Advance online – state competition “Off to the middle!”: 11,000 euros for Schluechtern

“Our goal is to support the Hessian municipalities in developing creative and sustainable solutions together with local stakeholders in order to rethink and redesign their inner cities,” said Economics Minister Tarek Al-Wazir. “I am particularly pleased that mobility, climate protection and integration play a major role in almost all projects and thus anchor these important future topics in the municipal memory in the long term through joint, experimental design,” says Al-Wazir.

The state of Hesse awards a total of 210,000 euros in funding for 17 state winners whose projects revitalize inner cities and town centers. This counteracts negative development trends with lively and attractive inner cities and town centers, creates identity and increases the quality of life. All this under this year’s motto: “My city, my playing field!”

With experimental laboratories, oversized games, whole game miles or the well-known “playing without limits”, the focus this year is on “playing”. This year, too, the award-winning municipalities impressed with multifaceted topics: the conversion of squares, market places, churches and the revitalization of vacancies are central. In the same way, creative action as well as participation and encounters find their place. This year’s prizewinners are revitalizing Hesse’s inner cities and, in particular, creating a common get-together that has been less possible in recent years due to the pandemic.

The 2023 award winners

City of Alsfeld: Take me to Church (12,000 euros)
Conversion of the Trinity Church and thus development of the rear monastery garden and the monastery ruins in order to test a new use together. Alsfeld game across the city center.

City of Bad Hersfeld: dance and movement through the summer (15,000 euros)
Dance and movement offers in the city with synergies between the departments of generations and city marketing. Promote fun in exercise, create opportunities for encounters, strengthen diversity and revitalize the city center.

Association for the promotion of the old town of Bad Wildungen: experience urban spaces in a new way (11,000 euros)
In an action week, mono-functionally used urban spaces in the old town will be repurposed and new things will be used as a test and model as a play and recreation room, playground or promenade and adventure mile.

City of Bebra: Heizer fit – Bebra fit: Let the Heizer games begin! (15,000 euros)
Bebra relies on a game and event concept, a long table throughout the city center and a new edition of “Games Without Borders”.

City of Biedenkopf: marketplace in transition (15,000 euros)
Tests for the conversion of the marketplace into a lounge with integrated outdoor gastronomy. (Water) games for children, outdoor gastronomy and open artist stage, activities for children and participation.

City of Eltville am Rhein: “Small town – many playing fields for US” (12,500 euros)
Eltville’s sense of sustainability: The concrete block field becomes a pop-up playing field. Nature and rose garden, the youth park of cultures to the international playing field for enjoyment, integration and exchange.

City of Friedberg: On your marks – get set – go! (12,500 euros)
“Friedberg Plays” continues to develop. There is a games mile with large game modules, game sponsors, mind and history games with an escape tour and a new game room.

City of Fulda and IG Löherstraße: Fulda summer games “They just want to play” (15,000 euros)
Löherstraße experiments and tries out new approaches in a playful way. Aims: to convert Löherstrasse into an “experimental laboratory” and make it accessible without traffic. Experimenting in the free street space.

City of Grünberg: Grünberger Stadtstrand – vacation in your city (6,800 euros)
4 tons of sand make downtown Grünberg an experience. Various games and sports offers with yoga, sand castle building competitions, gold fever treasure hunts, dance classes and evenings at the beach bar.

City of Hofheim am Taunus: Playground historic old town: Hofheim – play and space – with a difference (13,500 euros)
The focus is on a walk-in oversize playground in the old town (pop-up) with oversized board games, playgrounds, playmobiles, light shows and art installations.

City of Lorsch: Lorsch inner city magic (15,000 euros)
Multifaceted event formats with a wide range of target groups meet high quality standards – coupled with the courage to break new ground.

Project team DIAMANT, Offenbach am Main: DIAMANT Offenbach / Museum Of Urban Culture (15,000 euros)
The DIAMANT Offenbach will be a museum for urban culture and a school for creative action as a social place with participation and encounters, cultural production in art, design, fashion, architecture, text, music, film, movement and digitality.

City of Offenbach am Main: HÖHENFLUG – Weather and Climate Festival (10,000 euros)
HÖHENFLUG uses the indoor and outdoor area for joint actions, performances, lectures, concerts, theatre, cinema, workshops or discussion groups. Different people experience and shape the city together.

Kathrin Lariviére and Ute Storch with the association Nachhaltig-together-leben.jetzt eV in Roßdorf: On the 17 Ready, Go! (7,700 euros)
The 17 sustainability goals should be implemented in a lively and communicable way for everyone. Two weeks will be used for this, in which there will be events, workshops, exhibitions, etc. on the sustainability goals.

City of Schluechtern: On your marks – get set – Schluechtern (11,000 euros)
Schluechtern is a versatile playing field. The city has brought partners to its side for seven events or campaigns, each at a different location with completely new perspectives.

City of Schwalmstadt: “Go outside to play!” (11,000 euros)
Schwalmstadt becomes a playing field. With exciting active offers and cult retro and nostalgic games, we ensure that children, young people and adults get out of the house and into the center.

Neighborhood actors Superblock in the Rheingauviertel, Wiesbaden: “THE Superblock in the Rheingauviertel – get out of the car and into the neighborhood” (12,000 euros)
The profile of the district as a 15-minute district will be sharpened and the quality of the Rheingau district will be experienced. The Superblock Sunday will be continued and expanded in the summer.