Stadtlabor COCO and Free Radio Sternchen.FM introduce themselves

Something has changed in Cottbus city centre since October 2024. Innovative projects and initiatives have given the Schlosskirchpassage, which until then had been characterised by almost complete vacancy, a new face and a function that has the urban community firmly in mind. The programmes range from workshops, exhibitions and discussion groups to music get-togethers and games evenings. This semester, 15 public events have already been organised since October 2025. These have been received with growing interest by interested citizens from a wide range of age groups.

The urban laboratory COCO - Commoning Cottbus sees itself as a real-world laboratory for urban development in which scientific reflection and practical testing intertwine - an open place where all interested parties can become active themselves. This is where science and living urban culture meet with the aim of strengthening democratic participation, social innovation and social commitment in Cottbus. Hendrik Weiner, teaching and research fellow at the Urban Management chair and head of the project, explains: "We bring students and citizens of our city together. In our project, very different people experience what it means to work together to create a city worth living in. I'm fascinated by how students and interested parties get involved and realise new ideas such as music events, exhibitions and repair cafés. We also organise public workshops and lectures together with stakeholders from the region. This brings the university right into the city centre."

The Free Radio for Cottbus and Lusatia is another BTU project that produces its radio programme right next door. It also makes its professionally equipped recording studio and expertise available to the Cottbus community. Professor Stefanie Kiwi Menrath likes the social atmosphere and says: "With our open studio, workshops and regular open editorial meetings, we offer everyone from Lusatia a space for exchanging opinions and critical media education. Many volunteers have been producing their own contributions and programmes in the Sternchen.FM studio for months and are happy about the diverse neighbourhood. The students also learn about community building and Media Pedagogy in practice." She heads the project and the Media Pedagogy: Aesthetic Practice in Social Work chair at BTU.

Both project teams are cooperating with Losmachen - Verein zur Förderung der Lausitzer Zivilgesellschaft e.V.. Its initiatives are committed to justice, diversity and cohesion in the region. A co-working space will be made available for projects in the Schlosskirchpassage. Lukas Pellio, student pastor and board member of Losmachen e.V., explains: "Cottbus and Lusatia are full of people who are convinced that working for a Lusatia worth living in is worthwhile. We are giving them and their initiatives a home right in the heart of Cottbus. Because that's where they belong."

The StudioProFitness next door was the only tenant in the arcade for years. Trainer Katrin Kojer-Altundag is delighted about the new life in the neighbourhood: "We think it's great that the Passage is more lively again and are particularly pleased that social projects have moved in. Because we are also in favour of diversity and participation." The Schlosskirchpassage is once again becoming a lively place with a wide range of offers for the urban community.

The Opferperspektive e.V. association has set up a counselling service here for people affected by discrimination or right-wing violence. Judith Porath from Opferperspektive says: "The counselling location in the Passage enables us to be there for those affected in the region and to provide them with support." Young Caritas is also active in the immediate vicinity with a meeting place for children and young people.

In the Schloßkirchpassage, the initiatives and associations are working in a very practical way for a lively, diverse and optimistic urban society in Cottbus.

Anyone interested is cordially invited to come and see for themselves the variety of activities that the participatory urban laboratory COCO is planning together with its partners in January and February:

• 28 January 2026, 2-4 p.m.: Open coffee klatch + debate round
• 28 January 2026, from 7:30 pm: COCO music - open music get-together
• 3 February 2026, 10 am: "Diversity management" in urban development, final presentations and poster exhibition, presentations: 9:30-11:45 am, poster presentation: 12:00-12:45 pm
• 4 February 2026, from 19:30: COCO music - open music get-together
• 5 February 2026, 2-6 p.m.: COCO Cubing - Rubik's cube workshop
• 6 February 2026, 5-7 p.m.: Okey games evening
• 7 February 2026, 2 p.m.: Invisible Cottbus: exhibition opening seminar Co-Creation & Participation
• 7 February 2026, from 5 pm: Games evening
• 9 February 2026, 5 p.m.: Volunteering & Cottbus initiatives, speed meet
• 10 February 2026, 5 p.m.: Impulse workshop "Shaping public spaces together! - A key to a better quality of life in structural change!" with Sebastian Zoepp, Spreeakademie
• 11 February 2026, from 19:30: COCO music - open music get-together
• 18 February 2026, 17:30: Urban sketching
• 18 February 2026, from 19:30: COCO music - open music get-together

The free radio station for Cottbus and Lusatia "Sternchen.FM" broadcasts every Sunday from 5 pm via the Radiokombinat Brandenburg DAB+ channel 12D and via livestream. Information on workshops, editorial meetings and the programme archive can be found on the project page or at sternchen.fm.

COCO started with university funding and start-up support from the pop-up store funding provided by the city of Cottbus as part of the federal programme "Sustainable inner cities and centres" and is now fully supported by university funding.

Contacts and availability/opening hours:

Stadtlabor COCO:
Management Hendrik Weiner , coco@commoningcottbus.de
every Wednesday + Thursday, 2-6 p.m.

Free Radio Sternchen FM:
Headed by Professor Kiwi Menrath info(at)sternchen.fm / menrath(at)b-tu.de

The studio at Burgstraße 22 is open every week on Tuesdays 16:30-18:30 and Wednesdays 15-17.
Next open editorial meeting: Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 5-7 pm.

Losmachen e.V.: Co-working workstations and room utilisation on request.