Quo vadis ars?
The situation in the cultural sector has been
described and discussed in numerous interviews, corona diaries,
comments and reports in the past few weeks. Our annotated
collection
of currently 193 sources
gathers voices from different sectors and media.
This creates a picture of the cultural landscape in crisis,
whose temporal transformation can be explored interactively
via a dedicated
tag cloud.
Stellungnahme der Kunstmuseen zur geplanten coronabedingten Schließung
Statement of the art museums on the planned closure due to corona
by Kunstmuseen (01 Nov 2020)
Original source: art-in.de
German museum directors, mainly from North Rhine-Westphalia, take a clear stand on the unexpected lockdown.For them, the closure of the museums, which they see primarily as educational institutions, is merely a »symbolic gesture« and ultimately a »wrong decision«, since museums are among the safest public places because of the measures taken.
tag Museen November-Lockdown Verhältnismäßigkeit Visual Arts/Design Statement
»Gottesdienst der Künste« im Thalia Theater
by Daniel Kaiser (01 Nov 2020)
Original source: NDR
Creative protests against the November lockdown started in Hamburg on November 1. Together with the two churches, Hamburg's cultural institutions celebrated a "cultural service" at the Thalia Theater. The structure of the service was recorded and imaginatively filled with artistic and religious content. Since the cultural institutions will be closed for the next few weeks, the religions, whose task it has always been to provide comfort and confidence in times of mourning, were now called upon. In his sermon, Sieghard Wilm pointed out that the virus should n ot drive people into loneliness, but rather should encourage them to be together and love their neighbor. In the intercessions, the Senator for Culture, Carsten Brosda, made his pleas to society - including the hope that the role of the arts would also be recognized in Bavaria and the Uckermark region. Criticism of politics was also expressed in other respects. The fact that cultural institutions were mentioned in the same breath as amusement parks and brothels hurt the pride of the scene. In Hamburg, anger, desperation, rebellion and comprehension were creatively transformed into a convincing artistic project. It is comforting to know that culture does not go into freeze mode, but uses its means to defend itself.
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tag Theater Kultur-Gottesdienst Solidarität künstlerischer Protest November-Lockdown Hamburg Carsten Brosda Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht
»Es fühlt sich an wie eine Bestrafung und Verhöhnung« . Kommentar zum Theater-Lockdown
»Es fühlt sich an wie eine Bestrafung und Verhöhnung«
by Dorothea Marcus (31 Oct 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Theater critic Dorothea Marcus spoke with Wilma Renfordt, dramaturge of the NRW-Impulse-Festival, and Stefan Bachmann, director of the Schauspiel Köln. Although both are frustrated by the recent closures, they do not criticize the lockdown, but rather see it as a solidary contribution by the theaters. The independent critic cannot agree with these statements. Rather, she speaks of a slap in the face for culture, which - in contrast to slaughterhouses and shopping centers, church services and the train - must now close again, despite almost chumming up efforts for ex cellent hygiene concepts. However, she finds the new lockdown for culture alarming, not because it does not affect so many others, but because she does not believe it will be effective. This in turn undermines the acceptance of the measures in society. The many parties in the last few days speak for themselves. Corona deniers will feel encouraged. This not only endangers health, but also social peace. With the closures, hotbeds of fire will be set, which will perhaps occupy us much longer than the Corona crisis.
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tag Theater November-Lockdown Unterhaltung Verständnislosigkeit gesellschaftlicher Friede Wilma Renfordt Stefan Bachmann Performing Arts/ Cinema Kommentar
Kultur ist nicht für alle da . Corona-Maßnahmen und Kultur
Culture is not there for everyone . Corona measures and culture
by Tobi Müller (29 Oct 2020)
Original source: Zeit
With Till Brönner and the band 'Die Ärzte', prominent representatives of the music industry issued statements talking about the existential needs of many musicians, but also of the workers important to the industry, from event technology to gastronomy. In his contribution, Tobi Müller is right to criticizes the wrong figures and thus the economic power that the players in the industry are referring to. However, his comparison with employees, who would also be in a bad way, is misleading. After all, these employees may receive short-time compe nsation and, in the worst case, unemployment benefits. The solo self-employed person may request however directly social welfare assistance Hartz IV.
But Müller also complains that the statements conceal the fact that there are areas in the cultural industry that are affected more and which less. Music is undoubtedly one of the hardest hit economic sectors. However - according to Müller's central argument - the culture Brönner is talking about is that of the upper middle class, which can loudly stand up for the rights of artists. Especially in view of the fact that the punk band 'Die Ärzte' has ventured into the 'Tagesthemen' to raise its voice, the concept of culture that Müller represents in his contribution is remarkable. It is based primarily on concert halls, stages and museums, for which the jazz trumpeter Till Brönner is a symbolic figure, and not on the areas of culture such as folk music, hits or punk.
The suggestion that Tobi Müller has for the industry looks in the current situation rather strange: Not to always only bale the state into responsibility, but to show solidarity with one another. Why not open the large theater halls for concerts or enter into cooperation with museums, which usually have large, airy rooms. And as a sign of charity, churches could also offer the doors for theater and music professionals. Read More Read Less
But Müller also complains that the statements conceal the fact that there are areas in the cultural industry that are affected more and which less. Music is undoubtedly one of the hardest hit economic sectors. However - according to Müller's central argument - the culture Brönner is talking about is that of the upper middle class, which can loudly stand up for the rights of artists. Especially in view of the fact that the punk band 'Die Ärzte' has ventured into the 'Tagesthemen' to raise its voice, the concept of culture that Müller represents in his contribution is remarkable. It is based primarily on concert halls, stages and museums, for which the jazz trumpeter Till Brönner is a symbolic figure, and not on the areas of culture such as folk music, hits or punk.
The suggestion that Tobi Müller has for the industry looks in the current situation rather strange: Not to always only bale the state into responsibility, but to show solidarity with one another. Why not open the large theater halls for concerts or enter into cooperation with museums, which usually have large, airy rooms. And as a sign of charity, churches could also offer the doors for theater and music professionals. Read More Read Less
tag Musikbranche Till Brönner Die Ärzte Solidarität Wirtschaftsfaktor Staat Publikum Hartz IV Kulturbegriff Music Kommentar
Bildet Banden! . Warum der zweite Lockdown für Theater und Künstler*innen wie eine Ohrfeige wirkt
Create gangs! . Why the second lockdown is like a slap in the face for theater and artists
by Georg Kasch (28 Oct 2020)
Original source: Nachtkritik
The location of the theaters is desperate. Not only is a second lockdown imposed on them, they are also classified as "entertainment«, are in a row with gyms, betting shops and brothels. And this despite the fact that the theaters behaved so exemplarily during the lockdown. With streamings they entertained their audience, developed hygiene concepts, and replanned the new season three times. And now?, asks Gerog Kasch in his commentary. The houses have to close their doors again, although even virologists do not consider this step necessary. Can the closure rea lly be justified by the fact that the audience, after the consequent separation, meets in the stalls after the performance to discuss the evening?
If culture, unlike many other branches of the economy, is now being sacrificed as a pawn, then politics should pay for the industry's continued existence. Intendants, organizers and all those involved must insist on this. An appropriate financial compensation for the houses and a kind of basic income for the solo self-employed with loss of earnings should save the industry from the crisis.
In the meantime, however, the cultural workers should not sit back and relax, but rather tackle what was neglected in the spring: joining forces with others to raise the voice for culture together. Streaming, because those who are not visible are forgotten. However, we must not make the mistake of offering everything for free; intelligent payment concepts must be developed. His final appeal is directly addressed to the theater industry: Design the theater of tomorrow! If the experiences of the last few months are productively used for a new conception, then the lockdown makes sense for the arts. Read More Read Less
If culture, unlike many other branches of the economy, is now being sacrificed as a pawn, then politics should pay for the industry's continued existence. Intendants, organizers and all those involved must insist on this. An appropriate financial compensation for the houses and a kind of basic income for the solo self-employed with loss of earnings should save the industry from the crisis.
In the meantime, however, the cultural workers should not sit back and relax, but rather tackle what was neglected in the spring: joining forces with others to raise the voice for culture together. Streaming, because those who are not visible are forgotten. However, we must not make the mistake of offering everything for free; intelligent payment concepts must be developed. His final appeal is directly addressed to the theater industry: Design the theater of tomorrow! If the experiences of the last few months are productively used for a new conception, then the lockdown makes sense for the arts. Read More Read Less
tag November-Lockdown Unterhaltung Hygienekonzepte Bestandssicherung Grundeinkommen Bauernopfer Krise als Chance Streaming Performing Arts/ Cinema Kommentar
»Kurz einknicken und dann wieder aufbäumen«
»Buckle briefly and then rebel again«
by Karin Beier, Hans-Jürgen Mende (29 Sep 2020)
Original source: NDR Kultur
The month of November presents a great challenge to the psyche of the hamburger. If the November blues is also associated with a lockdown, it will be difficult to maintain optimism. Karin Beier, artistic director of the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, reports in an interview with NDR (North German Broadcasting) that at the moment she has to take care of the inner life of her employees. Next week there was a premiere, the team members were highly motivated to work on performances and hygiene concepts over the summer - with the decision of the federal and state governments to c lose all cultural institutions in November, the disappointment is great and the air is out.
When asked about the possibility of streaming premieres and other performances, the director reacts hesitantly. The theater lives from its live character. She herself is extremely reluctant to watch recordings. One possibility that is currently being discussed at the house is live broadcasting of the performances. However, Beier doubts that the Internet connection will allow this.
The consequences of the lockdown for the cultural scene are currently not yet foreseeable. Since she runs a state-subsidized house, Beier knows that she is whining on a high level. Unlike many restaurateurs or private theaters whose existence is threatened, her house is not facing insolvency. However, she can only support the independent scene in an idealistic way. Due to the consequences of the pandemic for the public purse, she assumes that the theaters will change in the coming years. Read More Read Less
When asked about the possibility of streaming premieres and other performances, the director reacts hesitantly. The theater lives from its live character. She herself is extremely reluctant to watch recordings. One possibility that is currently being discussed at the house is live broadcasting of the performances. However, Beier doubts that the Internet connection will allow this.
The consequences of the lockdown for the cultural scene are currently not yet foreseeable. Since she runs a state-subsidized house, Beier knows that she is whining on a high level. Unlike many restaurateurs or private theaters whose existence is threatened, her house is not facing insolvency. However, she can only support the independent scene in an idealistic way. Due to the consequences of the pandemic for the public purse, she assumes that the theaters will change in the coming years. Read More Read Less
tag Theater Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg November-Lockdown psychische Belastung Novemberblues Performing Arts/ Cinema Interview
„Wo ist die Empathie des Herrn Spahn?“ . "Where is the empathy of Mr. Spahn?"
by Matthias Goerne, Manuel Brug (13 Sep 2020)
Original source: Welt
In an interview with the newspaper Die Welt, the successful lied singer Matthias Goerne expresses his displeasure about the treatment of the concert world during the Corona crisis. He recently took part in a discussion round with the Minister of Health Jens Spahn. The disappointment about the minister's behavior is great: His answers were only evasive; culture as an economy is still not recognized. Although there are subsidies for institutions, the many solo self-employed still look anxiously to the future. The clubbing and stabbing among the concert organizers has a lready started, as the agencies are also struggling to survive. The situation is very difficult at the moment, especially for the young professionals. Many of them will not succeed in gaining a foothold in the market. On the other hand, there are colleagues who have slipped into basic welfare and are now looking for a new job. There is no common voice on the music market. Goerne is even disappointed by the agencies, as they do not argue with sufficient power. Those who work as freelancers are getting more and more immoral offers, because the public houses can save money reducing the number of guests. Yet it is precisely these guests who attract the public.
Goerne shows particularly little understanding for the fact that distance rules do not apply in public transport, but that in concert halls large distances between visitor seats are required. The festival season and above all the Salzburg Festival, which was realized successfully and without infections, has demonstrated that the audience of concert events is highly disciplined and that seating arrangements in a checkerboard pattern can be implemented without danger. Being happy to attend concerts again, the visitors abtstain from conversations in the hall. In addition, many concert halls have excellent ventilation systems that minimize the risk of infection. Goerne cannot understand why the economic power of the industry is not taken into account here giving it a chance to generate income again. Instead, politicians are accepting the death of theater and opera on a large scale.
Read More Read Lesstag Konzerte Konzerthäuser Konzertagenturen Solo-Selbständige Studierende stiller Tod Salzburger Festspiele Schachbrettmuster Jens Spahn Music Interview
Berliner Künstler: Jetzt gehen sie für mehr Corona-Hilfe auf die Straße
Berlin artists: Now they take to the streets for more Corona help
by Florian Thalmann (08 Aug 2020)
Original source: Berliner Kurier
The artists were the first ones who were not allowed to work any more. They will be the last to return to a normal everyday life. Nevertheless, there is no support for the professional group of self-employed artists. Although an emergency aid of 5,000 € was paid out in Berlin at the beginning of the crisis, since then this professional group has only been able to apply for assistance for current business expenses. Cost of living can only be obtained through the state benefit scheme Hartz IV. With a demonstration on Sunday, August 9, 2020, the Berlin based artists ca lled attention to their situation. They are demanding an existential support that will enable them to overcome the crisis until they can return to a normal life.
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tag Künstler Hilfe Jetzt Demonstration Existenz-Geld Hartz IV All sections Bericht
DOV: In der Klassik fallen viele durch alle Förderraster . Corona-Hilfen für die Musik
DOV: In classical music, many fall through all the funding cracks . Corona aids for music
by Gerald Mertens, Jörg Biesler (02 Aug 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk
Funding conditions for the music sector were extended by the federal government. Living costs can now also be taken into account. Nevertheless, the support is far from sufficient to compensate for the billions lost in the industry - especially since all employment routes for musicians have been cut off at the same time.
Gerald Mertens, Managing Director of the German Orchestra Association (DOV), describes the current situation of artists and orchestras in an interview. He predicts that many musicians will look for other jobs because they cannot cover 12 months of loss of income from reserves. He formulates the demand that the federal and state governments must give more support to classical music, which is currently falling through all the cracks. Read More Read Less
Gerald Mertens, Managing Director of the German Orchestra Association (DOV), describes the current situation of artists and orchestras in an interview. He predicts that many musicians will look for other jobs because they cannot cover 12 months of loss of income from reserves. He formulates the demand that the federal and state governments must give more support to classical music, which is currently falling through all the cracks. Read More Read Less
tag klassische Musik Orchester Berufsverbot Initiative Musik Umsatzeinbruch Kulturförderung Music Interview
Der verzögerte Kulturinfarkt . Resilienz des Kulturbetriebs
The delayed culture infarction . Resilience of the cultural sector
by Dieter Haselbach, Pius Knüsel (27 Jul 2020)
Original source: Kulturmanagement
The cultural industry has long been a two-tier society. While the state-financed cultural institutions will come through the crisis with the help of much public funding, the many private institutions and artists will fall victim to the crisis. The public institutions are not innocent of this, as they have used the solo self-employed as an inexhaustible reserve army.
In view of the fact that even before the crisis there was a discussion about the dwindling public in cultural institutions and the loss of significance of museums, the authors are irritated by a contri bution by Tobias J. Knobloch, President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, who urged that public funding be expanded in order to avert the consequences of the crisis for the cultural industry. In this context he also speaks of resilience.
Here it should not be forgotten that the crisis is the great time for cultural associations. They are now trying to get a share of the public funding.Differently it looks with the solo independent ones, which fall by the promotion rasters of the federation and federal state governments for enterprises and come thus over the rounds only with an application for unemployment relief ALG II .
Here the authors come to the crucial point of their article: Many artists do not have a business model that would be sustainable and provides for reserves and a sensible old-age provision. Postponing crisis and old-age provision until later is not a model with a future. Even if the state is currently generous, sustainable business practices must be introduced in the cultural sector.
In their outlook, the authors assume that the large state-financed houses will survive the crisis, and that many solo self-employed and privately financed houses will give up. Cultural tourism will also start again in 2021. The only chance the stakeholders have is to create new room for maneuver. A cultural infarction can currently only be avoided if the funding instruments and organizational principles are reconsidered and digitization is promoted. Read More Read Less
In view of the fact that even before the crisis there was a discussion about the dwindling public in cultural institutions and the loss of significance of museums, the authors are irritated by a contri bution by Tobias J. Knobloch, President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, who urged that public funding be expanded in order to avert the consequences of the crisis for the cultural industry. In this context he also speaks of resilience.
Here it should not be forgotten that the crisis is the great time for cultural associations. They are now trying to get a share of the public funding.Differently it looks with the solo independent ones, which fall by the promotion rasters of the federation and federal state governments for enterprises and come thus over the rounds only with an application for unemployment relief ALG II .
Here the authors come to the crucial point of their article: Many artists do not have a business model that would be sustainable and provides for reserves and a sensible old-age provision. Postponing crisis and old-age provision until later is not a model with a future. Even if the state is currently generous, sustainable business practices must be introduced in the cultural sector.
In their outlook, the authors assume that the large state-financed houses will survive the crisis, and that many solo self-employed and privately financed houses will give up. Cultural tourism will also start again in 2021. The only chance the stakeholders have is to create new room for maneuver. A cultural infarction can currently only be avoided if the funding instruments and organizational principles are reconsidered and digitization is promoted. Read More Read Less
