The Ruhrtriennale mourns the death of the great theatre maker Jürgen Flimm. From 2005 to 2007 he directed the second edition of the Ruhrtriennale, the international festival of the arts in the Ruhr region. The artistic programme focused on the themes of Romanticism, Baroque and the Middle Ages. This triad succeeded as a search for friction and presence in the engagement with earlier epochs and brought forth unique and new connections. In 2008, Jürgen Flimm led the Ruhrtriennale for another year as artistic managing director.

Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science in North Rhine-Westphalia: "Jürgen Flimm was an outstanding director who left his mark on German-language stages. In North Rhine-Westphalia, his work as director of the Cologne Schauspielhaus and the Ruhrtriennale will remain unforgotten. We mourn the loss of a great artist."

During his directorship, Jürgen Flimm further developed the artistic idea of the creations of Ruhrtriennale founding artistic director Gerard Mortier: In the cross-disciplinary productions that seek dialogue with their venues, drama, opera and dance combined with innovative developments in the visual arts, pop and concert music.

 "Jürgen Flimm was a doer with a fine feeling for people, the region and, of course, for great theatre - just the right person to take over the still young festival from Gerard Mortier. Energetic, full of zest and drive, he developed the Ruhrtriennale further and created countless unforgettable moments," says Minister Ina Brandes, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Kultur Ruhr GmbH, looking back on Jürgen Flimm's directorship: "His enthusiasm for theatre and his vision of making art and culture accessible to all inspired us and many others. We are grateful for all he did for the Ruhrtriennale and the cultural landscape in general and will keep him in living memory."

Jürgen Flimm passed away on 4 February at the age of 81.
In remembrance of him and his great services to the art. The Ruhrtriennale team mourns his passing.