Manifesta 2026 asks what should happen to Germany’s unused churches

Manifesta 16 Ruhr, the 30th anniversary edition of the nomadic European biennial, opened on 21 June and runs through 4 October, focusing on how Germany’s disused churches might be repurposed for cultural and community use. The edition spans four Ruhr-area cities—Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, and Bochum—and centers on 12 churches, including Essen’s St. Gertrude Church (built 1877, rebuilt 1955), which held its last service in June 2025 and now hosts studios and exhibitions. One featured work is Berlin-based artist Nasan Tur’s installation Elevation, which turns pews upright and adds carved phrases such as “Keep door open” and “Love is freedom.” Manifesta director Hedwig Fijen said the project responds to local needs for shared gathering spaces in a region she described as among North Rhine-Westphalia’s most economically fragile areas.

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