Patrons: Gesche Glück, Diana Kalb, Christiane König, Philipp Pältz-Nitsche, Rosa Reiprich, Anne Schmachtel, Andy Zwicker

Commission: For our commission Im Wandel verbunden (In Transition, Connected), we would like to invite artists to explore together with us how change in Pegau can become visible, tangible and alive – as a process that connects rather than divides. We wish for something that endures even after the artists move on: a ritual, a place, a structure that repeatedly brings people together and contributes to the long-term vitality of Pegau.

Mediator: Diana Wesser

Period: 2026 ongoing

Partner: Kulturstiftung des Bundes

Program: Citizen-Commissioned Dance and Performance

Pegau is a small town in Saxony in transition – between rural surroundings and the Leipzig metropolitan region, between historical identity and new forms of connection, between vacancy, industrial sites of memory and future spaces for the local community.

After the profound upheavals following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the town is once again undergoing change. Thanks to its good connection to Leipzig and the economic transformation of the region, new residents are moving to Pegau while others leave. Established structures are dissolving, while new ones are only just beginning to emerge. A further major shift still lies ahead for the former mining region with the phase-out of lignite coal by 2038.

The New Patrons of Pegau – a group of long-time residents, returnees and newcomers – feel closely connected to the town. They understand these changes and transitions as a potential and as an opportunity to actively work together towards a good way of living in Pegau.

“Between retreat and new beginnings, we are looking for ways to shape change in Pegau together – not as spectators, but as co-creators of our town.”

From the comission

For the group, this is also a search for a collective “we” in Pegau. And because this “we” is meant to include more people than the patrons themselves, they first carried out a survey among Pegau’s residents to find out what people value about their town and what they feel is missing. Based on this knowledge, they formulated the commission for Pegau under the title Im Wandel verbunden (In Transition, Connected).

They are looking for an artistic approach that makes upheaval experienceable – “as a process that connects rather than divides,” as stated in the commission. The group wants to commission an artwork that involves as many people as possible and encourages active participation. Their aim is not a quickly completed piece, but a project that builds trust, makes room for diversity, brings generations together and has a lasting, enlivening impact on the future of the local community.

“We wish that people come to Pegau and feel welcome – that they sense: change is being shaped here together.”

From the commission

At the beginning of the commissioning process was the desire for a new place for encounter and togetherness in the town. In the conversations with mediator Diana Wesser, however, it quickly became clear that the ideas and needs were diverse. No single fixed space could do justice to all of them. But what if one thinks the other way around? Perhaps community does not always begin with a new place. Perhaps it can also emerge through shared action – and in doing so, create space for new encounters.

The group is commissioning something that endures even after the artists move on: a ritual, a place, a structure that repeatedly brings people together and contributes to the long-term vitality of Pegau. In the next step, the group will invite an artistic personality to respond to their concerns with a proposal.

“We wish that Pegau does not become merely a commuter town, but a vibrant place – with a democratic sense of togetherness, where people meet, participate and feel at home.”

From the comission