Ellwangen: Activated city centre through participation and co-creation

The comprehensive city center program Stadt.Neu.Erleben. deserves its own communication platform. We support the city of Ellwangen with conception, consulting, text and project management for the website www.ellwangen-stadtneuerleben.de.

The sub-project We make the city stands for the participation of inner-city stakeholders and is also the motto of the overall project City.New.Experience. It is part of the activation and participation field of action and encompasses all participation processes for inner city activation, which we as Stadtmanufaktur support strategically, in terms of content and organization.

• Conception and implementation of event formats
  • Innovation workshop to kick off the project (2023)
    • Introduction of Ellwangen’s Lord Mayor Michael Dambacher
    • Presentation of the project by project manager Julia Staron
    • open dialog market
    • Interactive idea walls for the sub-projects
  • City walk with Julia Staron
    • Informal and relaxed event format
    • personal encounters and discussions
    • Participation options for actors
  • Further participation formats – including a digital barcamp

• Networking and participation of stakeholders
  • Development of a stakeholder map
  • Community building via participation processes and formats (see event formats)
    
  • Goals: Involve stakeholders in a targeted manner and help steer decision-making processes

• Project management as a sparring partner for the city throughout the entire process
  • Coaching and support for those responsible in the city
  • Advice on strategic communication and stakeholder management
  • Concept and advice on public relations work for the town of Ellwangen

The third building block in our project for the city of Ellwangen is the development of a brand for the city center . The city center brand is about consistent and coherent communication across various city center stakeholders – with visual power and clear messages.

We know from our experience in place brand strategy and vision development processes for cities and regions: Such a brand is only convincing if it fits the DNA and the local people. Ideally, the most important stakeholders are themselves part of the brand development process and can share their wishes, fears and ideas in workshops and discussions.

• Information event for city stakeholders on the city center brand
• Presentation of the brand derivation and the design routes by our partner agency Elbgraphen
• Public discussion and voting on the design routes
• Focused process and rapid progress – for motivation and enthusiasm
• Development of a narrative – to convey the vision and emotion of the city center brand
• Transparent communication around the new city center brand – including on the Stadt.Neu.Erleben. website.

Thanks to the wide range of participation opportunities and the accompanying communication, Stadt.Neu.Erleben. has succeeded in bringing about a change in awareness among the citizens of Ellwangen. citizens. “The mood at the events and in personal encounters is noticeably more positive than at the start of the project. People are more open – also because they realize that they are being heard and that Stadt.Neu.Erleben. is triggering visible changes and a new dynamic in urban society with its eight sub-projects,” reports our project manager Julia Staron from Ellwangen.

In Ellwangen, we are experiencing how participation formats and personal encounters can inspire processes and lead to sustainable changes that benefit the entire urban community. Stadt.Neu.Erleben. is a strong driving force for Ellwangen’s city center and at the same time an ideal breeding ground for the 2026 State Garden Show in Ellwangen, which will attract many visitors to the city from outside.

Photos: City of Ellwangen / Stadtmanufaktur / Elbgraphen

Participation of the urban community – also around Ellwangen’s new city center brand (pictured: voting on design route A)