2025 was marked by "1250 Jahre Westfalen".

Together with the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL), the LWL-Kulturstiftung dedicated itself to this anniversary with an extensive cultural program.

44 cultural projects in Westphalia-Lippe

Exhibitions, stage shows, crossover projects, events on building culture, film, regional studies, literature, music as well as hands-on offers and podcasts formed the cultural program for the anniversary year "1250 Jahre Westfalen".

Several hundred events

Cultural practitioners, associations and institutions highlighted events and personalities that have shaped Westphalia’s history in events and programs and provided impetus for current and future challenges in the region with current artistic positions.

The focus was on self-perception and the perception of others, identity, origin, belonging, attitude to life and the future.

Several hundred events and offerings on the stages, in the exhibition halls and cultural venues invited all interested parties to celebrate the Westphalia anniversary – whether young or old, adventurous or searching for meaning, with or without a personal connection to the region.

To mark this anniversary, the LWL-Kulturstiftung presented a cultural program for the anniversary year 1250 Jahre Westfalen as part of a funding focus. It was the foundation’s third and largest funding focus to date, which was followed by funding focuses on POWR! Postcolonial Westphalia-Lippe 2024 and to #2021jlid: Jewish life in Germany 2021 were preceded by these.