diff --git a/.github/actions/security-issues/action.yml b/.github/actions/security-issues/action.yml
index bc90cc10b..6fca189c3 100644
--- a/.github/actions/security-issues/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/security-issues/action.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ runs:
     - name: Install Python Toolbox / Security tool
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        pip install exasol-toolbox==6.0.0
+        pip install exasol-toolbox==6.1.0
 
     - name: Create Security Issue Report
       shell: bash
diff --git a/doc/changes/changelog.md b/doc/changes/changelog.md
index 5e77dee31..e49fd1aab 100644
--- a/doc/changes/changelog.md
+++ b/doc/changes/changelog.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # Changelog
 
 * [unreleased](unreleased.md)
+* [6.1.0](changes_6.1.0.md)
 * [6.0.0](changes_6.0.0.md)
 * [5.1.1](changes_5.1.1.md)
 * [5.1.0](changes_5.1.0.md)
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@
 hidden:
 ---
 unreleased
+changes_6.1.0
 changes_6.0.0
 changes_5.1.1
 changes_5.1.0
diff --git a/doc/changes/changes_6.1.0.md b/doc/changes/changes_6.1.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c4f5f98e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changes/changes_6.1.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# 6.1.0 - 2026-03-16
+
+## Summary
+
+This release renamed some of the GitHub workflows which requires to update your branch protection. It needs to be `Merge Gate / Allow Merge` in contrast to `merge-gate / Allow Merge` in the past.
+
+This release also changes the semantics of field `PROJECT_CONFIG.add_to_excluded_python_paths`.
+
+Before, a `.venv` directory would have be excluded no matter what parent directory structure it had. Now, only ROOT_PATH / `.venv` would be excluded. If you have multiple paths like `.venv` before, you will need to specifically specify them relative to the ROOT_PATH.
+
+Please see the user guide for details.
+
+Additionally the release updates the references to GitHub actions `cache` and `setup-python` to avoid using deprecated Node.js 20 actions.
+
+## Features
+
+* #697: Supported multi-part paths in `add_to_excluded_python_paths`
+
+## Refactoring
+
+* #728: Updated to latest PTB workflows and added `.workflow-patcher.yml`
+* #736: Capitalized and shorten names of GitHub workflows
+* #745: Updated references to GitHub actions cache and setup-python
diff --git a/doc/changes/unreleased.md b/doc/changes/unreleased.md
index 813416394..fb4737052 100644
--- a/doc/changes/unreleased.md
+++ b/doc/changes/unreleased.md
@@ -1,23 +1,3 @@
 # Unreleased
 
 ## Summary
-
-This release renamed some of the GitHub workflows which requires to update your branch protection. It needs to be `Merge Gate / Allow Merge` in contrast to `merge-gate / Allow Merge` in the past.
-
-This release also changes the semantics of field `PROJECT_CONFIG.add_to_excluded_python_paths`.
-
-Before, a `.venv` directory would have be excluded no matter what parent directory structure it had. Now, only ROOT_PATH / `.venv` would be excluded. If you have multiple paths like `.venv` before, you will need to specifically specify them relative to the ROOT_PATH.
-
-Please see the user guide for details.
-
-Additionally the release updates the references to GitHub actions `cache` and `setup-python` to avoid using deprecated Node.js 20 actions.
-
-## Features
-
-* #697: Supported multi-part paths in `add_to_excluded_python_paths`
-
-## Refactoring
-
-* #728: Updated to latest PTB workflows and added `.workflow-patcher.yml`
-* #736: Capitalized and shorten names of GitHub workflows
-* #745: Updated references to GitHub actions cache and setup-python
diff --git a/exasol/toolbox/version.py b/exasol/toolbox/version.py
index 2fc5ce8e9..d43c49466 100644
--- a/exasol/toolbox/version.py
+++ b/exasol/toolbox/version.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 """
 
 MAJOR = 6
-MINOR = 0
+MINOR = 1
 PATCH = 0
 VERSION = f"{MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}"
 __version__ = VERSION
diff --git a/project-template/cookiecutter.json b/project-template/cookiecutter.json
index 0a93e547d..c9cd8fe58 100644
--- a/project-template/cookiecutter.json
+++ b/project-template/cookiecutter.json
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
   "author_email": "opensource@exasol.com",
   "project_short_tag": "",
   "python_version_min": "3.10",
-  "exasol_toolbox_version_range": ">=6.0.0,<7",
+  "exasol_toolbox_version_range": ">=6.1.0,<7",
   "license_year": "{% now 'utc', '%Y' %}",
   "__repo_name_slug": "{{cookiecutter.package_name}}",
   "__package_name_slug": "{{cookiecutter.package_name}}",
   "_extensions": [
     "cookiecutter.extensions.TimeExtension"
   ]
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index da99c0557..5514f10ac 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "exasol-toolbox"
-version = "6.0.0"
+version = "6.1.0"
 description = "Your one-stop solution for managing all standard tasks and core workflows of your Python project."
 authors = [
     { name = "Nicola Coretti", email = "nicola.coretti@exasol.com" },