ADKV-Herzogenrath Forum

The ADKV-Herzogenrath Forum is an annual in-person conference
organised by the ADKV
supported by the Wulf Herzogenrath Cultural Foundation


Wulf Herzogenrath, co-founder of the ADKV and long-standing director of the Kölnischer Kunstverein and the Kunsthalle Bremen, laid the foundations for the sustainable promotion of cultural initiatives by establishing the Wulf Herzogenrath Cultural Foundation. 
Thanks to the support of the Wulf Herzogenrath Cultural Foundation, the ADKV is able to organise the ADKV Herzogenrath Forum.

The ADKV Herzogenrath Forum serves to facilitate exchange, mutual understanding and professional development among the members and staff of the art associations organised within the ADKV, focusing on current topics relevant to cultural policy.

Therefore concrete assistance is provided for issues facing the associations, such as membership recruitment, generational change, digital communication, changes to association or tax law, etc.

Starting from keynote speeches, the conference primarily employs interactive formats such as public panel discussions, discussions and workshop-style working groups. These may be supplemented by webinars held some time after the conference, which can reach a wider circle of art associations.

Art associations are generally run by very small teams who are responsible for all areas of operation. They often lack the time and expertise to deal with cultural policy issues, as well as matters relating to funding and association law, on top of these core responsibilities. The ADKV’s executive committee also works on a voluntary basis for the ADKV alongside their professional or voluntary roles within the art associations.

Seeking expert advice from various fields is therefore a key priority for strengthening art associations, voluntary work and civil society at a time when there is a growing need for further training. 

The generous funding from the Wulf Herzogenrath Cultural Foundation enables the ADKV to restructure and deepen its core tasks of lobbying for and advising its affiliated art associations, drawing on expertise in the fields of law, civil society, politics and funding bodies. This is of central importance to the ADKV’s work, as it has a tangible impact across the breadth of art associations. In the current period of societal transformation, the funding from the Wulf Herzogenrath Cultural Foundation represents an extremely valuable support for civic engagement.

The ADKV-Wulf-Herzogenrath Prize for Voluntary Work will also be awarded as part of the ADKV-Herzogenrath Forum.



On 15 and 16 November 2025, the ADKV-Herzogenrath Forum entered its second round in Leipzig, held in Hall 14 and the GfZK:
Under the title “Staying in dialogue! Perspectives for a cultural landscape under pressure”, representatives from art associations, exhibition venues, cultural policy, academia and civil society came together to develop strategies for a resilient and solidarity-based cultural landscape. 
The programme is available for download on the right.

Concept and organisation of the 2025 Forum:
Lena v. Geyso, Kathatrina Klang, Ursula Schöndeling (ADKV Board) and Janett Doerr (Secretariat)


The first ADKV-Herzogenrath Forum took place on 2 November 2024 at the Dortmunder Kunstverein.

Concept and organisation of the 2024 Forum:
Meike Behm, Elke Gruhn, Ursula Schöndeling, Rebekka Seubert (ADKV Board)