Do you have a story? Tell it in the Cologne Story Labs – your way!
Cologne Story Labs brings people with and without a history of migration together. In a creative, multilingual space, they are invited to tell and reflect on aspects of their life stories and write them down in exchange with tandem partners.
Together we want to develop new, diverse and appreciative stories about origin, identity, belonging and life in Cologne. It’s not about perfect writing, but about personal stories, listening to each other and the joy of creative expression.
In three consecutive workshops we will get to know different methods of storytelling:
Object-oriented storytelling: personal objects become starting points for sharing memories. Together we discover how stories can be told authentically in this way.
Biographical interviews & listening: We learn to ask sensitive questions, listen empathetically and document life stories respectfully. We draw on methods from oral history and biographical work.
Creative Writing: In a joint writing workshop, texts are created without pressure to perform and without any claim to perfection. Whether in German, multilingual or in another language – your own voice counts.
The workshops create a safe space for exchange, reflection and shared learning. People with different life paths work together, discover new perspectives and develop their stories.
At the end, selected texts and contributions will be presented at a public event at a cultural venue in Cologne. In this way, the resulting stories will find their way into Cologne’s urban society and open up new conversations about memory, migration and living together.
Cologne Story Labs is a joint project of Jama Nyeta and DOMiD as part of the “Kommunaler Fonds Kulturelle Bildung (KuBiK)” funding program of the City of Cologne.
Take part:
- Participation is free of charge.
- There are 15 places available.
- Application deadline: July 31, 2026
- Project period: September 2026 to April 2027
Program:
Over the course of the project, you will get to know different methods for discovering, telling and writing down personal stories. No previous knowledge is required – the focus is on curiosity, openness and the joy of sharing.
Workshop 1: “Letting objects tell stories”
September 18, 2026 | 17:00-19:30
Location: DOMiD e. V.
Management: Bebero Lehmann
During a guided tour of the DOMiD collection, we discover how objects can make memories and stories visible. We then use curated objects as a starting point for creative storytelling.
Workshop 2: “Oral history & biographical interviews”
September 2026 (evening date, exact date to follow)
Location: Jama Nyeta
Director: Dr. Azziza B. Malanda
How do stories emerge in conversation? In this workshop, we will learn about biographical interview methods and practise asking sensitive questions, listening empathetically and respectfully accompanying personal stories.
Workshop 3: “Creative writing in the context of multilingualism”
September 2026 (evening date, exact date to follow)
Location: Jama Nyeta
Management: Sandra Vacca and Yann Pouget
In an open writing workshop, we experiment with language(s), memories and creative writing impulses. Multilingualism is expressly welcome and will be used as a creative resource! We work playfully and without pressure.
Deepening phase
November – December 2026
After the three workshops, you will continue working on your stories with a tandem partner. The project team will support you individually. Two supervised tandem meetings are planned.
Final phase
January – March 2027
The tandems continue to work independently and finalize their texts with the support of the project team.
Open storytelling event
April 2027
At the end of the project, selected stories, oral and written contributions will be presented at a public event at a cultural venue in Cologne. The resulting stories will be shared with a wide audience and open up new conversations about memory, diversity, belonging and living together in Cologne.
Contact:
Yann Pouget (Project Manager, Jama Nyeta)
E-mail: pouget@jamanyeta.org
Phone: 0221 70994558
Cooperation partner:
Promotion:
