Workshop Rethinking Sino-German Cultural Exchange
Rethinking Sino-German Cultural Exchange
Workshop for Cultural Mediators at the Intersection between China and Germany
Organized in cooperation between the Confucius Institute at the University of Bonn and Goethe-Institut China. With kind support by the City of Bonn.
Exchange in the field of culture traditionally played an important role for the relationship between China and Germany. Over the past decades, numerous national and municipal cultural institutions, as well as cultural mediators, have dedicated significant effort and resources to realize a wide range of projects with diverse objectives and priorities. However, in the recent past–at the latest since the ‘Zeitenwende’ declared by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz–, the conditions and framework for Sino-German cultural relations have undergone noticeable changes. Political and economic tensions have made a simple “business as usual” approach difficult, and a loss of trust can be observed on multiple levels.
How can cultural actors in Germany and China respond to these changing conditions? What new strategies and formats are necessary to make cultural exchange future-proof?
This workshop addresses these questions by reflecting on recent developments, analyzing opportunities for change, and developing sustainable concepts for future cooperation. It is directed particularly at cultural managers who work at the intersection of Sino-German exchange and are directly affected by the current challenges in their work. Also, cultural managers from Germany who are interested in future engagement are encouraged to participate.
Workshop Opening
19:00-21:00
Performances
TIAN Gebing: 5 in 10,000 万分之五 (Lecture Performance with Noodle Cooking)
Popo FAN: Lerne Deutsch in meiner Küche (Short Movie)
ZHOU Dong: The Produced and the Consumed (Performance with Live Electronics and Violin based on Poems of Zheng Xiaoqiong)
Reception and Informal Gathering
09:00-09:30
Welcome and Introduction
Moderator: Marianne von Blomberg
Speakers: Dr. Anna-Lisa LANGHOFF (Cultural Office at the City of Bonn), Robin MALLICK (Goethe-Institut China), Dr. Hannes JEDECK (Confucius Institute at the University of Bonn)
09:30-10:30
Section 1 (Status Quo): The Bigger Picture
Keynote 1: Cultural Policy and Cultural Management in Different National Contexts and Global Artworlds. A Comparison of Policy Systems and Challenges for Working in International Contexts
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Birgit MANDEL (University of Hildesheim)
Keynote 2: Different Perspectives on Sino-German Exchange
Speaker: Ruth SCHIMANOWSKI (Former Chief Representative of the Beijing Office of the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD)
10:30-11:15
Section 2 (Status Quo): Roundtable on Sino-German Cultural Exchange – Actors and Objectives
Input 1: The Goethe-Institut China
Input 2: The Confucius Institute at the University of Heidelberg
Input 3: The Paper Tiger Theater Studio Beijing/Berlin
Discussants: Robin MALLICK (Goethe-Institut China), Dr. Petra THIEL (Confucius Institute at the University of Heidelberg), Prof. Christoph LEPSCHY (Mozarteum Salzburg/ The Paper Tiger Theater Studio)
Discussion: What are the objectives of Sino-German cultural exchange? Have there been direct or indirect expectations? Was cultural exchange successful?
11:15-11:45 Coffee Break
11:45-12:30
Section 3 (Reflection): Thematic World Cafés on Sino-German Cultural Exchange
World Café 1: China Competence (Experts: Dr. GUI Hao and Prof. Dr. Marcus HERNIG)
World Café 2: Red Lines and Boundaries of Exchange (Experts: Lennart RIEDEL and Dr. Benjamin CREUTZFELDT)
World Café 3: Financing Cultural Exchange (Expert: Dr. Jasmin GONG)
World Café 4: Managing Cultural Exchange (Expert: Prof. Christoph LEPSCHY)
How have the conditions for Sino-German cultural exchange changed in recent years, and what challenges have emerged? What experiences have been made?
12:30-13:00 Presentation of Results
13:00-14:00 Joint Lunch at CassiusGarten Bonn
14:00-15:30
Section 4 (Looking ahead): Roundtable on the Future of Cultural Exchange
Input 1: Art in a Multipolar World
Input 2: Digitalization and Diversity
Input 3: Sinophone Perspectives
Discussants: Prof. Dr. YOU Mi (University of Kassel/documenta Institute),
ZHOU Dong (Leuphana University), Popo FAN
15:30-16:00 Coffee Break
16:00-16:45
Section 5 (Looking ahead): Thematic World Cafés on the Future of Cultural Exchange
What can Sino-German cultural exchange achieve? In which fields are collaborations possible? Where can we find potential paths for Sino-German cultural exchange? How can these be effectively utilized in the future?
16:45-17:30 Final Discussion and Closing Remarks
10:04 Departure from Bonn Central Station with RE5 towards Cologne South (Köln Süd)
11:00-12:00
Visit of the exhibition “Ink Roamings” featuring works by Chinese artist Pan Jianfeng and the exhibition “Mythos Ming” at the Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne
12:00-12:45
Discussion with Dr. Daniel SUEBSMAN (Museum for East Asian Art) on “Mythos Ming” as well as on the three exhibition themes “Roaming Ink,” “Inversive Ink,” and “Mindful Ink”
13:00-14:00
Joint Lunch at “Chinesisches Höfchen”, Salierring 44, 50677 Köln
14:00
Individual Departures
Costs & Accommodation Information
- Participation in the workshop is free of charge, including the performances and reception on June 11.
- Catering will be provided for all participants on June 12, including lunch, coffee breaks, and light refreshments.
- Visit of the exhibition “Ink Roamings” will be free of charge, but the optional joint lunch on June 13 has to be paid for individually (appr. 15-20€/person)
If you have any questions regarding travel arrangements, accessibility, or accommodation options, feel free to contact us.
