An unused shop premises at Essen Hauptbahnhof is being transformed into an open meeting place. On 10 July 2026, NELA. Next Economy Lab will open the Social Pop-Up Club there, in the pedestrian underpass leading to the central bus station (Ladenzeile West).
Under the motto “Enough for everyone!”, the new venue will invite travellers and visitors until March 2027 to experience exhibitions, workshops and discussions, and to play an active part in shaping them.
A space for sustainable ideas and hands-on activities.
A space for sustainable ideas and hands-on activities
Copy link to this sectionAcross 90 m², creative freedom meets social engagement. Guided by the central question, “What does a good life look like, where there is enough for everyone?”, people from Essen and the surrounding region can exchange ideas on sustainable ways of living. The concept thrives on participation: initiatives focused on sustainability can use the space for their own meetings and activities.
Cultural events and community activities are designed to strengthen social cohesion and provide fresh impetus – for example, through thsound installation ‘Stadtstimmungen’ by Peter Petersen and Sofia Mellino, which will be part of the programme from 17 July.
The project is supported by the Environment and Development Foundation NRW, the Soziofonds Kultur and Deutsche Bahn.
A fresh perspective on humanity and nature: The ‘DisAppearances’ exhibition
Copy link to this sectionThe new premises are celebrating their opening with the premiere of the ‘DisAppearances’ exhibition by the artist Jelka Plate. For this, the artist uses repurposed camouflage costumes. Her central question: What happens when humans give up their role as the ‘crown of creation’? The project features humorous self-experiments. For example, visitors can experience what it’s like to lie in a meadow as a tuft of grass or to become a tree. Running until 10 October, the exhibition offers a humorous and optimistic contribution to the current climate debate.
- Through performances and special costumes, ‘DisAppearences’ explores the question of who we are when we see ourselves as beings that are not merely human.