„Food, Cycle & Soul“ shifts the focus of discovery toward the cologne „Schäl Sick“, meaning the right, allegedly unpopular and industrially characterised bank of the river Rhine with the districts Kalk and Mülheim. Here, industrial culture meets regionally produced delicacies and Kölsch beer with culinary influence from around the world. That the bicycle tour includes a stay in „The New Yorker“, which is situated close to the cradle of Otto Motors and thus the automobile era, shows the subtle irony behind this remarkable story. And that both minds behind the project courageously call Mülheim the Brooklyn of Cologne – simply fantastic. We hope for a successful start of “Food Cycle & Soul”, are happy to add financial wind to the sails and ask for a bicycle-motivated and tasteful round of applause for Rosalia Nußbaum and Jutta Zingsheim.

www.nrw-tourismus.de/a-food-cycle-and-soul-koeln

Against all problems, even in Ückendorf “things are much better, than people would think”. This is demonstrated by an art village, a science park, the “stairway to heaven” on the slag heap Rheinelbe. We also see it with the wonderful wilhelminian architecture, a tremendous brick-expressionist church and in the studios on the gallery mile. And this is what we are feeling when we’re in touch with the virtual-virtuosos and their positive craziness. Last year they celebrated the first VR-Festival in Germany and were able to attract 2000 guests to the district, which up to then had not really been known as high tech-hotspot. Gamers, diddlers, freaks and geeks and most importantly: Normal people were amending applications, playing and sat together right into the night. They made use of any professional conference location through to derelict houses in this local nucleus of creativity.

The Jury is already looking forward to the second version of this festival in 2020 and awards the #urbanana-AWARD based on the successful feat of the first festival with special regard to the conceptional demanding festival concept as well as the bringing together of the real and virtual world. Whether it’s virtual or real, in any case we applaud the Virtual Reality Festival.

www.places-festival.de

Pubs, clubs, backyards and hostels: David Holtkamp (The Dorf) and André Jannsen (Goldmucke) have developed their concept “Four Rooms” and projected the spectacle to the urban area of Düsseldorf. #urbanana has always given a fresh view on the city. “Three places” exemplatory repositioned this view of Düsseldorf. They bring everything together, what and who the project includes: creative industry and tourism, passion and expertise, hometown glory and cosmopolitanism, urban trekking and pleasure, inventiveness and ingenious scaling. We cannot wait for the first tour! A round (of) runout-applause for “Three Places”! 

www.nrw-tourismus.de/three-places-duesseldorf

Once a year on a lovely summer evening the Filmhaus moves around town, from venue to venue. Within a couple of minutes they put up the technical equipment for mobile projection and briefly introduce the producers to spectators. “Bielefeld leuchtet” manages to engage spectators to follow them around town being able, similar to the pied-piper effect, to attract curious by-passers. The final, joint picnic, ending the film procession, lets guests come together in conversation and celebrate. The jury would like to award this project with special regard to the exemplary, small, almost traditional projects in the urban areas that are often taken for granted: no, these events are special and you cannot find them anywhere else. “Bielefeld leuchtet” is an excellent example of creatives making their city worth-living through their work and performances.

www.filmhaus-bielefeld.de/

A new visibility for a new audience - thank appness! Obviously the normal cultural recipient seldomly knows where a party is held. The Jury would like to highlight the successful conversion of a simple print-product into a resembling simple digital concept, without succumbing the temptation of overloading an app through 360-degrees-tour, japanese versions or gamification. The art of cultural digitalisation involves omission and concentration. The app solemnly directs the way to gallery door steps, making it easier to overcome its threshold. Not more, not less. Therefore we award Robert Danch and his team the #urbanana-AWARD 2019 accompanied by a highly concentrated and warm applause.

www.koelngalerien.de/app

The desire to put the past behind one’s self and to build a better future also was the spirit that shaped the post-war era architecture. That time has past, but its architecture is what remains: modern schools, universities and town halls, churches, department stores, swimming pools and residential areas. They were built visions for a modern and democratic society. And most importantly they still are “Big Beautiful Buildings”. This collaborative project of StadtBauKultur NRW and the TU Dortmund has been able to capture and process the on-going beauty of these buildings. The project was able to provide an openess towards revaluation as well as introducing the Ruhr Area to a wider European debate, reaching from Manchester to Gdynia and from Paris suburbs to ex-yugoslavian monuments, by offering award ceremonies, bus tours and tourist guides, incredible PR and controversial discussions. Those discussions that excite emotions and get visitor streams moving. A big, beautiful applause for the “Big Beautiful Buildings.

www.bigbeautifulbuildings.de