Short history
1911
Founding of the “Essen School of Trades and Applied Arts“ (name changed to “Folkwang School of Design” in 1928).
1927
Founding of the “Folkwang School of Music, Dance and Speech”.
1946
Musicians, dancers and actors move into former Benedictine Abbey at Essen-Werden.
1948
Re-opening of the Design branch, also in the Benedictine Abbey at Essen-Werden.
1950
Founding of the Society of Friends and Sponsors of the Folkwang Schools (Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer der Folkwangschulen, GFFF).
1963
“Folkwang School of Music, Theatre and Dance” is upgraded to university level.
1967
Folkwang Hochschule taken under the sponsorship of the State of NRW.
1972
Designers leave the Folkwang, after many joint protests, and are incorporated into the newly founded Gesamthochschule University in Essen.
Duisburg School of Music / Conservatorium incorporated into the Folkwang Hochschule, and becomes Faculty 4 in1988.
1988
Occupation of the old auditorium; non-stop concert prevents demolition.
Completion and inauguration of the new auditorium.
2000
Integration of the Westphalia Acting School in Bochum as the Bochum Acting course.
2002
Comprehensive reforms give a distinctive profile to each of the Essen, Duisburg and Bochum locations.
2003
Opening of the small concert hall in Duisburg.
Opening of the White Mill (for musicals) in Essen-Werden.
2004
Dortmund becomes the fourth Folkwang location with Orchesterzentrum NRW, a joint establishment of the four NRW music universities.
2007
The designers return to the Folkwang Hochschule from the University of Duisburg-Essen after 35 years. From January 2008, budgetary and human resources for the Industrial Design and Communication Design courses are integrated.
2008
New Art Colleges Act passed in NRW.
All 27 courses are reorganised into modules.
2009
_Official opening of the newly constructed orchestral centre “Orchesterzentrum NRW” in Dortmund in April.
2010
_ As of January 1st, the SANAA Building becomes a Folkwang University facility.
_In April, Folkwang is renamed Folkwang University of the Arts.
2012
_The new Folkwang Library is inaugurated on Campus Warden in September.
2017
_The Folkwang University of the Arts turns 90.
_Official opening of the Quartier Nord at the Welterbe Zollverein campus on 26 October 2017. At the start of the 2017/18 WS, the Design faculty moves into the new Quartier Nord building, spanning an area of nearly 19,000 sq m.
2019
_In May, opening of folkwang junior, the Folkwang University of the Arts’ institute for developing young artistic talent.
2022
_The Folkwang University of the Arts establishes the Pina Bausch Professorship – named after world-famous Folkwang alumna Pina Bausch and run in co-operation with the Pina Bausch Foundation – in the 2022-23 winter semester.
2027
_In 2027, the Folkwang University of the Arts will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Maiken-Ilke Groß / December 2025