28. Nov. / 16.15 - 16.45 Journey from Love Parade to Detroit
Dimitri Hegemann is a cultural worker and enthusiast of unconventional forms of expression in all its forms, a pioneer in the realm of alternative culture. In the 1980s, he organized the non-conformist Berlin Atonal and played a key role in establishing the techno club Tresor in Berlin. Hegemann contributed significantly to bringing together young people from East and West Berlin, as well as from around the world, making a substantial impact on introducing techno sound to the German audience.
In recent years, he has dedicated himself to the revitalization of forgotten industrial spaces and alternative urban development. Transforming ruins into urban cultural spaces is at the core of his strategy for fostering new, modern, and prosperous creative industries and productive jobs.
In 2012, Hegemann co-founded the organization Happy Locals with Annette Ochs. Happy Locals is a collective of Berlin-based organizations that assist in realizing alternative projects, sharing experiences and knowledge, and finding collaborators and partners for planning creative initiatives for cities in need.
Happy Locals aims to elevate projects to a national and international level. Hegemann sees himself as a cultural activist with the goal of transforming industrial ruins into cultural spaces. According to him, this is the only way to save old cities from falling into meaninglessness. His current project involves renovating industrial spaces in Detroit as part of the group called Detroit-Berlin Connection. He wants to assist the people of Detroit with alternative, non-traditional projects using existing community resources: the people who live there and the plethora of unused buildings.
Hegemann seeks to inspire the people of Detroit by building a creative hub to attract projects that combine art, music, technology, and improving the quality of life in urban neighborhoods.
Dimitri Hegemann is a cultural worker and enthusiast of unconventional forms of expression in all its forms, a pioneer in the realm of alternative culture. In the 1980s, he organized the non-conformist Berlin Atonal and played a key role in establishing the techno club Tresor in Berlin. Hegemann contributed significantly to bringing together young people from East and West Berlin, as well as from around the world, making a substantial impact on introducing techno sound to the German audience.
In recent years, he has dedicated himself to the revitalization of forgotten industrial spaces and alternative urban development. Transforming ruins into urban cultural spaces is at the core of his strategy for fostering new, modern, and prosperous creative industries and productive jobs.
In 2012, Hegemann co-founded the organization Happy Locals with Annette Ochs. Happy Locals is a collective of Berlin-based organizations that assist in realizing alternative projects, sharing experiences and knowledge, and finding collaborators and partners for planning creative initiatives for cities in need.
Happy Locals aims to elevate projects to a national and international level. Hegemann sees himself as a cultural activist with the goal of transforming industrial ruins into cultural spaces. According to him, this is the only way to save old cities from falling into meaninglessness. His current project involves renovating industrial spaces in Detroit as part of the group called Detroit-Berlin Connection. He wants to assist the people of Detroit with alternative, non-traditional projects using existing community resources: the people who live there and the plethora of unused buildings.
Hegemann seeks to inspire the people of Detroit by building a creative hub to attract projects that combine art, music, technology, and improving the quality of life in urban neighborhoods.