Mike Litt in conversation

How's it going, Düsseldorf?

Our podcast "All Rhine" for culture in times of Corona. What Mike Litt wants to know: How did the talk guests perceive the surreal times? What has changed for you? What projects are they working on now?
In Episode 19, Mike talks with Sibel Şen and Thorsten Schaar about his year as a podcast host.

At the end of the year, we take a look behind the scenes of our podcast "Alle Rhein" and talk to host Mike Litt about a Düsseldorf year like no one could have expected. Sibel Şen and Thorsten Schaar, who are editorially responsible for the podcast for Düsseldorf Tourism, let Mike review the special moments from 18 conversations about art, culture and crisis. The somewhat different review of the year with many sound bites from people who have shown that cultural life in Düsseldorf can reinvent itself and be creative even in difficult times. The result is 45 minutes full of optimism, inspiration and the spirit of Joseph Beuys.

What creative ideas has the pandemic unleashed in Düsseldorf culture? Where did local festival organizers find the courage to find formats that could establish themselves? And what have they perhaps learned to appreciate in a new way? In the "Alle Rhein" annual review, we reveal that the podcast should really be called "Alle raus". We tell how the episodes were created under Corona conditions and what that has to do with Mike's bedroom closet. We also recommend the "Rheinpegel" with Helene Pawlitzki and Arne Lieb from the RP. And we reveal which guests we're looking forward to in "Alle Rhein" in 2021.

From 18 episodes of "All Rhine" we have learned that the (new) name is above all 2020 program and conversations have always revolved around the river. "If the Rhine is the main artery, then maybe art is the lymphatic system or really also the heart of this city. That's what connects so many people here," Mike says. The mix of small galleries in neighborhoods like Flingern, large museums in the center, the art academy and the short distances in between - that is a central factor in Düsseldorf for many protagonists of the cultural scene. And afterwards, everyone goes back out to the Rhine and drinks an Alt beer together on the way.

Our host

Mike Litt was born in the US state of Virginia and lived in Bochum for many years. The globetrotter usually works in Cologne but lives with his family in the beautiful Düsseltal district of Düsseldorf. He is a radio presenter (1Live, WDR 2, DLF Nova), a DJ with Mayday festival experience and an author (‘The loneliest DJ in the world’). For our podcast, he holds fascinating conversations with other people from Düsseldorf’s cultural scene.

Photos
Cover: © [email protected]
Music / Sound: Christian Moster / Mike Litt