Making Thuringia's city centers attractive and future-proof in order to preserve them as social, cultural and economic centers – this is the goal of the Thuringian Action Alliance "City Centers with a Future". At its first alliance meeting this year on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the alliance partners will set the course for this year's project work. The new focus topic that will shape the alliance's work this year will be highlighted and discussed: tackling the complex task of finding solutions for vacant properties in the centers. The annual theme serves as a content compass for the alliance's work and forms the basis for the priorities and projects this year.
The guests are welcomed by Mario Suckert, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The action alliance was founded in 2021 by several Thuringian state ministries as well as other city-center-relevant associations and organizations. The office is operated by the State Development Corporation of Thuringia mbH (LEG) and bundles competencies, manages development processes, and accompanies measures on the path to implementation. LEG project manager Andreas Jaeger will present strategies and goals for the year 2026 at the alliance meeting and shed light on the annual theme of vacancy management. Katja Fischer's lecture is also titled "Impulses on the Topic of Vacancy" – the speaker is the Executive Board Member of the Foundation for Building Culture in Thuringia. Traditionally, this meeting also includes an appreciation of the partners who actively contribute to the alliance's work and thus make an important contribution to strengthening city centers. A concern of the alliance meetings this time as well is to enable lively exchange between the alliance partners – including many city managers – and politics. A total of over 50 participants are expected.
Background
Making Thuringia's city centers viable and attractive is, in the truest sense of the word, a “central” concern of politics, business, and society in the Free State. Diverse tasks arise from current trends, including structural change in retail – especially the dynamics of online retail – as well as demographic change, climate change, and the consequences of the Corona pandemic. Networked action and future-oriented solutions are needed here, and it is in this spirit that the Thuringian Action Alliance “City Centers with a Future” works. It sees itself as a strategic communication and exchange platform and encompasses a wide range of different actors – today the network unites around 100 members from municipalities, business, retail, gastronomy, crafts, the service sector, the creative industries, as well as culture and civil society. Thematic work is carried out primarily in three working groups that address central challenges for city center development. They focus on the three topic areas of climate, vacancy management, and living and life in the city. In the working groups, members exchange ideas, share experiences, and work on model projects, pilot projects, and innovative approaches intended to contribute to strengthening city centers. In regular meetings – such as now at the overall seventh alliance meeting on February 24 – members discuss central topics like digitalization, demographic change, and the future of brick-and-mortar retail and develop them further strategically.
Information about the action alliance and the event at:
https://sre.leg-thueringen.de/thueringer-aktionsbuendnis-innenstaedte-mit-zukunft/
