ESC: Interculturality in Berlin (KulturMarktHalle e.V.)

The association KulturMarktHalle e.V. was founded in 2016
as a voluntary initiative of people from different
professional and cultural contexts. The connecting element
was the volunteer work in a group accommodation for
refugees. From the beginning it was our vision to create a
place for art, culture, new ideas and initiatives where
encounters between “old and new” Berliners in a colourful
neighbourhood is possible.
The importance of appreciation of different cultural and
social backgrounds is as important to us as the promotion
of intergenerational knowledge transfer, the culture of
mutual encouragement and empowerment through
community and lifelong learning and life experiences.
We see ourselves as an empowering space for new models
of living and learning together in horizontal and mostly self-
organized structures. In May 2018 we found this place in an
empty department store in former East Berlin and started to
make the idea of the KulturMarktHalle a reality. The concept
of the KulturMarktHalle was discussed, planned and
developed as a model in common workshops with local
residents of different origins. At monthly general meetings
and through the preparation work of project groups such
as: exhibitions, events, culture, finances and spatial planning
the concept was reviewed, adapted, further structured and
completed.