A group of ten BA, MA and PhD students from Leuphana University in Lueneburg, Germany, will make presentations based on their research exploring the roles of artists in two American cities—Detroit and Baltimore.

In Detroit, students have worked with Kerstin Niemann to study the engagement of artists and arts managers in their specific urban environment.

In Baltimore, Volker Kirchberg and students have considered artists and artistic leadership especially in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

Kirsten Niemann works with FILTER Hamburg and FILTER Detroit between art, urban planning and neighborhood-based social and educational projects.

Volker Kirchberg is Professor for Cultural Organization and Cultural Communication at Leuphana University. His main research fields are cultural sociology (especially the sociology of the arts), organizational sociology (especially in and for museums), issues of cultural communication and outreach (especially by museums) and urban sociology (especially the importance of arts and culture for urban development).