NEW PROJECT STARTING UP IN GELSENKIRCHEN

We are looking for citizens of Gelsenkirchen to take part to an exciting and unusual project called Investment Zone. It is at the same time a game, an experiment and an art work: We invite 10 locals to make use of a plot of empty land at Schalker Verein (aka game zone) over the course of 9 month. The first meeting takes place in December 2013, and the game really starts January 2014.

Participants will come together every two weeks to deliberate and discuss in a structured manner the development of the plot. At each meeting micro-grants will be given to every player to invest in the game zone. Until the next meeting players will follow through with their decisions. The players can act on their own, or they can pool their resources and collaborate to achieve greater impact. It is entirely up to the discussions and negotiations between the players what investments and actions in the zone shall be taken.

The “Sonderzone” is located in a currently unused plot of the Gewerbegebiet Schalker Verein. On the site of a former steel factory city officials and town-planners had envisioned a new vibrant center of Gelsenkirchen, that mixes business, living and pleasure in an ideal way. (see “Dokumentation der Planungswerkstatt – Schalker Verein”, 2002). Infrastructure measures were taken to prepare the site for investors, but up to date not many plots have been developed. The site therefore speaks about the dreams and hopes of town planners, but it also tells a story of despair, of an unfulfilled promise. In it’s ambiguity between hope and despair the site provides an ideal location for the game.

Write to us if you are interested in taking part!

game rules at www.investmentzone.info

The project is originally commissioned by KunstRepublik. It is produced by Urbane Künste Ruhr, a division of Kultur Ruhr GmbH