Around the world, art in public spaces in the countryside is dealing with the specificity of places and with regionalism. In so doing, it finds similarities, but the differences also become quite apparent. And so situational art in public space both decodes and operates as a tool that fosters insight. Art keeps a "studio for reflection" in the most disparate homelands. LandKunstLeben [LandArtLife], an initiative of artists and/or country residents, thinks through and acts on this situation. Since 2001, the arts organization has been presenting exhibitions and events that take the site and the situation as their materials and actual substance. The theme of the summer 2003 exhibition was the function of a public garden - an art space as a "global village garden." In this context, a workshop/symposium with artists, theoreticians and philosophers took place. Within an international and interdisciplinary framework, by means of reflection, conversation, action and interaction, we addressed the issues of what constitutes relevant and sustainable art in the public space of the countryside. This year's project is under the patronage of Dr. Wanka, Minister for Science, Research and Culture in Brandenburg. The events are also part of the German contribution to the European project "Modern Re-Uses for Historical Architecture," whose other participants are from Poland (Museum Ujazdowski, Warsaw), France (Saline Royale, Arc et Senans) and Portugal (Fundacio Serralves Oporto). LandKunstLeben, in collaboration with its German partners Schloß Bröllin and Schloß Plüschow, has developed the idea of the "global village garden" as part of the larger project. The garden is not only an actual place, but also a forum for practical and intellectual exchange among the participating artists and institutions.