Umpolen Collektive

Umpolen is a collective that uses vacant spaces in Karlsruhe to create temporary, non-commercial places for people to meet and exchange ideas. These spaces serve as short-term venues for sociocultural events and exhibitions, as well as simple gathering places. In January 2026, the collective took over a former shared apartment in Karlsruhe's Südstadt neighborhood for a week and explored themes of friendship and distance. The event featured workshops, "Kitchen for All," film screenings, concerts, and readings.

Since May 2026, Umpolen has been setting up a temporary neighborhood gathering place and cultural space in the former Löwenbräukeller in Karlsruhe's Weststadt district. Each time, the starting point is the space itself, from which the collective explores the theme of neighborliness. These spaces serve as a bridge between social space, workshop, workspace, exhibition space, and garden, aiming to bring people into dialogue with one another. In doing so, Umpolen collaborates with both local initiatives and people outside of Karlsruhe, developing formats that facilitate mutual learning, conversation, and socializing.

At the former Löwenbräukeller, efforts are made to create everyday structures in which neighbors aren't just strangers, but fellow human beings with whom one lives in solidarity and connects. The space is open twice a week and serves as a venue, sometimes hosting events, sometimes simply functioning as a gathering place, while also engaging with the memories tied to the location.

Umpolen was founded as a collective in the summer of 2025 and consists of students from the HfG, the Art Academy, and people from Karlsruhe who came together to make community and cultural work accessible in Karlsruhe. Umpolen also collaborates closely with Radio ShbShb, which broadcasts the events live online.