The opening of the exhibition "MADE IN - Future Legacies" on 23 October 2025 in the Siebenschlehener Pochwerk marked the beginning of a chapter in Schneeberg that combines tradition and the future. For two years, designers, craftspeople, researchers and creative artists from six European countries worked together. The results of their collaboration can now be seen for the first time in the Capital of Culture Region Chemnitz 2025.
The exhibition shows how deeply rooted craft knowledge can be translated into contemporary design. Whether dyes made from algae, lampshades made from rushes or hybrid materials made from porcelain and wood - in workshops, residencies and field research, objects, installations and films were created that show new ways of sustainable design. Special attention was also paid to the partners from Saxony: residencies were held at the Kunstgewerbemuseum of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections), where designers took up the material and immaterial heritage of the region. For example, knitwear designer Cécile Feilchenfeld combined wooden and porcelain flowers with silk blossoms in her knitted objects in collaboration with wooden toy maker Marlen Tröger and the Meissen porcelain manufactory.
The Faculty of Applied Arts Schneeberg at the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau brought young designers from all over Europe to the region with interdisciplinary workshops and at the same time opened up a view of local traditions such as the chip basket manufactory in the Erzgebirge. "As the participants discovered these hidden treasures and creatively reinterpreted them, it became clear how European identity grows through the interplay of regional roots and international exchange," says Prof Jacob Strobel.
The opening itself was a feast for the senses. In addition to musical contributions by Jürgen Karthe on the bandoneon, a culinary fusion took centre stage: star chef Uroš Fakuč from the partner European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica / Gorizia and Lars Rosenkranz from Restaurant Bergauers in Schneeberg combined Slovenian and Erzgebirge cuisine, an invitation to taste the cultural diversity of Europe.
The exhibition runs until 20 December 2025 in the Siebenschlehener Pochwerk. The KulturWerk Schneeberg association is organising the accompanying programme. Another satellite station is the presentation of selected works at the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz from 29 October 2025 to 11 January 2026. One thing became clear at the opening: MADE IN is more than just an exhibition. It is a network that shows how European cooperation, sustainable innovation and traditional craftsmanship can mutually enrich each other and thus create a future legacy.
Addresses and opening hours
until 20 December 2025: Siebenschlehener Pochwerk | Lindenauer Straße, 2208289 Schneeberg | Opening hours: Fri-Sun, 10 am - 4 pm | Admission free
Selected works from 29 October to 11 January: Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz | Theaterplatz 1 09111 Chemnitz | Opening hours: Tue-Sun and public holidays, 11am-6pm, Wed until 7.30pm | Admission free
MADE IN Platform for Contemporary Crafts and Design is co-financed by the European Union. The exhibition and the supporting programme are supported by Makers, Business & Arts, a main project of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 in collaboration with the Slovenian Cultural Information Centre Berlin - SKICA Berlin and the Slovenian Tourist Board.