Program

In this creative workshop, participants will discover the fascinating lightness of Impressionism and, inspired by the works of Tina Blau, create vibrant nature scenes on canvas.

After a guided tour of the exhibition together, we’ll get to work in the art school and capture the beauty of nature on canvas. In this course, we’ll explore Impressionist painting and create vibrant nature scenes, such as a colourful flower meadow. Alongside traditional acrylic paint, we’ll use unusual, experimental tools: with cotton buds, forks or crumpled paper, we’ll conjure up free-form textures, creating a wonderfully relaxed, naturalistic impression of the landscape.

In a relaxed atmosphere, we’ll create unique, flower-inspired pieces over the course of the project, which demonstrate in a special way how the playful, light-hearted process of painting can unleash a harmonious visual power.

Fee: 30 euros (including admission and materials)

Musical and literary journeys through the world of the Viennese coffee house. On ‘Coffee Day’, Stephan Schäfer and Alexander Pankov invite us to immerse ourselves in a delightful slice of Viennese culture.

The traditional Viennese coffee house has always been synonymous with pleasure and a certain way of life. Recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, it has become an institution of the arts over the course of more than 300 years. Since the turn of the century, artists have found a second home here – a place to work, debate and relax.

Cologne-based speaker and author Stephan Schäfer will whisk you away into this fascinating world. As an experienced organiser of numerous themed readings, he has already staged over 1,000 literary evenings. Here, he brings texts by Torberg, Alfred Polgar and H. C. Artmann to life. He recounts the colourful goings-on in legendary temples of the muses such as the ‘Café Central’ or the ‘Café Hawelka’.

This literary mélange is complemented by traditional sounds brimming with Viennese charm. The internationally award-winning accordionist Alexander Pankov, who usually performs with leading orchestras such as the WDR and Bayerischer Rundfunk, brings the unmistakable spirit of the Viennese coffee houses to the museum. Look forward to waltzes by Johann Strauss, Hungarian dances by Johannes Brahms and classics of the Viennese song.

Admission: 18 Euros 

Supported by the Förderkreis Kunstmuseum Ahlen e.V.
 

In this creative workshop, we’ll use a combination of paper, watercolours, wire and stone to create poetic, floral objects full of exciting contrasts.

After a tour of the exhibition, we’ll get to work together in the art school. First, we’ll use watercolours to bring out vibrant shades on fine paper and shape them into imaginative flowers. Combined with wire and stones, these will develop into delicate, three-dimensional works of art. Lush, colourful blooms meet cool stone and wire. The vibrant shapes stand in striking contrast to the rough, earthy elements: here, lightness meets weight, colour meets minimalism. It is precisely these contrasts that give the objects their charming character!

Please note: Please bring a pair of needle-nose pliers and, if available, small pliers for jewellery-making (e.g. round-nose or flat-nose pliers).

Fee: 30 euros (including admission and materials)

With ‘Kunstgenuss’, you can enjoy the exhibition after the museum has closed in a relaxed atmosphere – followed by a three-course meal at Restaurant Chagall.

The evening begins with a guided tour of the exhibition ‘Im Freien. Tina Blau – An Impressionist from Vienna’. Together, we’ll immerse ourselves in a masterful world of light and nature. Tina Blau’s atmospheric landscapes enter into a fascinating dialogue with the contemporary light installations by Rosa M Hessling.

The evening then continues in culinary style at the Chagall Restaurant: next door, a special menu awaits you in an atmospheric setting. The impressions from the exhibition linger, inspiring conversation and creating space for new ideas. The evening draws to a relaxed close with fine dining and stimulating conversation.

Admission: 10 Euros, menu: 39 Euros (package only)

Book via Restaurant Chagall at: info@chagall-ahlen.de

Meeting point: Ahlen Art Museum

The tour will be expertly guided by cultural educator Kristina Wotschel.

Advance tickets: 22 euros (plus service fee); at the door: 25 euros.

Registration will open soon through Volkshochschule Ahlen.

The ninth edition of the festival invites visitors from across the Hellweg region on a journey of discovery. In addition to the 51 permanent light art installations that illuminate the Hellweg from Ahlen to Fröndenberg and from Lippstadt to Unna, there is an extensive program featuring temporary exhibitions throughout the region. This year’s theme is to showcase art from storage in churches and historic buildings, as many light art works are currently stored in museums, with artists, and in private collections.

The main opening of the 9th edition of the Nights of Light Art will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 7 to 8 pm at the Wilhelm Morgner Museum (Thomästraße 1, Soest).

In Ahlen, the Nights of Light Art will open on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 6 pm at the St. Bartholomäus Art and Culture Church. Light artworks by Volkhard Kempter, Christoph Dahlhausen, and Andreas Horlitz will engage in a dialogue with the historic architecture. On October 28 at 6.30 pm, the Art and Culture Church will host the panel discussion “Lichtwechsel – When Light Art Enters the Sacred Space,” followed on November 7 at 11 am by the closing event “Ancient & Modern Portraits for Organ,” which combines classical organ works with pop and rock hits.

Programmheft