Students of the Alanus University in Bonn-Alfter/Germany linked their fine art course under the leadership of their teacher Ulrika Eller-Rüter with opera music. They painted during the exercises of the orchestra of the Bonn Opera playing La Boheme; one example of the outcome is M.-C.Hallier's "Colliding Sounds”

The University of Saarbruecken/Germany created a virtual city tour of its neighbouring city of Saarlouis - as a historic review how the city was built in the 17th century. Based on old maps, painted pictures and old photos from the beginning of photography with the help of computers the scientists reconstructed parts of the historic city in a 3-D-module. It is even planned now to enlarge the module by virtual people, being dressed in old costumes and selectively to act as tour-guides. Beside the review of the part for those being interested in the history – the model is intended also to help the city-planners of Saarlouis today to work on concepts how to preserve some of the old ruins and how to integrate them best into the modern town.
 

Dr. Sascha A. Lehmann (SAXA) is poet, painter and medical doctor. Living in Cologne/Germany his art combines the visual aspects on the one hand side with a “view from the inside “: for example the main church of Cologne (“called “Dom”) is covered with words of the “Cologne Constitution” - a special feeling and engagement for the heart and soul of the city.

Prints of the picture are sold via the club “we help” which was founded by Alfred Neven DuMont and his wife Hedwig. Part of the sales-prices supports underprivileged children in the Cologne area. ( more )
 

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) during its World Design Congress in Singapore choose for its bi-annual award Helsinki out of 46 competitors from 27 countries to be the Design Capital in 2012. It follows Turin (2008) and Seoul (2010).

Mayor Jussi Pajunen stressed the importance for such an award for all the region, the universities and training-centers but also entrepreneurs and the society in general. The topic for 2012 will be “Open Helsinki – Embedding Design in Life”. The ambition is to top the present benchmark even by improving the city and the living-situation by new impulses ( more information ; more impressions )
 

The Scientific Council of the EHI Retail Institute was invited by Martin Essl, Chairman of the Austrian based Do-it-Yourself Chain bauMax. His parents started after World War II to collect art as their private hobby; in 1999 they opened their own museum with a total size of 7,200 square meters - 2,300 square meters of it being depots for their collection.

In 2005 Agnes and Karlheinz Essl founded the Essl Art Award CEE, a bi-annual event supporting young artists in the countries where bauMax has a business presence. In 2009 students of art academies in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia entered their works via the internet. Ten applicants each were selected by an international jury. In May 2009 the works of these nominees were presented in the six capital cities and the jury awarded three prizes per country.