Manifesta 16 Ruhr+ launches community art project in Dortmund's St. Martin Church

On 21 June 2026 the St. Martin Church in Dortmund hosted the opening of the community art project “Nebenan – Quartiersgeschichten – auf dem Weg zur Ehrenamtskirche”, a programme of the European art biennale Manifesta 16 Ruhr+. Over 170 visitors attended the vernissage, which featured three lectures and the launch of the exhibition “Ein Nachkriegsquartier und seine Kirche”. The diocesan architect C. Matery‑Meding introduced the project, followed by Dr. Eva Dietrich of the LWL discussing post‑war church construction, and a greeting from the local bishop. Children from the parish formally opened the exhibition, which will run until 4 October 2026. The project is part of Manifesta 16 Ruhr+, which also uses the Heilige‑Familie and Heilig‑Geist churches in Dortmund as venues.