Theater of Fantasy
August 12, 2025
An art project full of ideas in the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen
In autumn 2024, the LUDWIGGALERIE Schloss Oberhausen became a creative playground for around 80 students from four Oberhausen schools. In 18 interdisciplinary workshops, they explored the exhibition "What's there to laugh about?" featuring art by Walter Moers—and developed their very own world from it: Oasis.
Inspired by Moers's fantastical continent of Zamonia, new places emerged on the map of Oberhausen: The "Schnarchboulevard," the "Flötecke," and the "Flammenberg" were drawn, named, and turned into the setting for their own invented stories. Their inhabitants, the Oasis, were also brought to life by the students – with imaginative masks and costumes made of foam rubber, glitter elements, and garden fleece.
A project between museum, city and stage
The workshops took place not only in the LUDWIGGALERIE, but also in the Europahaus and in public urban spaces. The city itself thus became an extended learning and experiential space. Using theater, dance, and music pedagogy methods, the children developed choreographies, tested movements, and presented their performances at various locations in the city center.
The focus wasn't on the perfect performance, but on collaborative design and experimentation. The children and young people were encouraged to make their own decisions and experiment creatively – whether sewing a costume, drawing, or developing a small scene.
A place for a change of perspective
For many, the museum was not just an exhibition space, but a place where their own ideas became visible. Exploring topics such as urban design, diversity, and collaborative work not only fostered their artistic skills but also developed concentration, perseverance, and self-confidence.
The project was accompanied by a film by an external filmmaker. The resulting film was shown at the end of the exhibition—a quiet yet powerful testament to the creative processes. Many students did not wish their images to be published, so the presentation took place primarily in the protected space of the museum itself.
Conclusion: Imagination creates spaces
"Theater of Imagination" has demonstrated how powerful cultural education can be when young people are allowed to participate. It has opened up new spaces – in people's minds, in the city, in the museum. And it has given them courage to think, invent, play, and become visible.
RuhrKunstus – An educational project of the RuhrKunstMuseen
Supported by the RWE Foundation
term 2024 – 2026
RuhrKunstbewegt is an educational project of the 21 RuhrkunstMuseen, supported by the RWE Foundation.
The network of RuhrKunstMuseen develops with RuhrKunstus once again offers an educational program for children and young people growing up in financial poverty and whose social participation is impaired by disadvantaged living conditions. Participants will experience the museum as a new place of experience and expand their skills through creative forms of expression. Approaches and formats of museum education and communication will be expanded in an interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary manner: approaches from theater, dance, and music will complement museum offerings to offer children and young people a variety of stimulating approaches to art and culture, as well as self-efficacy and independent acquisition of learning content and working methods.
Over three school semesters, children and young people of different age groups and school types can take part in several consecutive workshops in order to find their own approach to art.
General