" Konferenz Dritte Orte " (KDO) premieredon Tuesday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the Foyer Public, Theater Basel – Details on the sequel will follow.
Due to high demand and to ensure everyone could participate, the presentations and panel discussions at the KDO were recorded. In addition, the majority of the conference’s breakout sessions were held a second time online afterward.
In our digital archive , all videos are available for you to watch.
Here's a look at the topics covered in the breakout sessions:
1. Mika Haasler: “This Is Where the Music Plays!” – Community Music and the Role of Modern-Day Cultural Venues
2. Anja Adam + Marian Cramm: The Public Foyer—A Third Place Caught Between Vision and Everyday Life
3. Patrick Oes: Space Without Direction—The Courage to Embrace the Uncurated
4. Nadine Apperle: Idealism Meets Mammon – Thinking About the “Third Place” in Economic Terms
5. Meret Jaggi + Nicolas Schmutz: A Cultural District in the Making—Challenges, Practical Collaboration, and a New Beginning
6. Anna Kleeblatt: From Doorman to Concierge—Hospitality in an Open House
7. Ursula Baum: Engagement on Equal Footing—Volunteers as Indispensable Contributors
8. Veronika Ehm: What Really Works? – Evaluation and Learning
9. Christina von Rotenhan: From Project to Mindset—Organizations in Transition
What made the " Konferenz Dritte Orte so special?
Over the course of two days, the Konferenz Dritte Orte the origins of “third places” and their pioneers, their social functions, their funding, and their future prospects through a packed program. The bilingual conference was deliberately designed to be interdisciplinary. It brought together perspectives from theaters, museums, libraries, and sociocultural centers, as well as voices from public administration, urban planning, architecture, and civil society. It examined strategic issues as well as everyday life. It provided a space for exchange and encouraged participants to look beyond their own boundaries.
Three international speakers—Aat Vos, Martin Colomer-Diez, and Robin Cantrill-Fenwick—brought high-caliber keynote presentations to Basel. The tradition of “third places” in Basel itself was reflected in engaging presentations such as that by Barbara Buser. Three European case studies highlighted the potential of third places, with a focus on Vienna, Munich, and London. In four breakout sessions, participants could choose from thirteen different workshops, develop ideas together, and find solutions to the challenges associated with designing third places.
What happens next?
" Konferenz Dritte Orte " marks the start of an annual conference series that will take place in at least one different city each year going forward.
Third places are the spaces in between where culture is not only displayed, but shared, felt, and reinvented.
ORGANIZER 2026
With the support of:
CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION 2026
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.
For the Konferenz Dritte Orte , she Konferenz Dritte Orte the concept, program, and dramaturgy in collaboration 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.