Venues
UT CONNEWITZ
The UT Connewitz is Leipzig’s oldest surviving cinema, dating from 1912, and is therefore also one of the oldest in Germany. Following various refurbishments, it was used for a range of purposes from 1985 onwards – albeit with a reduced seating capacity – including youth initiation ceremonies and concerts, as well as serving as a meeting place for the GDR punk scene. The UT Connewitz closed in 1992. Since 2001, it has once again been hosting a regular programme of cultural events, including concerts, film screenings, readings, theatre performances, conferences and other types of events. Apart from the seating – although heavily damaged – the interior of the cinema auditorium remains largely in its original 1912 condition.
This is where the conference opening will take place; the UTC is also a conference venue on Thursday.
Source: Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH
DISTILLERY
The Distillery in Leipzig is the oldest techno club in the new federal states and is regarded as one of the best-known techno clubs in Germany. Its first venue opened in September 1992 on the site of the former Kronen Brewery in Leipzig-Connewitz. This venue was closed in 1995, despite numerous protests, primarily due to a lack of emergency exits and other regulatory issues. In September 1995, the operators and the authorities agreed on a new site for the Distillery on a former Deutsche Bahn site in the Südvorstadt district. In 2012, a tender was issued for the complete development plan for the railway site; as part of this, the club was to be relocated, as the city council feared it would otherwise face difficulties in marketing the building plots. This was followed by petitions and demonstrations, in which the former Lord Mayor and former Federal Minister of Transport, Wolfgang Tiefensee, also took part. In July 2014, the city council committed to preserving the Distillery in its ‘Framework Agreement for the Development of the Bayerischer Bahnhof Urban Area’. However, by March 2019, it was clear that the club would have to relocate. On 29 May 2023, the final event and a demonstration took place at the site. On 30 August 2025, after just under two years of planning and construction, the Distillery reopened its doors, this time in the northern wing of Hall 7 at the old Leipzig Exhibition Centre.
On Thursdays and Fridays, the Distillery hosts ‘Nach Acht’ and features two conference rooms and a social space; this is also where accreditation takes place.
Distillery 1 (1992-1995)
Source: Distillery
Distillery 2 (1995-2025)
Source: Groove Magazin
Distillery 3 (2025-heute)
Source: LiveKommbinat Leipzig
KOHLRABIZIRKUS
planning and future concept (in German language)
The Kohlrabizirkus is the former wholesale market hall of the city of Leipzig, which is now used as an events venue, including for ice skating and cultural events. It is a listed building. The name ‘Kohlrabizirkus’, which originated in colloquial speech due to its shape and former function, has now become officially established. The sunken courtyard, which was formerly used for deliveries to the wholesale vegetable market, was used as a club from 2014 until a few months ago. From May 2014 to January 2025, the basement on the north side was initially home to the legendary techno club Institut für Zukunft; in April 2025, the techno club Axxon N. opened on the premises for just a few months. The city intends to continue supporting club culture at the Kohlrabizirkus in future and may even establish a second club there.
In the premises of the former IfZ at Kohlrabizirkus, two conference rooms and a social space will be set up for the ‘Stadt Nach Acht’ event on Thursdays and Fridays.
Kohlrabizirkus from above
Source: LEVG mbH & Co KG | Dawid Chmielewski
IfZ 2022
Source: Rio65trio 2022
unter Lizenz CC BY-SA 4.0
ELIPAMANOKE
https://elipamanoke.de
Founded in 2007 as a micro-club on Zschochersche Straße, the club elipamanoke – affectionately known as ‘Eli’ for the sake of simplicity – moved to larger premises in the west of Leipzig in 2012. Eli is home to a diverse range of underground electronic music. Here, techno, house and various subgenres are played across two floors – sometimes three, and occasionally on the outdoor floor too. At its core, Eli sees itself as an experimental sound space, providing a stage for numerous collectives and newcomers, as well as new event concepts and niche genres.
As part of ‘Stadt Nach Acht’, we’re creating a hotspot here on Thursdays with three themes from the Leipzig scene, which we’re presenting in collaboration with LiveKommbinat Leipzig. On Friday, we’re hosting the pre-event for the ‘Safer Nightlife’ theme day the following Saturday, as well as the ‘official’ after-party!
Elipamanoke yard
Source: LiveKommbinat Leipzig e.V.
DEUTSCHE NATIONALBIBLIOTHEK
https://www.dnb.de
The German National Library (DNB) is Germany’s central archive library and, with the German Book and Writing Museum, the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 and the German Music Archive, also serves as both an archive and a museum. Through its services and programmes, the DNB promotes freedom of information as well as freedom of expression and reinforces the core values of our democracy. The institution stands for diversity and inclusion and respects the varied experiences, needs and backgrounds of its users and visitors. The DNB wishes to emphasise that there is no place for anti-Semitism, racism, hatred or hate speech.
The way to the heart is through the stomach… As part of the ‘Stadt Nach Acht’ initiative, the DNB serves as the venue for our communal lunches. Various workshops and side events take place in the seminar room. In addition, DNB offers us guided tours of the music archive and is organising, especially for ‘Stadt Nach Acht’, a poster exhibition featuring numerous exhibits from the former Institut für Zukunft (IfZ, on whose premises at the Kohlrabizirkus we are holding part of the conference programme).
under licence CC BY-SA 3.0
CONNE ISLAND
https://conne-island.de/
Conne Island is an alternative youth cultural centre in the Connewitz district of Leipzig and features a large outdoor skate park on its grounds. The name ‘Conne Island’ is a play on the New York entertainment district of Coney Island. The cultural centre hosts concerts and club events featuring artists from the venue’s alternative scene. As such, CI is a hub for the hardcore and punk scenes, though hip-hop, electronic music and metal also feature on the programme. For example, a performance by the band Mayhem in 1990 was later released under the title ‘Live in Leipzig’. In 1992, the first Wave-Gotik-Treffen took place there, attracting around 1,500 participants. The CEE IEH Newsflyer, which has been published regularly since 1994, served as a forum for political debates associated with an oppositional form of anti-fascism that emerged during the period of German reunification.
Source: Zigzagnation
under licence CC BY-SA 3.0