Komm, lass uns kochen und quatschen

The association "die jungen Wohngemeinschaften e.V." is celebrating the completion of its three-year cross-media project "From Shadow to Light 2023-2026". The aim of the initiative is to break down prejudices against so-called institutionalized children and open up new perspectives on life in shared accommodation.

Clichés still characterize the view of children and young people who do not grow up with their parents. Many therefore conceal an important part of their history - for fear of rejection or stigmatization.

This is precisely where "From Shadow to Light" comes in. In workshops, creative projects and via the TikTok channel "HeimkindDigga", young people give honest insights into their everyday lives, their thoughts and their dreams. The exhibition in the Orangerie Theater invites visitors to get to know residential groups in a new way - openly, authentically and without prejudice.

The focus of the current project phase is the cookbook "Come on, let's cook and chat". Children and young people cooked their favorite dishes together and talked about their lives, their wishes and their future. The result is a book full of personal stories and special recipes.

This was accompanied by creative workshops for all age groups. Questions such as "What does your perfect educator look like?", "What is your favorite place?" or "What do you dream of?" were creatively implemented with the help of AI tools. The results can be discovered in the cookbook and in the exhibition.

"From shadow to light" shows: Behind every prejudice are real people with their own stories, talents and dreams.

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
16.00 Opening of the exhibition "From Shadow to Light #3", with pictures, videos and various audio stations
18.00 hrs Book launch "Come on, let's cook and chat" with cooking event

Wednesday, July 1, 2026
16.00 Exhibition
18.00 Discussion with children and young people from residential groups