Konferenz Dritte Orte, Tuesday, May 5 to Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Foyer Public, Theater Basel
Third places. New spaces for cohesion.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the future of cultural institutions also depends on how openly they see themselves as communal spaces—as places that display art and also facilitate exchange, encounters, and participation. "Third places" are thus evolving from a desirable addition to a central component of cultural work.
What is the Konferenz Dritte Orte?
The conference is deliberately interdisciplinary in nature: it brings together perspectives from theaters, museums, libraries, and socio-cultural centers, as well as from administration, urban planning, architecture, and civil society. After all, anyone talking about public cultural spaces today needs to think across sectors—and learn from each other.
International case studies and practical reports show how cultural institutions are strategically and operationally opening up new spaces, promoting social cohesion, expanding access, and redefining social relevance.
Dialogue formats provide an opportunity to find solutions to the numerous challenges.
The bilingual (German/English) event brings together "Space Transformers," experts, decision-makers, and practitioners.
"Third Places" marks the start of an annual series that will be held in a different Swiss city each year.
Konferenz Dritte Orte now for the Konferenz Dritte Orte :
Tuesday, May 5 to Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Foyer Public, Theater Basel
Conference fee: CHF 275
The conference fee includes admission to the conference, all program items including workshops and city tours, as well as drinks and meals during the day.
Approximately ten days before the start, participants will receive a link to the conference app. This app contains all the relevant information for attending the conference.
Hotels near the conference venue
There are numerous hotel options in the vicinity of the conference location Theater Basel – Foyer Public, Theaterstrasse 7, 4010 Basel, Switzerland. Accommodation is not included in the conference fee and must be booked independently.
A block of rooms has been pre-reserved at the following hotels:
Hotel ODELYA
Missionsstrasse 21a
4055 Basel, Switzerland
Overnight stay per person: CHF 135 including breakfast
Reservation with keyword: Konferenz Dritte Orte
Motel One Basel
Barfüssergasse 16
4051 Basel, Switzerland
Overnight stay per person: CHF 169 without breakfast, breakfast extra CHF 19.90
Reservations via the booking form
Arriving by train
Basel has excellent connections to the international rail network. From Basel SBB train station , you can reach Theater Basel in just a few minutes by tram: lines 8, 10, or 11, "Theater" stop, or on foot in about 15 minutes.
Arrival by plane
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse will be partially closed from April 15 to May 20 due to construction work. During this period, flights to Basel will be limited.
We therefore recommend that international guests use Zurich Airport as an alternative to Zurich Airport . From there, there are direct train connections to Basel SBB (travel time approx. 60 minutes).
Who is the conference for?
professional audience
Representatives from theaters, concert halls, museums, libraries, and other cultural institutions
Architects, urban planners, cultural policy makers
Foundations, administrations, civil society actors
Third places are the spaces in between where culture is not only displayed, but shared, felt, and reinvented.
Open Call: Present your "third place" at the conference
As part of the Konferenz Dritte Orte , we Konferenz Dritte Orte a marketplace for exchange, networking, and concrete insights into practice. On May 5 and 6, a space for exchange will be created in the Foyer Public, Theater Basel: projects will be presented on poster stands and participants will have the opportunity to talk to those involved. Open, as practical as possible, on an equal footing.
The marketplace is not a showcase for ready-made models of success. We are interested in processes, experiences, open questions, and what is really being negotiated in the everyday life of third places.
Do you run a third place? No matter how big or small!
Have you learned something that you would like to share?
Do you enjoy open dialogue about challenges and successes relating to financing, participation, diversity, infrastructure, or programming?
Then we look forward to receiving your application for one of our market stalls.
What you can expect:
Your own poster (approx. 1 x 2 m) in the foyer
Direct discussions with other initiatives, experts, administrators, and politicians
Thematic exchange formats during networking breaks
Visibility during the conference (on-site and digitally on the website and conference app)
Interested?
Then send us a brief introduction by March 15 to kontakt@dritteorte.ch.
With:
Project name, location, and site
Brief description (max. 800 characters)
2–4 topics that matter to you
a current or past challenge
Minimum 6, maximum 12 images
No glossy documents necessary. A concise, honest description is sufficient. The number of poster stands is limited. We will contact you after the deadline.
We look forward to getting to know your locations and designing the marketplace together with you!
ORGANIZER
With the support of:
CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT
Anna Kleeblatt
Anna Kleeblatt a business administration graduate, cultural manager, and curator specializing in public space, urban culture, and cross-sectoral collaboration.
For over ten years, she has been developing and managing conferences, festivals, and programs at the intersection of culture, society, and politics.
At Konferenz Dritte Orte , she Konferenz Dritte Orte the concept, program, and dramaturgy together with Theater Basel.
Anja Adam
Anja Adam is a cultural manager and mediator with a focus on participation and cultural engagement. She has worked for the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, the Ensemble Modern, and the Mercator Switzerland Foundation, among others. She has been with Theater Basel since 2015, where she has played a key role in developing its fundamental opening up to the public through the launch of the Foyer Public and other projects.
She is co-director of the Theater Public division and a member of the theater management team.