From Coburg to Coventry: A Cultural Journey Through Art, Heritage, History, and Innovation

Intercultural Roots and MakingCulture e.V. unite Coventry and Coburg through art, heritage, and sustainability in the Bridging Cultures project, marking a historic moment for creative collaboration between the UK and Germany.

Coventry-based artist, Intercultural Roots practitioner, and 12-year resident city host Fatima has become the first Coventrian to witness the reconstructed version of one of the world's very first 4-wheeled electric cars, originally developed by inventor Andreas Flocken in 1888 in Coburg, Germany.

The car was meticulously recreated from a single archival photograph by members of Coburg's Historic Innovation Hub, including Professor Gerhard Kampe, Peter Langendorf, and their team — all members of MakingCulture e.V., a German charity dedicated to cultural heritage and innovation.

This historic moment formed part of Bridging Cultures Coventry and Coburg, a flagship initiative by Intercultural Roots for Public Health in collaboration with MakingCulture e.V.. The project promotes cross-border artistic exchange, environmental awareness, and sustainable innovation between the two cities.

Fatima said:

I had the opportunity to visit Coburg for the first time through the Bridging Cultures project. When I joined the EcoGPX Residency a year ago, I thought I would be working with and for local Coventry residents only. Never had I thought it would take me to Bavaria, the birthplace of Prince Albert, where I learned so much about their forward-thinking sustainability efforts. Discovering that both Coburg and Coventry share a passion for automotive heritage and environmental initiatives made me proud to be chosen for this cultural exchange.'

The second phase of the project saw the German collaborators travel to the UK this weekend, where Prof. Kampe, Peter Langendorf, and Coburg-based artist and photographer Liliana Frevel visited Coventry. Their visit included meetings with members of the Coventry Association for International Friendship (CAIF), a guided tour of the city, a guided visit to the Coventry Transport Museum with Paul Maddocks, and participation in multiple artistic workshops hosted throughout the city.

With the combined efforts of Intercultural Roots team (Dr Alex Boyd with Fatima, Issias, Maryam, Wendy, Basma and local Coventry artists) and MakingCulture e.V., the Bridging Cultures Coventry and Coburg project continues to strengthen UK–Germany ties through shared creative practice, cultural dialogue, and environmental responsibility.

For more information about the project, please visit:

👉 https://www.interculturalroots.org/project/bridging-cultures

This project is funded by Cultural Bridge, which celebrates bilateral artistic partnerships between the UK and Germany through the collaboration between Arts Council England, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, British Council, Creative Scotland, Fonds Soziokultur, Goethe-Institut London and Wales Arts International / Arts Council of Wales.

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Intercultural Roots for Public Health
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