„The World We Move: Movement of People and Goods in Times of Climate Crisis“

11.-13. September 2026 | Alternatives Zentrum (AZ) Conni, Rudolf-Leonhard-Straße 39, 01097 Dresden

Everything is in motion. From the raw minerals in our phones to the coffee in our cups, from the tourist seeking adventure to the refugee seeking safety. We live in a world of constant flow, yet not everyone moves with the same freedom.

This year, the Political Art Days (PAD) will trace the paths of the people and goods that move the world. Following the slogan “The World We Move: Movement of People and Goods in Times of Climate Crisis”, contributors and participants are invited to look past the labels and borders. How do the routes of global trade shape the paths of human migration? In an era of multiple crises, how can we reimagine the way we move, and are moved by, one another?

The PAD are a three-day festival at the intersection of art, activism, and political education, now in their 11th edition. Every year, around 500 people gather in Dresden for workshops, performances, exhibitions, film screenings, talks, and collective imagination. The festival creates a space for global learning, where participants can better understand connections between their everyday lives and global structures, where complex global issues become tangible, emotional, and discussable, and where people leave feeling a little more connected and a little more ready to take action for a social-ecological transformation.

We are building this year’s program together.

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What are we exploring? (some entry points)

Here are some directions we are curious about:

Movement of Goods

A T-shirt travels farther than most people will ever do. Whose hands does the shirt pass through until it reaches ours? What does it bring with when it moves? What is left behind? How do the things we buy travel the world? As supply chains spread around the globe, what are we actually moving when we move things? What are the social, ecological, and human costs hidden in global supply chains and transport systems? Who benefits, and who carries the burden?

Movement of People: Tourism

We call it adventure. We call it escape from routine. But who owns, and who keeps, the paradise we are escaping to? What remains after the pictures are taken, the return flights leave, the season ends? We are curious about the politics of tourism: over-tourism, „paradise“ narratives, the economic dependencies it creates, its ecological footprint, and especially its impact on communities in the Global South. What does it look like when regions shaped by global inequalities become destinations for others? And what could more just and sustainable forms of travel look like?

Movement of People: Migration and Refugees

What drives people to leave their homes? Who gets to move and who doesn’t? What routes do they take, and what awaits them? We want to explore the structural and historical causes of migration, including climate displacement, economic inequality, and colonial legacies, as well as the deeply unequal mobility between the Global North and Global South. How does the climate crisis transform and intensify these movements? We are especially interested in perspectives and contributions shaped by lived experience.

What kind of contributions are we looking for?

Almost anything! Past PADs have featured workshops using diverse approaches, such as theater of the oppressed, decolonial textile art, dance workshops and performances, panel talks, film screenings followed by discussion, photography exhibitions, science slams, spoken word, interactive installations, children’s programs, and more. Your ideas need not fit a clear category.

We particularly welcome contributions that:

• Invite active participation rather than passive learning
• Create space for reflection and dialogue on global justice
• Are accessible to people without prior knowledge of the topic
• Connect global perspectives with local realities.
• Engage with questions of power, inequality and sustainability
• Include perspectives from people and communities directly affected by these dynamics.
• Help people imagine and practice alternatives.

We also encourage contributors to reflect on their own position within these global dynamics.

At its core, the PAD is based on three questions: What do we recognize about global connections? How do we evaluate our own role and position within them? And what does it mean to act from that understanding? Your contribution need not answer all three, but it is good to know the direction we are heading in.

We also strongly encourage contributions that are experimental, interdisciplinary, or that combine education with art in unexpected ways. We are curious about new formats!

Practical information:

• Contributions can be in English or German (or both, multilingual formats are very welcome!)
• Duration: typically 1 to 2 hours for workshops and talks; flexible for installations and exhibitions.
• We can offer a solidarity fee of 0 to 100 euros; you choose based on your financial situation. We know it is not much, and we are genuinely grateful for your understanding and commitment.
• The festival is free and open to the public, with a voluntary donation at the door.
• Festival dates: 11th to 13th September 2026, Alternatives Zentrum Conni, Dresden

How to Apply

Fill out our contribution form: LINK

Have any questions or want to talk through an idea first? Write to us at politicalartdays[at]cambio-aktionswerkstatt.de

We are happy to chat, brainstorm, or figure out together whether your idea could work for the PAD.

Application deadline: 30.04.2026

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