Land Lines

The Center for Literature – Burg Hülshoff spotlights art and culture outside major cities in its new artistic lab “Land Lines”. What kind of contemporary cultural programmes are currently being offered in rural regions? What role do art and culture play in these regions today, and what role will they play in the future? And what influence are local infrastructures and global challenges like climate change having on artistic and cultural activities in rural settings? “Land Lines” invites artists, researchers, cultural professionals and citizens to explore the possibilities and perspectives of artistic and cultural work in rural regions over a period of several months. 

While nationally and internationally active writers and curators artistically explore these questions as part of a residency programme, the group “Syndikat Gefährliche Liebschaften” (Dangerous Liaisons Syndicate) will do the same together with residents from the region. Based on the results of both groups, the project organisers plan to create a performance series which will be shown at various venues and online. A series of interdisciplinary workshops will be offered at the same time to allow representatives from the cultural, academic, agricultural and digital sectors to come together and strengthen cultural work in rural regions at a superregional level. At the concluding congress, guest speakers from eastern and western Europe, Latin America and West Africa will present their perspectives on rurally situated cultural venues and the global challenges facing them.

Artistic direction: Jenny Bohn, Dominik Renneke
Artists: Matthew Blaise, Jan Brandt, John Burnside, Muna Gurung, Lisa Klosterkötter, Syndikat Gefährliche Liebschaften, Uta Ruge

International congress: Burg Hülshoff / Digitale Burg, Havixbeck: 29–31 Aug. 2025
Performance series: Künstlerdorf Schöppingen, Schöppingen; Haus Rüschhaus, Münster; multiple venues, Münsterland: 6 Sep. – 5 Oct. 2025
Mini festival: Burg Hülshoff, Havixbeck: 7–8 Mar. 2026