Our seven-member, independent jury will decide on the submitted applications end of June 2026. It will select 15 projects to further develop their concepts by November 2026. From these 15 concepts, the jury will then choose seven in December 2026 to move forward with implementation. Learn more here about the members of our jury:
Sevgi Demirkaya
Sevgi Demirkaya is a cultural manager based in Cologne and program director of Kulturbunker Mülheim e.V. After studying economics, media design, and media informatics, she initially worked as a consultant, developing strategies for migrant communities. Today, she initiates and curates cultural projects with a focus on participation, diversity, and post-migrant perspectives. In 2023, she was named Cultural Manager of the Year. She is a board member of Soziokultur NRW and serves on the jury of the Cologne Cultural Council.
“My favorite everyday or leisure space: I love being in nature and in cultural spaces. The Carlsgarten in Cologne brings both together for me—an urban garden with culture, concerts, and encounters.”
Johannes Dietrich
Johannes Dietrich (born 1978) is part of the “third generation East.” Throughout his educational and professional career, he has worked extensively on adult education and civic engagement. He is a co-founder of the association weltbewusst e.V. and helps develop the cultural center Werkstatt 26 in rural Königstein (Saxony). His work has consistently focused on providing low-threshold support for engaged individuals on the ground, as well as for initiatives and associations—through counseling, organizational support, or access to resources. Experience shows that spaces, experiential knowledge, and the mediation of helpful contacts in particular help transform ideas into concrete projects. That is why everyday spaces are especially close to Johannes’s heart.
“My favorite everyday and leisure spaces are cafés, parks, and nature.”
Inga Gertmann
Inga Gertmann heads the Partnerships team at More in Common Germany, an international organization that researches polarization and social cohesion. In More in Common’s lab, she works with civil society organizations on how to design their programs and communication in ways that reach people beyond already well-connected groups. Previously, she worked as a consultant for public administration and for Teach First Germany at a school.
“My favorite everyday space is the library.”
Georg Pirker
Georg Pirker has many years of experience in political education and works as a program officer for international political education at the Working Group of German Educational Centers (Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten e.V.), an independent institution for political education and youth work. In his work, he advocates for international exchange, the promotion of democratic competencies, and educational approaches that strengthen democracy and human rights.
“My favorite everyday and leisure spaces can be found, for example, within the associations, initiatives, and projects united in the Polylux network, which work locally to promote a strong and critical civil society.”
Isidora Randjelović
Isidora Randjelović works and is actively engaged in Berlin with RomaniPhen e.V., a feminist Romani self-organization. She teaches at Alice Salomon University on racism, migration, and self-organization and also publishes on these topics.
“My favorite everyday or leisure space: I move through very different spaces in my daily life—my favorites are those, both physical and digital, where people who are supportive, welcoming, and inspiring come together.”
Benjamin Schwarz
Benjamin Schwarz (born 1978) is a political communications consultant, author, and managing director of part GmbH für digitales Handeln. He advises NGOs, political parties, and initiatives on strategic communication, climate policy, and democracy. As an author, he advocates for constructive change and social participation.
“My favorite everyday space is the Oodi Library in Helsinki: a radically open, beautiful, democratic space that seamlessly combines education, encounter, and participation. Oodi embodies the idea that public infrastructure builds trust and makes equality tangible in everyday life. In Germany, I am fascinated by places where social differences can temporarily lose their relevance: the soccer stadium or the music festival, when people come together not as social status, but as fans or members of an audience. Shared enthusiasm for something is a great prerequisite for creating encounters.”
Merve Selek
Merve Selek works in project coordination and education on issues related to diversity, social participation, and dialogue. She studied Islamic theology in Tübingen and interculturality and integration in Schwäbisch Gmünd. In various projects, she led initiatives on Muslim diversity, the promotion of democracy, and exchange, and supported the development and professionalization of civil society structures.
During her parental leave, her leisure spaces have also changed: at the moment, they mainly include playgrounds, parent-and-child groups, and parent-child cafés.