How can overlooked or underused spaces in our cities become places for young people to gather, create and belong? In March 2025, Digital Camp #7 brought together participants from Oslo, Stuttgart and Hradec Králové for a shared exploration of urban “gaps” — and how performing arts can activate them as third places.
Urban gaps as a starting point for artistic thinking
Digital Camp #7 was organised by Junges Ensemble Stuttgart (JES) in collaboration with Stadtlücken, a Stuttgart-based non-profit association working with underutilised urban spaces. Stadtlücken operates at the intersection of design, urban development and civic engagement, with a strong focus on public space as a foundation for democratic coexistence.
The aim of the digital camp was to introduce participants to Stadtlücken’s methods and perspectives, and to encourage them to transfer these ideas into their own artistic and theatrical practices within the 3Place framework.
Preparing to see the city differently
Ahead of the workshop, participants were asked to identify a place in their own city where they would like to try something out — a space that felt unused, overlooked or full of untapped potential. They shared photos and locations on a common digital mural board, ensuring that the workshop was grounded in concrete, local examples from the outset.
When the workshop began, participants introduced themselves by naming their city and describing it in a single word. This simple exercise immediately opened up a comparative perspective between Oslo, Stuttgart and Hradec Králové, highlighting both differences and shared experiences of urban life.
From observation to analysis
Stadtlücken provided a theoretical introduction to their work, focusing on how to recognise urban gaps — not only in architecture, but also in social structures and everyday use of space. Participants were invited to reflect on questions such as: What spaces do we pass by without noticing? Who uses them, and who does not? What could they become?
The shared mural board then became a key working tool. Each participant presented the place they had chosen, explaining what drew their attention to it and why it felt meaningful or problematic.
Awareness: Sharpening the eye for empty spaces and gaps in architectural, urban and social space.
Making connections: How do other people from your own city experience their own urban space? And what are the differences between Oslo, Hradec Králové and Stuttgart?
Reflection: What characterizes your city for you? What do you like about it and what are you dissatisfied with?
Activate: How can you change, redesign or transform urban spaces?
Transfer: How can you transfer this to your own city and connect it to your
artistic practice?
Imagining new third places
Following a collective vote, one location from each city was selected for deeper exploration:
- an abandoned shopping centre close to the theatre in Oslo
- a listed staircase at a church in Hradec Králové, often used informally by young people
- a dark passageway connecting a shopping street and a park in Stuttgart
Participants then worked in groups to develop “desired images” for these spaces. Using collage, text and drawings, they explored how each location could function as a third place for young people, how it might connect to their local theatre, and how artistic interventions could transform its use and atmosphere.
A key outcome was the exchange of perspectives between the participants from Oslo, Hradec Králové, and Stuttgart, fostering connections and a deeper understanding of public space dynamics. Through interactive discussions and a shared mural board, participants critically examined their cities and conceptualized creative transformations. Each group explored how their spaces could become engaging third places through artistic interventions.
Performing arts beyond the theatre building
The final presentations revealed a wide range of ideas, shaped by local context and participants’ own needs and experiences. Discussions focused on how theatre and performing arts can move beyond institutional buildings and engage directly with urban space — creating new forms of participation, visibility and belonging.
The final presentations showcased diverse ideas, demonstrating how theater
and the performing arts can extend into public spaces. The workshop effectively bridged urban studies and artistic practice, inspiring future projects that integrate creativity into city life.