Expanding Reality – Comics conquer classrooms

A cultural and educational cooperation project with schools in Erlangen and comic artists as part of the 22nd International Comic Salon 2026
15 April to 7 June 2026

In comic workshops themed "Die Wirklichkeit erweitern" (“Expanding Reality”), children and young people explored their lived experiences and aspirations through both thought and drawing, translating them into the language of comics. On the page, familiar ways of seeing things can be left behind and new perspectives created – an experiment with pen in hand. Transforming oneself into a comic character can open up new avenues to one’s own talents and needs – it’s not just comic book heroes who have superpowers! Expressing themselves, looking inwards through storytelling and exploring through drawing what life in this world means to them – 125 children and young people from various educational institutions in Erlangen have been taking part in workshops with well-known comic artists since the Easter holidays.
With plenty of imagination and creativity, they have immersed themselves in the world of comics. Enthusiastic and full of surprising ideas, they developed their stories and then, with intense concentration, translated them into drawings, stroke by stroke. Numerous works – ranging from drawing exercises and new comic heroes to complete comic stories – were created during the six workshops. A selection of these will be on display at the Jugendkunstschule during the Comic Salon. On Friday, 5 June, at 3 p.m., there will be a reception at the exhibition with the workshop leaders.

With the project "Comic macht Schule", students are given the opportunity to creatively participate in the programme of the 22nd International Comic Salon and to get to know the diversity of graphic literature through the various offers.

Participating institutions:
Cross-year student groups from the fifth grade at the Eichendorff School | Classes 5a, 6c and the German class (7-9) at the Hermann-Hedenus-Mittelschule | Class 6 and 9 at the Realschule am Europakanal

Workshop leaders:
Michael Jordan, Erlangen (www.ansichten-des-jordan.de)
Paul Paetzel, Berlin (www.paulpaetzel.com)
Elke Renate Steiner, Berlin (www.steinercomix.de)

Organiser:
KS:ER – Kulturservice Erlangen für Schulen und Kitas in Kulturamt der Stadt Erlangen in cooperation with Erlangen schools as part of the 22nd International Comic Salon Erlangen 2026