In the volunteer editorial team, volunteers for Chemnitz 2025 publish reports on their experiences, assignments and adventures around the European Capital of Culture.
Bettina lives in Neukirchen in the Ore Mountains and works in the volunteer editorial team. Bettina has been a volunteer since 2024 and contributes her valuable voluntary experience to the European Capital of Culture gGmbH. A former bank clerk, she previously worked as a hardware and software developer.
On 18 September 2025, our support was needed as volunteers at the German Association of Cities in Chemnitz. The participants, who had travelled from all over Germany, met in the morning for a training session at Chemnitz City Hall. After the official programme, they were able to choose between several cultural activities in the afternoon.
There were four tours to choose from:
- Hartmann factory
- Industrial museum
- Art collections
- Gunzenhauser Museum
Our task was to take the groups to the respective museums or to the Hartmann factory. I accompanied the guests to the Gunzenhauser Museum. As we walked together, we exchanged ideas and told stories about Chemnitz - almost like a little guided tour of the city.
We were already expected at the museum and were given a brief introduction to the history of the building and the collection of the Munich gallery owner Dr Alfred Gunzenhauser, which comprises over 3,000 works and found its way to Chemnitz.
Afterwards, we were lucky enough to experience a guided tour of the current exhibition "WIN/WIN - Art Acquisitions by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony". Every year, the Cultural Foundation acquires works of contemporary visual art in order to provide financial support to artists at important points in their careers and to make their work accessible to the public. The focus is on works that were created in the Free State of Saxony.
Unfortunately, we were unable to visit the upper floors as two new exhibitions were being prepared there. Nevertheless, the visit was a great experience and the participants were impressed by the modern architecture of the building and the exhibition. After the tour, I took "my" group back to the town hall, where a delicious dinner awaited them in the brewery.
I also met the other volunteers again at the market. They all reported positive experiences and great interest in the Capital of Culture. Every volunteer was also a city guide - and we were delighted with our guests' enthusiasm for Chemnitz and the positive feedback from the places they visited.
