In the fall of 2019, 54 young people from Wiesbaden and Darmstadt set out to visit 22 artists’ studios and the Artothek Wiesbaden in search of happiness in art. Using the method of “participatory curating,” they created a thematic group exhibition that was shown simultaneously at two venues: the Kunsthaus Wiesbaden and the Atelierhaus Darmstadt. The works on display were as diverse and individual as the artistic positions of the participating artists. The students responsible for the selection came from a comprehensive school, a special education school, and a high school. In this way, the “Happiness” project set an example for diversity and inclusion in the visual arts.

Cooperation partners: the Atelierhaus Darmstadt, the artists involved in the project, and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, which provided financial support for the project through its “Kunstvoll” program.