A Creative Approach to a Neighbourhood of Gori

As part of the regional activities of Creative Compass Georgia, the second social-design workshop, Mapping the City: A Creative Approach to a Neighbourhood of Gori, took place in Gori in June 2026. The workshop was led by Marc Andrews and Christian Degen. Building on the good perception of the first initiative in Kutaisi, this week-long social design workshop brought together 15 local creatives to explore the intersections between personal experience, place, and identity.

Drawing inspiration from their own life stories as well as their connection to the city of Gori, participants engaged in creative research, visual experimentation, collective reflection, and group discussions. Through this process, they developed individual artistic narratives that explored themes of belonging, memory, and transformation.
 

The workshop culminated in the creation of a collective print and online magazine that compiles the participants’ stories, artworks, photographs, and reflections. The publication serves as both a documentation of the creative process and an invitation for readers to engage with diverse personal perspectives, revealing the unique ways in which people navigate challenges, change, and self-discovery.
 
On the final day of the week-long workshop, participants presented their work to the public through a multimedia exhibition and a presentation. Combining visual art, storytelling, photography, and design, the event created a space for dialogue between artists and local audiences demonstrating the power of creative practice to generate meaningful community engagement.
  The workshop and final event were hosted by Gori Art House, a community-driven cultural platform and one of Goethe-Institut Georgien’s longstanding partners. Over the years, Goethe-Institut Georgien has collaborated closely with Gori Art House on numerous cultural and educational initiatives, recognising its vital role in strengthening the cultural landscape of the region. Through its consistent work with local artists, young creatives, and the local community, Gori Art House has become a key force in the development of Gori’s contemporary arts scene. In a city where opportunities for contemporary artistic expression were once limited, the platform has helped create space for experimentation, dialogue, and cultural participation, strengthening the visibility of contemporary art and the creative scene in the region.
  The closing event was attended by the team members of the Creative Compass Georgia, as well as representatives of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, who had the opportunity to engage directly with the participants’ work and learn more about the creative processes and personal stories behind the publication and exhibition. Through initiatives like this workshop, Creative Compass Georgia supports emerging creatives across the country and strengthens connections between artistic practice and local communities.