The Ruhr region is an exciting cultural region, which present Art in extraordinary locations. A well-founded cultural infrastructure in the Revier cities is complemented by a fascinating festival landscape, from the RuhrTriennale to the Ruhrfestspiele, the Ruhr Piano Festival or Theater Days in Mühlheim. Especially significant are, however, spaces from cultural experiments, which are regionally well established and widely respected on a national level.

The festival “open systems” has distinguished itself in a special way. This is already the sixth time that the concert producers present experimental and innovative projects of a truly unique character in the cities of Bochum, Dortmund, Essen and Herne.

This year the idea of open systems is realized as in cooperation with our European neighbors Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. An experimental field for internationally famous artists and ensembles is established here, complemented by the unburocratic participation of schools from the region. Activities like these are what make up the richness of the cultural province North Rhine – Westphalia. I wish the audience, the artists and the concert producers a successful and exciting festival.


(Hans-Heinrich Grosse-Brockhoff)
State secretary for culture

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