always and forever – Strategien und Perspektiven zu Care

Symposium #1

Welcome at 10:00
Panel 1: Care and Democracy
10:30 Uhr – 12:30

Interactive lecture by Dr. Johanna Leinius (Academic Director of the Cornelia Goethe Center for Gender Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt) on the question: What does democracy have to do with care? Who cares for whom, under what conditions, and who decides these conditions?

Following this, Iris Welker-Sturm, writer and member of GEDOK FrankfurtRheinMain, will read excerpts from works including “das unerhörte zwischen,” as well as recent poetry and short prose on the theme of “Care, Power Structures, and Democracy.” This will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with the audience.

Panel 2: Care in Non-Caring Environments
14:00 – 16:00

Presentations by Dr. Céline Barry (Research Associate at the Center for Interdisciplinary Women’s and Gender Studies, Technical University of Berlin) and the Center for Contemporary Arts Afghanistan in Exile e.V., followed by a discussion with the audience.

Barry’s presentation focuses on the experiences and political activities of groups such as International Women Space*, which were shaped by Black and African women. How do feminist networks emerge in the context of displacement and migration?

Razia Akbari, Yama Usmani and Bahar Arfan (CCAA in EXiLE e.V.) will introduce the independent, non-governmental arts and culture organization. In a time of increasing oppression, CCAA in EXiLE acts as a force of resistance committed to artistic freedom and cultural dialogue.

Starting at 16:30
Double-Care: Apéro with Gabriele Juvan (GEDOK FrankfurtRheinMain) and a glimpse into her collection, k*innen, which features prints by artists from the 1910s through the late 1980s, preserves these works, and brings the artists (back) into the spotlight.

Detailed programme: https://gedokfrankfurtrheinmain.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/01_Pressemappe_Always-and-forever_Dt_Englisch.pdf

Tickets: https://eveeno.com/103588609

• Day ticket (concession): €15
• Day ticket (standard): €17
• Combined ticket for both days (concession): €29
• Combined ticket for both days (standard): €33

Students with a valid student ID entry is free. Registration is required due to seating capacity:https://eveeno.com/103588609

Our ticket prices are based on the cost of a standard cinema ticket. We operate on a solidarity-based system, meaning that each attendee decides for themselves which option fits their financial situation.

Ticket QR codes will be scanned at the entrance. You can bring your ticket either on a digital device or printed out.

Some events will be held in German and others in English. We are committed to keeping language barriers to a minimum; therefore, translated texts will be available in advance. If needed, our team will also offer support through whispered translation.

The Symposium at the Alte Schmelze is an event organized by the artists’ association GEDOK FrankfurtRheinMain e.V. in cooperation with the Cornelia Goethe Center for Gender Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt (CGC) and the Archive for Women and Music. “Always and Forever – Strategies and Perspectives on Care” takes place on the occasion of GEDOK’s 100th anniversary and presents an exhibition, the symposium, and the event series “Images, Sounds, Words” at the Alte Schmelze.