It's done!The first section in the VHC is ready for use - at least in nice weather. On 21.06.2022, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Konglomerat e.V. started our new RepairCafé. It then also got a special name - DreCo, which simply means Dresden Cotta.Rainer and Alex have really worked hard for this in the last months. So there are already tools and material and on the new, self-built mobile workbench there were already 12 "patients".7 owners of these partly very old devices could solve their problems together with us and remove the defects.So far we only failed once to repair a printer. There a defective print head was diagnosed, whose new acquisition would have reached the new price of the equipment approximately, which would have been then probably uneconomical. 3 devices will be repaired in one of the next events.We are open every week, weather permitting, on Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.Finally, here is a little feedback from a visitor: "I liked it: working together, calm explanation, everything great :-)"Many greetingsRainerA big thank you goes to anstiftungwho sponsored the purchase of materials and tools from the RepairCafé!A second big thank you goes to the dis-Kinderfreunde e.V.who sponsored the mobile workbench!

On 30.04.2022 we opened the season at the Volkshaus with a flea market, guided tours around the house and the project kick-off for Senior*innen für Cotta. Here is a text by Rainer from the Volkshaus team:There it was - our first organized flea market around the project "New Volkshaus Cotta".Everyone was invited, old and young - and many came. We estimate that there were about 200 visitors. 10 flea market booths attracted in beautiful spring weather to stroll on the beautiful large lawn at the Volkshaus. Evena chess island was there. Maybe one or the other player will become a grandmaster.One or the other object changed hands and many small individual conversations with each other at the colorful booths rounded off the event.Alex opened the flea market on time at 10 a.m. and all visitors were always informed and entertained with music via the installed loudspeaker system. Even lost items were quickly returned to their owners.The atmosphere was great and the time passed very quickly. At 15:00 the stands were dismantled again.We are already looking forward to the next flea and flea market on the grounds of the Volkshaus Cotta.Photos: Victoria Gentsch

In all the darkness, the cold and the semi-lockdowns, the Volkshaus stands still in Cotta. But it is not completely inanimate. A lot has happened since Participation Month in October, but only in small internal circles due to the pandemic situation. The expansion and remodeling has begun with an initial cleanup: the toilets are now spotless, the first holes plugged and the vast majority of spiders moved out. Our AG Bau has forged a plan for all measures. We expect to be busy until the summer of 2022 with many smaller and larger expansion and conversion measures, in cooperation with the state capital Dresden. As soon as there is news, you will read about it on this blog.In addition, our fundraising campaign is progressing well. If you want to give us a little Christmas present, please leave us some change:As long as the association's activities are at a standstill, the Volkshaus will also remain closed. For a little ray of hope, we have put some decorations in the windows - come and have a look! We hope to see you again in spring in the garden of the Volkshaus.We wish you a peaceful time and a good start into the new year.Your Volkshaus-Team

For the Löbtauer Advent on 2021 the music played again at the BücherZelle...The Schillingplatz became the stage for numerous musicians and actors in the afternoon. Emil Ueberall and the Tharanther Küchenquartett played and the gospel choir, the neighbors and district initiatives provide a colorful program around the BücherZelle, at the Kesselsdorfer Straße and Gärtnerei Artenreich. together with Löbtop e.V., AWO, the churches, musicians and friends from the neighborhood we had a wonderful Löbtauer Advent.Also in 2021 there were musical contributions at the BücherZelleamong others Merle, Diva Daneben, Meta & Maru, Granateze and NaN from Berlin played

What a blissful month of October! In the bright autumn sunshine and in the midst of colorful leaves we had the opportunity to get to know you as neighbors in the garden of the New People's House Cotta. We have found many inspirations, ideas and also new comrades-in-arms - thank you!Here is a short review of the days by Kevin from the Volkshaus teamOn Wednesday, 13.10.21 the time had come: the first day of participatory events was coming up. I myself was there from 3pm and it was called "soldering and graffiti". I as a hobby photographer decided to accompany the afternoon and only at the next time (on 20.10.21) to go to hand and to solder or to turn to the topic graffiti. Because my practice in soldering was more than long ago. So I could check on 13.10 first whether this is now something for me. Sarah from the Volkshaus team was very taken with what Alwin (the soldering master) was doing. She enthusiastically mastered the task of building a synthesizer. Alwin talked about what he does, that he makes electronic music and that's why he came to soldering. Because Alwin makes electronic music with the help of soldering modules even professionally on - pretty cool guy!! Around 5 p.m. we devoted ourselves to the graffiti workshop of Tarek, the graffiti expert. The first children stormed the garden to let off steam while graffiti painting. Through intressante briefings of Tarek could quickly find new talents on our two large provided white walls. Because with Graffiti counts that one simply starts and tries itself out around also a picture on the wall to get. The children had their fun. And also their parents and the members of the Volkshaus team liked it very much. The hour with Tarek went by much too fast and everyone was happy that there was the same program with Alwin & Tarek again on 20.10! 18 o'clock we left the location and cleaned up. What a grand start to the participatory offerings 🙂 A week later, on Wednesday 10/20-21, the Volkshaus opened its garden doors again. A day to cheer! Soldering and graffiti part 2 was on the program and afterwards: our first plenum in the Volkshaus Cotta - an anniversary, so to speak.I myself was not really photographically at work this time, but dedicated myself to soldering. After a short consultation with Alwin, the soldering of the Synteshizer started - really great part! This time we soldered outside in the sunshine 🙂Acquaintances and a few new faces dedicated themselves to their soldering challenges and so the time passed as always much too fast, so that it went ratzi fatzi directly 5 pm to the Graffiti. The crowd of kids stormed the graffiti station again and inspired with new murals and their graffiti arts. When it got dark, the kids went home. And we started our very first Volkshaus intro at 6pm in the Volkshaus. Many new faces - and a few old ones - were there. Very nice!Then to the plenary came the best news of the day: we finally have a lease and may soon start cleaning up and expanding. So - it remains exciting! The next event was not long in coming: on Thursday, October 28, the last of our events from Mit-Mach-October took place: this time with breakdance and light painting.Arrived at 3 p.m. and with full anticipation for the evening, which I was allowed to accompany photographically, my afternoon started at the Volkshaus. Unfortunately without breakdance, because the participants were missing... but we are flexible and instead the three of us chatted about this and that: how and why one comes to breakdance etc.. In between I took some autumn pictures of the house and garden and so it was then quite fast 18 o'clock.The Lightpainting was on the program: the first parents with their children came and mastered with eagerness the Lightpainting evening, with any kind of illuminants like flashlights, glow sticks, cell phones or sparklers. No matter if in threes, twos or alone: they conjured up pictures in the camera! That went by the method of the long time photographs and/or long time exposure.It was a spectacle of the special kind, which made correctly fun! Even Anna was beside herself. And so we brought devils, angels, flowers or rings into the air. Then the evening came to an end and we closed the gates of the Volkshaus for the time being. See you very soon, your Kevin

With our mobile workshop we support in the infrastructure the Workshop series with the artist Hendrikje Schimmel. Here you are all cordially invited and can participate!!!Here the CALL:As a prelude to the upcoming solo exhibition of Tenant of Culture at Kunstverein Dresden, we invite you to participate in workshops with the artist Hendrikje Schimmel.The resulting works will become central elements of the exhibition, which sees itself as acollaborative process. The workshops will focus on different techniques inHandling fabrics, used garments and shoes will be the focus of the workshops.Larger groups, seminar or school classes can register for the group workshop daysregister. Individuals can register for the Open Workshop Days.Previous design or sewing experience is not necessary. The workshops areindividually adapted to the different needs and abilities of the participantsall ages are welcome. The workshops are free of charge.Please contact us for more information, questions and registration:tenantofculture@kunstvereindresden.de

Faster than expected!Actually, the building inspectorate even had until the beginning of August to check the necessary measures for the change of use.But now the confirmation is there and nothing more stands in the way of the new use from the official side!However, the permit still requires two additional fire protection measures:1. At one point, the ceiling still needs to be made fire-resistant.2. The event room needs a door to the outside.All right. We can do that, can't we?!That's why it's all the more important now to drum up donations: Do you know someone who knows someone who knows someone who has a penny to spare? Or would you like to donate to fire safety and accessibility yourself?Spread the word! Every euro counts. And the sooner we get the money together, the sooner we can open the doors to the New People's House in Cotta!Thank you for supporting us - only with your help will this project become a reality. Whether through financial support or as a bearer of the good news to other people 🙂Many greetingsYour #NeuesVolkshausCotta team

Wow, how nice! Finally we could invite you again - and there were really many of you! Jan had organized a great walk with several stops through our new neighborhood around the New Volkshaus Cotta.After a short introduction we started from Hebbelplatz and went directly to a small house, where the resident told us that it used to be a small homestead. You can't imagine it in today's dense development... We continued to the house Boden, which is still inhabited on the one hand, but on the other hand also serves as a museum. Here you could get an insight into how small apartments were furnished and lived in the past - without TV 😉 Then we went across the traffic-chaotic Warthaer Platz (which is not a square at all) to the Beatpol, where you can hardly imagine that this was once a magnificent ballroom - only the golden ceiling and an old column still testifies to the splendor. But today it still serves as a concert hall! Afterwards, we marveled at the tjg's new workshop, which was built right next to the now sadly empty old tjg building. We hope that this building, built in 1886 and formerly known as the "Constantia Ballroom", will soon be reawakened from its slumber! We strolled over the re-established vineyard right next to it to our last stop: Faust's Winery. It is amazing what little idyll the building community has built there. After the 3-hour tour in the sun, we arrived exhausted and happy at the Volkshaus, where we were already awaited with cool drinks and barbecue food - great!Thanks to all the people who supported the organization and implementation of the Walk and Talk and gave us an insight into their places of work and life! We are very happy to become part of this very diverse and beautiful neighborhood 🙂