew? Christiane Limper brought her own experience of a failed bid from her hometown of Flensburg. What should not be lost after winning a European Capital of Culture title? Ryts Monet designed an alternative currency to playfully negotiate the value of (cultural) work. What value emerges in the relation between artistic production, labour, time, and visibility?Together with people in Chemnitz, and in other host cities, we create a platform to share and exchange about demands and existing practices of care.
The Biennial of Care, Chemnitz 2026
Photos and more information will be posted soon…
The Biennial of Care – Chemnitz