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Within the framework of the Federal Cultural Foundation's "Eastern and Central Europe program" relations develops art and cultural projects in collaboration with curators, social researchers and artists from eastern European countries and Germany.
In terms of content, our aim is to formulate overarching transnational questions and lines of enquiry out of the respective local contexts which connect art, everyday life, social research, politics and history with one another. Questions and lines of enquiry which counter nationalist attitudes and stances with a differentiated view, enable and generate dialog, and focus on the processes of social transition. By critically engaging the dominant ascriptions of identity, visions of the future, constructs of historical memory and how the past is come to terms with, these conceptual and working approaches transcend national boundaries and address an international audience.
While relations does not set any rigid program in order to develop the projects in a flexibel way beyond their original local problematic. Exhibitions and publication projects receive the same support as archival projects or fellowship programs for artists and theorists. relations supports its partners in setting up legally secure, stable organizational structures and facilitates the exchange of ideas, initiatives and information through an extensive website and regular meetings of the involved actors.
Together with the cooperation partners, in 2003 relations initiated and launched the projects "ALTE ARTE" (Moldova), "De/construction of Monument" (Bosnia-Herzegovina), "East Art Map" (Ljubljana), "Missing Identity" (Kosovo), "Re:form" (Poland), "Visual Seminar" (Sofia) and "Zagreb - Cultural Kapital of Europe 3000" (Croatia) as well as the international film project "Generation" and the publication project "Re-arranging" in seven central and eastern European countries.
 
The year 2004 began with relations mediating the intensive dialog with German partner initiatives and institutions. The focal point of activities was the networking and joint further development of the questions and lines of enquiry with a view to presenting them to an international audience.
 
In 2005 the formats elaborated will be presented in Germany. The film "Lost and Found", which emerged from the "Generation" project, launched this new phase. "Lost and Found" opened the International Forum of New Cinema at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.
 
At the same time, relations is opening up the overall project in its different facets to the German and international audience through colloquiums, publications and targeted public relations work. In this way, relations is embarking on pioneering work in building up sustainable transnational cooperation.