Hallenbad

Visit Hallenbad in Herne-Wanne and find a bathtub full of creativity

Do you know of an indoor swimming pool where you don’t swim in water, but bathe in a wave of ideas? No? Then you haven’t been to the “Hallenbad” (German translation of indoor swimming pool and also name of this special creative place) in the Wanne district of Herne.

Once a normal shop in the middle of the pedestrian zone, this place is now a meeting place for all kinds of people, a gallery for visual artists, a stage for musicians, a pop-up store for urban production and also a project office and advice centre for creative people. It is an umbrella for players in the creative industry to  exchange ideas and possibilities, also to experiment with new cooperations and joint developments of new products in an inspiring atmosphere.

The laboratory Hallenbad is centrally located and easily accessible – also for the 30 or so creative companies already located in the creative quarter Wanne. These are studios, private theatres and cultural institutions as well as providers from the fields of printing, event management, photography, PR, web design and advertising, which as part of the growth sector of the creative industries are helping to shape structural change in the Metropole Ruhr.

Creating this space was a joint initiative of the city of Herne under the leadership economic development agency Herne.Business and creative players. Their aim is to mobilise and strengthen the mostly hidden creative potential of this urban space. This is an initially unusual ambition, as this place is located far from the major centres and was therefore rather contemplative in the shadow of the big city sisters. But as the saying goes: still waters are deep. With the start of the creative labs, a dynamic developed that brings the young and creative life in the city to the surface. This is where people meet, ideas are born and culture comes alive. The space is also a component of district development and as such has a nucleus function. It serves as a centre for urban participation in the funding programme Kreativ.Quartiere Ruhr. With this initiative, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is supporting the emergence of artistic and creative milieus in the Ruhr area, enabling economic effects to be achieved by increasing the number of creative businesses settling in the area and thus promoting structural change in the Ruhr area.

So, anyone looking for opportunities to meet people here or for cultural offerings beyond the big stages is welcome here. It’s all happening here without any pressure – whether you’re just dropping by to listen to a reading, listen to a little live music or have any questions. Opportunities to enter easlily are often available, as the Hallenbad offers an extensive programme with lots of activities, which can be found on the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/KreativQuartierWanneHallenbad).

Those who prefer to announce themselves can contact Stefanie Thomczyk. With her agency “Go Between GmbH”, she is firmly anchored in the creative industry and takes care of the organisation on behalf of the city. She also offers guided tours of the district on request. Here, too, it becomes clear how much creative potential is hidden in the urban space. Then inconspicuous doors and gates open to visitors. And they are always amazed by the unexpected paradises.

By the way, the naming of the Hallenbad as a creative space is a perfect example of the path of change that the Ruhr area has taken: the past becomes the future. And so the sign and emblem of the genuine old indoor swimming pool (which has since been closed) found its way into the creative milieu and now adorns the entrance to Heinestraße 1.

Website / Social Media

Facebook profile Kreativ.Quartier Wanne Hallenbad

Instagram Account kreativ.quartierwanne