My FSJ at the Cultural Office: Samuel Chodura
Samuel worked for the Münsterland Cultural Office from September 2023 to August 2024 as part of his FSJ-Kultur programme. In this interview, he talks about his experiences and his own project.
What were your expectations of your FSJ Kultur?
To be honest, before I started my FSJ Kultur, I didn’t really know what to expect. The term ‘culture’ probably sounds uninteresting and boring to a lot of people, but the FSJ Kultur proves exactly the opposite. I was particularly surprised by the diversity across the whole sector, because culture is much more than just an office job – being out and about is especially important here in the Münsterland region.
What did you learn most of all at the cultural office?
During my FSJ, the cultural office taught me a great deal about the world of work and day-to-day office life. I gained an excellent initial insight into the tasks involved and how to work as part of a team, and learnt a lot about the planning and organisation of events such as the Münsterland Festival – things you wouldn’t normally notice as an outsider. Outside the office, I generally became much more independent and got to know lots of new people, particularly through the many seminars and training days organised by the LAG.
What was your own project?
My FSJ project was a social media series on the topic of ‘art in public spaces’. As part of this, I travelled around the Münsterland region and visited sculptures and works of art in each of the districts. The aim was to photograph them, write a short piece about each one, and then publish individual posts about the sculptures on the Cultural Office’s social media channels.
What is your fondest memory of the FSJ?
Something special for me was the opening concert of the Münsterland Festival at the LWL Museum in Münster. After all the planning for the festival with the festival team and the many tasks that took place behind the scenes, it was a real pleasure to actually witness everything we’d been preparing for come to life. The best part of it was, above all, being a real part of the team and playing a proper part in helping out at the events.
Impressions of the event "Ein Kessel Buntes" in the framework of which Jiyan realised her project
Have you ever felt overwhelmed, or has something gone wrong?
Anyone who’s involved in so many different projects knows that things don’t always go as you’d like – but there are solutions to most problems. The only time anything really went wrong was during my visit to Hülshoff Castle in Havixbeck for my FSJ project. The appointment alone had to be postponed three or four times for various reasons, and when everything finally worked out and I arrived at the castle, I realised it was closed – a bit of a bummer, but I quickly found an alternative in the Coesfeld district and was able to complete my FSJ series.
Who would you recommend an FSJ at the Münsterland Cultural Office to?
I’d recommend the FSJ at the Münsterland Cultural Office – or the FSJ-Kultur programme in general – to anyone interested in planning and organising events such as concerts, training courses and meetings. The FSJ is varied and far from boring, offering plenty of opportunities to develop your skills, gain new experiences and meet lots of people. It’s also the perfect option for anyone who’s just left school, for example, and isn’t quite sure what to do next. Personally, it helped me to broaden my horizons and take a break from the constant studying at school, even though that will continue for me afterwards.
What are you doing now?
I’m currently studying urban planning in Dortmund. The FSJ gave me the chance to find inspiration and connect with all sorts of people.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the team at the Kulturbüro and to the whole of Münsterland e.V. The FSJ was great fun with everyone here, and thanks to the openness of all my colleagues, I always felt like a proper part of the team.
