Event description

Minister for Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur visits KreativInstitut.OWL

(f. l. t. r.)
Managing Director of KreativInstitut.OWL Leonie Hans, Dean of the Faculty of Media & Culture at OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts and Director of KreativInstitut.OWL Prof. Dr. Guido Falkemeier, Vice-Rector for Research and Digitalisation at Detmold University of Music Prof. Dr. Aristotelis Hadjakos; Chancellor of OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts Nicole Soltwedel; Vice-President for Transfer and Sustainability at the University of Paderborn Prof. Dr. René Fahr; Minister for Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia Mona Neubaur; President of OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts Prof. Dr. Jürgen Krahl and President of the University of Paderborn Prof. Dr. Matthias Bauer

Date

Monday, 1. June 2026

Location

KreativInstitut OWL

Discussions on digital culture, innovation and future prospects
for East Westphalia-Lippe

On 1 June 2026, Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, visited KreativInstitut.OWL (KIO) in Detmold. The focus was on projects at the interface of science, culture, digitalisation and the economy, as well as the further development of the Kreativ Campus Detmold.

The KreativInstitut.OWL is unique in Germany as a joint consortium of three types of higher education institution: the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and Arts, the University of Paderborn and the Detmold University of Music.
Researchers, students and creative professionals work there in an interdisciplinary manner to develop new approaches to digital cultural formats, technological innovations and knowledge transfer to the regional economy.

»If you want to bring innovative technologies into businesses quickly, you need spaces where researchers can meet practitioners and work together to create something of value. At KreativInstitut.OWL, it becomes clear what the creative industries and academia can achieve together. This is where forward-looking ideas are born that have the potential to make our region more competitive, more digital and more sustainable. It serves as a model for the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia.«

Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs

During a tour of the institute, the Minister was first given an insight into the diversity of interdisciplinary projects that have emerged through collaboration with the regional cultural and creative industries. From the field of artificial intelligence, the »HumaNN« project – which was performed at the European Street Theatre Festival – was presented. Here, for the first time, a neural network – the »brain« of an AI – is simulated by humans, explaining how AI works in an accessible way.

Jan Willem Henckel shares insights into the performance project »HumaNN – Human AI«

The transition to virtual worlds was marked by the »Denk:Mal!« project, which demonstrates how digital technologies can create new ways of engaging with cultural heritage. Historical monuments are visualised using holograms in specially designed display cases, allowing them to be experienced virtually. The Minister was also able to try out live the new possibilities for navigating virtual environments using hand gestures, developed at the institute.

Guido Falkemeier explains to Mona Neubaur how the hologram display case works

She then immersed herself in the inter-university art project »Augmented Ubiquity« from the Spatial Audio & Arts Lab. The multimedia VR composition combines music, dance and current research topics such as 4D Gaussian splats and dynamic binauralisation were combined to create an immersive audiovisual experience.

Immersive experiences were at the S.A.A.L. – the »Augmented Ubiquity« project combines VR with dance and spatial sound.

The tour concluded with a presentation of the innovative open-air concert format »Future Music Concert? – Classical Music Rewired«. In this exclusive research project involving the three universities, the audience was able to interactively influence the musical composition.

Axel Berndt presents the digital music stand for the concert series »Music of the Future? – Classical Music Reconnected«

»The realisation of the projects on display was only possible thanks to support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the interdisciplinary collaboration of staff from the three universities«

Prof. Dr. Guido Falkemeier, Director of the KreativInstitut.OWL

The Minister then discussed the future development of the Kreativ Campus Detmold and the associated role of the KreativInstitut.OWL with the university management. The campus brings together creative education, research, cultural work and entrepreneurial thinking in one place. In addition to the existing educational and research structures, plans are in place to establish a start-up centre, a ‘Creativity-to-Business’ building for companies in the cultural and creative industries, and a centre for digital sustainable construction.

The KreativInstitut.OWL at the Kreativ Campus Detmold is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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Minister for Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur visits KreativInstitut.OWL

Discussions on digital culture, innovation and future prospects for East Westphalia-Lippe

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Discussions on digital culture, innovation and future prospects
for East Westphalia-Lippe