Citizen participation

The series of information and dialogue events on the “Rabenstein Innovation Campus” got off to a flying start on Thursday 2 July with a fully booked launch event. At Rabenstein Primary School, the City of Chemnitz provided interested members of the public with an update on the current status of the site’s redevelopment. Mayor Thomas Kütter, Börries Butenop, Head of the City Planning and Property Office, Carina Kühnel, Head of the Environment Office, and Sebastian Michaelis from the City of Chemnitz’s Economic Affairs Department outlined the current state of planning and answered questions from participants. Building on this, dialogue with residents was a key part of the event. Participants took the opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions and contribute their perspectives to the discussion.

The City of Chemnitz will continue to actively engage with the local community: a follow-up to the series of events is planned for early autumn 2026, at which the key issues raised by residents will be discussed in detail.

The city of Chemnitz is once again calling on young citizens to play an active role in shaping their urban environment. Under the slogan “Take a seat – young people shape the city”, creative projects will once again be supported in 2026 that transform previously unused spaces into new places where young people can feel at home. Applications can be submitted until 30 August 2026 by all Chemnitz residents aged 14 to 27.

The idea behind the project is simple: Communities create spaces – and spaces create community. Building on the results of youth surveys and youth conferences, the city has recognised a clear desire among young people – for more places to meet, exchange ideas and be active together. We are therefore looking for proposals on how young people can transform small squares, vacant lots or brownfield sites into vibrant meeting places.

A budget of 2,026 euros is available for each selected project. The funding is intended to encourage personal initiative whilst also facilitating community projects that bring together different ideas and talents.

Once again this year, initiatives, associations, groups and individuals who are committed to a diverse, peaceful and democratic coexistence will be supported. Applications for funding for relevant measures can be submitted until 23 February.

Projects submitted as part of the funding guidelines of the local action plan for democracy, tolerance and a cosmopolitan Chemnitz can be funded with up to 5,000 euros. In the federal "Demokratie Leben!" programme, up to 20,000 euros can be applied for per individual measure.

Individual consultation appointments can be arranged directly with the specialist centre at: koordinierungsstelleLAP(at)stadt-chemnitz.de.

475 citizens took part in the survey on meeting places in Chemnitz districts under the motto "Together - not lonely!", which the city of Chemnitz called for from 1 June to 15 September 2025. The aim of the survey, which took place as part of the Capital of Culture project "Spaces of Generosity - Places of Encounter", was to visualise the diversity of existing meeting places, assess their importance for social interaction and gain new impetus for existing and new places of encounter.

The results show that public outdoor spaces (275 responses), cafés and restaurants (215 responses), cultural and sports facilities (195 responses) and meeting centres (195 responses) are among the most popular meeting places. The main reason for their attractiveness is the opportunity to meet friends and acquaintances (311 mentions).
(311 mentions), uncomplicated and barrier-free access (291 mentions) and a tangible feeling of safety and well-being (282 mentions).

Overall, the feedback makes it clear that meeting places are very important for people in Chemnitz and for living together.

After more than three years of intensive collaboration in the course of NUMIC 2.0 - and a further three years in the predecessor project - this cooperation between the City of Chemnitz and Chemnitz University of Technology came to an end on 30 May 2025. However, the transfer of knowledge, the stabilisation and the impact of the experience gained on citizen participation in transport planning and its research will not end.

With this in mind, the results of the final event on 20 March have been published under the title "Successful participation in urban and transport planning". In addition, an explanatory video has been published that conveys the interplay between public participation and transport planning as well as key project findings.

Finally, a freely accessible handout is to be published online by Chemnitz University of Technology. It summarises the most important findings from NUMIC 2.0.

One year after the start of the application phase for the funding programme "EUJA! Initiative Projects for the Capital of Culture" funding programme, the results are now available: Around 120 projects from individuals, associations and initiatives have been approved within the programme and will be implemented over the course of 2025. The total funding amount is 505,000 euros.

The programme started on 01.05.2024 and applications could be submitted until 31.05.2025. It comprised three funding pillars with different focal points: the special fund "Places of Awakening", the special programme "Microprojects on Intervention Areas" and the special programme "Civic Engagement". EUJA!" was initiated by the City of Chemnitz, which was able to win over the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH, Sparkasse Chemnitz and Grundstücks- und Gebäudewirtschafts-Gesellschaft mbH (GGG) as project partners.