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.
Corona-Pandemie: »Kultur merkwürdigerweise in dieser Krise marginalisiert«
Corona Pandemic: »Culture strangely marginalized during this crisis«
by Julian Nida-Rümelin, Änne Seidel (18 Oct 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk
»Aufstehn für Kultur« [stand up for culture] is an appeal for a demonstration in Munich. The goal is to address as many people interested in culture as possible and to motivate them to participate in the demonstration. The importance of this is explained by one of the initiators, political scientist, philosopher and former Minister of State for Culture Julian Nida-Rümelin, in an interview with the German radio station Deutschlandfunk.
Politics reacts to public debates. Therefore, Nida-Rümelin is convinced that it is now necessary for eve ryone interested in culture to raise their voice now. The cultural workers be only helped, if the public pressure by the cultural consumers grows. That is particularly important after seven months of stagnation, because anyone who decides to change careers now is lost to culture. This means that the unique cultural asset in Germany is permanently threatened. Even if the artists reacted very creatively to the crisis during the first lockdown, this must not obscure the existential need.
Even if politicians have tried to support cultural workers so far, it must be said that the programs that have been implemented so far are not sufficient. With regard to an unconditional basic income for artists, Nida-Rümelin explains that he considers it the task of politics to ensure that no existences are destroyed in the crisis. Anyone who has been able to live from art up to now can prove this, for example, through tax assessments. In addition to the economic and social cushioning, the former Minister of State for Culture also sees a problem in the fact that cultural life has been reduced to a minimum. If there are no cultural events and no debates, this has an impact on the constitution of society. Politicians must counteract this in order to limit the damage to immaterial values caused by the crisis as much as possible.
Nida-Rümelin does not consider a second, European lockdown to be feasible. The resulting costs cannot be mitigated a second time. The result would be a depression. In 1929 we saw what psychological, social and cultural consequences such a crisis can have. The foundations of coexistence and democracy would then be shaken. European society must prevent this danger at all costs. Read More Read Less
Politics reacts to public debates. Therefore, Nida-Rümelin is convinced that it is now necessary for eve ryone interested in culture to raise their voice now. The cultural workers be only helped, if the public pressure by the cultural consumers grows. That is particularly important after seven months of stagnation, because anyone who decides to change careers now is lost to culture. This means that the unique cultural asset in Germany is permanently threatened. Even if the artists reacted very creatively to the crisis during the first lockdown, this must not obscure the existential need.
Even if politicians have tried to support cultural workers so far, it must be said that the programs that have been implemented so far are not sufficient. With regard to an unconditional basic income for artists, Nida-Rümelin explains that he considers it the task of politics to ensure that no existences are destroyed in the crisis. Anyone who has been able to live from art up to now can prove this, for example, through tax assessments. In addition to the economic and social cushioning, the former Minister of State for Culture also sees a problem in the fact that cultural life has been reduced to a minimum. If there are no cultural events and no debates, this has an impact on the constitution of society. Politicians must counteract this in order to limit the damage to immaterial values caused by the crisis as much as possible.
Nida-Rümelin does not consider a second, European lockdown to be feasible. The resulting costs cannot be mitigated a second time. The result would be a depression. In 1929 we saw what psychological, social and cultural consequences such a crisis can have. The foundations of coexistence and democracy would then be shaken. European society must prevent this danger at all costs. Read More Read Less
tag Grundeinkommen stiller Tod Systemrelevanz Aufstehn für Kultur Lockdown 1929 Depression Kulturstaat All sections Gespräch
Louise Glück wird dem Handel nicht helfen können . Literaturnobelpreis und der Buchmarkt
Louise Glück will not be able to help the trade . Nobel Prize for Literature and the Book Market
by Gerrit Bartels (08 Oct 2020)
Original source: taz
With the announcement of the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Swedish Academy of Sciences heralds the autumn of books. In the week before the opening of the Book Fair, the market gets a first boost from the interest in the prize-winning works. By awarding the 2020 Prize to Louise Glück, the Nobel Commission has set a double signal: on the one hand, it insists on the sovereignty of interpretation in matters of literary merit, and on the other, it sets a political signal - as the few photographs show Louise Glück at the awarding of the National Human ities Medal by Barack Obama in 2016.
This double symbolic act is hitting the book trade hard. This year there is no boost, which is not only shifted by the attention paid to the award-winning author, but also meets authors in their environment. The two volumes of Louise Glück, translated into German, are out of print. No shop window can be decorated with them. No other poetry volumes can be advertised with them. They cannot compensate for the twenty to thirty percent drop in sales that bookstores and publishers have to cope with in the Corona year. The Book Fair as a visitor magnet and marketing instrument is also largely absent this year. So the publishers can only hope for the Christmas business. At a time when books are needed more than ever, this is a bitter pill to swallow. Read More Read Less
This double symbolic act is hitting the book trade hard. This year there is no boost, which is not only shifted by the attention paid to the award-winning author, but also meets authors in their environment. The two volumes of Louise Glück, translated into German, are out of print. No shop window can be decorated with them. No other poetry volumes can be advertised with them. They cannot compensate for the twenty to thirty percent drop in sales that bookstores and publishers have to cope with in the Corona year. The Book Fair as a visitor magnet and marketing instrument is also largely absent this year. So the publishers can only hope for the Christmas business. At a time when books are needed more than ever, this is a bitter pill to swallow. Read More Read Less
tag Buchmarkt Buchmesse Umsatzeinbruch Lyrik Nobelpreis Louise Glück Literature/ Text Bericht
Geld allein reicht nicht . Coronafolgen im ärmsten Bundesland
Money alone is not enough . Corona effects in the poorest federal state
by Felicitas Boeselager (02 Oct 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk
An independent theater group, two art students and a small club were interviewed by Felicitas Boeselager for her feature about the independent scene during the Corona crisis in Bremen. What all actors are sharing is the joy of being able to offer events again. The audience at all events was also enthusiastic and grateful to finally be able to experience culture again. The independent scene in Bremen is closely connected by the pandemic, mutual support and exchange about new formats is highly appreciated by those affected. Nevertheless, all of the actors are currently una ble to make ends meet without public funding for culture.
Stephan Behrmann, freelance actor and dramaturge as well as spokesman for the »Alliance of Liberal Arts«, emphasizes that cultural funding in Bremen has been good for both the solo self-employed and the independent scene. However, he complains that the aid did not work so well in all federal states. He considers current scholarship programs that finance the artists' work on projects in an open-ended way to be good. He also rates the support provided by the "Neustart Kultur" program positively - even if one billion does not really seem sufficient considering the size of the industry. Whether the money actually helps the individual artists cannot be predicted at the moment - especially since the administrative effort involved in awarding grants is quite high. How many »silent deaths«, i.e. artists who have looked for a job in another branch, are to be registered, is currently not yet foreseeable. The situation will not improve in the next few years either. Since the municipalities are very much shaken, they cannot afford to support culture. Behrmann therefore considers it an inevitable consequence that the federal government will help out.
Read More Read Lesstag Bremen Kultursommer Bremen Freie Szene Clubszene Kulturförderung Neustart Kultur stiller Tod Insolvenz All sections Feature und Interview
Debatte um Künstler in Not . Corona-Soforthilfe gefloppt
Debate about artists in need . Corona emergency aid flopped
by Peter Jungblut (28 Sep 2020)
Original source: BR24
Another round of discussions on the state of culture: in Munich's Volkstheater, the Bavarian Minister of State for Science and Art Bernd Sibler had to answer questions from cultural workers. The displeasure is great. In Bavaria, the number of allowed visitors is still determined not by the size of the event rooms but by the size of the events. Only three houses are allowed to accommodate 500 spectators in the course of a model experiment. The fear among culture enthusiasts is still great, so that even these places are not sold out.
Just as unsuccessful as the pilot project was the emergency aid program for solo self-employed persons, which expired at the end of the most recent quarter. Instead of the expected 60,000 applications, the Free State received only 10,000, of which 8,000 were approved. The reasons for this are manifold. Some have already received money from other funding sources or applied for Hartz IV, while others are keeping their heads above water with other jobs if they are not already trying their luck in another profession. In the cultural sector, the fear of the "point of no return" is now spreading. What if next year too many cultural workers have already reoriented themselves and a return to the situation before the lockdown will no longer be possible? The helplessness is great. Bernd Sibler points to the satisfaction of the Bavarians with the strict corona measures, while Volkmar Halbleib, SPD party member of the state parliament, vehemently attacks his colleague from the CSU party: civilized cultural events are not a source of infection. Everyone is now aware of this. Therefore, something must now finally be done for culture to free the artists from their hopeless situation. Read More Read Less
Just as unsuccessful as the pilot project was the emergency aid program for solo self-employed persons, which expired at the end of the most recent quarter. Instead of the expected 60,000 applications, the Free State received only 10,000, of which 8,000 were approved. The reasons for this are manifold. Some have already received money from other funding sources or applied for Hartz IV, while others are keeping their heads above water with other jobs if they are not already trying their luck in another profession. In the cultural sector, the fear of the "point of no return" is now spreading. What if next year too many cultural workers have already reoriented themselves and a return to the situation before the lockdown will no longer be possible? The helplessness is great. Bernd Sibler points to the satisfaction of the Bavarians with the strict corona measures, while Volkmar Halbleib, SPD party member of the state parliament, vehemently attacks his colleague from the CSU party: civilized cultural events are not a source of infection. Everyone is now aware of this. Therefore, something must now finally be done for culture to free the artists from their hopeless situation. Read More Read Less
tag Soforthilfe Bayern Bernd Sibler Münchner Volkstheater point of no return Sitzplätze All sections Bericht
Frankfurter Theater dürfen nicht erweitern . Bühnen und Corona
Frankfurt theaters are not allowed to expand . Stages and Corona
by Eva-Maria Magl (26 Sep 2020)
Original source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The plan was compelling per se: With the introduction of compulsory masks at the seating area as well, the Frankfurt Theater wanted to minimize the strict distances between visitors in order to be able to occupy the seats according to the so-called checkerboard pattern. Once the health department had approved this concept, which was also welcomed by Ina Hartwig, the head of the city's cultural department, there was a damper on these plans shortly after the announcement in the press. Since the approval had not been reviewed by the legal department, it had to be withdr awn. The minimum distance specified in the corona directive must also not be undermined with a mask requirement.
Not only Frankfurt was affected, but also the nearby capital of Hessia Wiesbaden. At the Staatstheater, plans had been underway for some time and seats had already been allocated according to a new pattern. In this case, however, the cancellation did not come from the health department, but directly from the Minister of Art, Angela Dorn, who demanded that the minimum distance of 1.50 meters be observed. As a result, all performances in Wiesbaden were cancelled at short notice, as a rebooking was no longer possible at short notice. But the dispute over seats is certainly not over. Read More Read Less
Not only Frankfurt was affected, but also the nearby capital of Hessia Wiesbaden. At the Staatstheater, plans had been underway for some time and seats had already been allocated according to a new pattern. In this case, however, the cancellation did not come from the health department, but directly from the Minister of Art, Angela Dorn, who demanded that the minimum distance of 1.50 meters be observed. As a result, all performances in Wiesbaden were cancelled at short notice, as a rebooking was no longer possible at short notice. But the dispute over seats is certainly not over. Read More Read Less
tag Schachbrettmuster Corona-Verordnung Städtischen Bühnen Frankfurt Staatstheater Wiesbaden Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht
Sprachmacht und Sachertorte . Österreichische Literatur in der Coronakrise
Power of language and the Sacher cake . Austrain literature during corona crisis
by Irene Binal (25 Sep 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk Kultur
In a feature on the current situation of Austrian literature, the topic of Corona, which is currently a major concern for all creative artists, should not be missing, in addition to the great role models, the special features of the publishing landscape and the coffee house culture in Vienna.
The author Michael Stavarič, who accompanies the journalist Irene Binal through Vienna, is particularly affected by the crisis, as his current novel "Fremdes Licht" (Strange Light) was published in spring. About 30 lectures were cancelled, interviews and meetings w ere missed. After four years of work, there is now a lack of income and the author is thinking about whether life as a freelance writer can still afford to live in the next few years.
Despite comparable hardship, many Austrian authors do not feel that state support is adequate. With the project "Work instead of Alms" Marlen Schachinger wanted to set an example in this situation. Through a crowdfunding campaign she has raised about 20,000 €. Most of the money came from readers and is used to pay not only for the anthology itself but above all for the fees of the about 20 authors. Read More Read Less
The author Michael Stavarič, who accompanies the journalist Irene Binal through Vienna, is particularly affected by the crisis, as his current novel "Fremdes Licht" (Strange Light) was published in spring. About 30 lectures were cancelled, interviews and meetings w ere missed. After four years of work, there is now a lack of income and the author is thinking about whether life as a freelance writer can still afford to live in the next few years.
Despite comparable hardship, many Austrian authors do not feel that state support is adequate. With the project "Work instead of Alms" Marlen Schachinger wanted to set an example in this situation. Through a crowdfunding campaign she has raised about 20,000 €. Most of the money came from readers and is used to pay not only for the anthology itself but above all for the fees of the about 20 authors. Read More Read Less
tag Literatur Österreich Arbeit statt Almosen Marlen Schachinger Michael Stavarič Umsatzeinbruch Crowdfunding Literature/ Text Feature
Culture shock: COVID-19 and the cultural and creative sectors . OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
by Ekaterina Travkina, Pier Luigi Sacco, Benedetta Morari (07 Sep 2020)
Original source: OECD
The 50-pages long report of the OECD analyzes the serious socio-economic consequences for the cultural and creative industries, which are the most affected by the crisis besides tourism, using extensive sources and figures. The effects vary regionally and according to sub-sectors. Whereas many performing artists are currently without employment, the game industry is booming. Aglomerations in particular are affected, and with them the ecosystem of countless freelancers and suppliers, which is particularly threatened - implying long-term consequences.
In addition to this detailed analysis, the authors also provide examples of various public and private measures to support the sectors. The authors emphasize that public measures are often inappropriate because the creative workers do not fit into classical support frameworks. In the appendix, the measures are compared in tabular form, sorted by country.
The authors not only point out the economic importance of the cultural and creative industries, but also, especially in view of a Postcovid19 era, the immaterial importance as a driver of innovation in the economy and society as a whole, with synergies especially for education and health. Read More Read Less
In addition to this detailed analysis, the authors also provide examples of various public and private measures to support the sectors. The authors emphasize that public measures are often inappropriate because the creative workers do not fit into classical support frameworks. In the appendix, the measures are compared in tabular form, sorted by country.
The authors not only point out the economic importance of the cultural and creative industries, but also, especially in view of a Postcovid19 era, the immaterial importance as a driver of innovation in the economy and society as a whole, with synergies especially for education and health. Read More Read Less
tag OECD Wirtschaftsfaktor postcovid19 Bildung Ballungszentren All sections Wissenschaftliches Paper
Es sieht düster aus, bilanziert die Schweizer Museumsbranche . Corona-Folgen für Museen
It looks rather gloomy, concludes the Swiss museum industry . Consequences of Corona for museums
by brik/kusv (10 Aug 2020)
Original source: Radio SRF 2 Kultur
"It's terrible what you just see and hear informally," says Tobia Bezzola, President of the Swiss Association of Museum Professionals ICOM, commenting on the situation of museums in Switzerland. There has been a 50 to 80 percent drop in visitor frequency. Site location, type of funding and the proportion of inter-regional visitors are currently determining the extent of the losses. Using the example of the Museum of Science Kulturama in Zurich, the Museo d'arte della Svizzera Italiana MASI and the Museum of Natural History St. Gallen, the article illust rates the concerns of museum directors in Switzerland. At present, they are able to cope with the operation with the help of reserves and the support of the cantons, but if the crisis lasts longer, job cuts and a reduction of the cultural program must be taken into consideration.
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tag Museen Besucherzahlen Finanzen öffentliche Finanzierung Claudia Rütsche Tobia Bezzola Toni Bürgin Visual Arts/Design Bericht
Durchs Raster gefallen . Kulturschaffende in Coronakrise
Fallen through the cracks . the arts community during Corona crisis
by Sabine Seifert (29 Jul 2020)
Original source: taz
Three months after an initial conversation about her personal situation as an artist during the lockdown, Sabine Seifert meets again with a singer, a visual artist, an actor and a museum educator to talk with them about their experiences during the Corona crisis.
The working conditions for the artists are still all but optimal, as the hygiene rules for all cultural fields of work entail restrictions. Many people appreciate the social network that is provided in Germany. Emergency aid and basic security have helped them to survive the last few months financ ially. However, applications for basic security have only increased by about a quarter. Due to the bad aura of basic security called Hartz IV, many people were reluctant to apply.
Even the applications for solo self-employed persons do not take into account the living and working conditions of artists even after three months. Seifert critically observes that in many federal states the cost of living may not be regarded as operating costs, but also the fact that in the second round applications may only be made by tax or accountants is completely ignoring the reality of small and medium-sized enterprises. Although the profession of an artist is fundamentally associated with uncertainty, the general conditions have currently changed radically. No one can predict with certainty how the pandemic will develop. When again which event format will be possible.
Olaf Zimmermann, Managing Director of the German Cultural Council, points out that the working structures on the cultural market have changed in recent years. Although there are fewer artists, there are more solo self-employed people in the field of cultural education, management and technology. Cultural policy has failed to counteract the precarious structures that have emerged here. Basically, according to Olaf Zimmermann, one should think about whether the classic concept of the entrepreneur still applies to artists and cultural workers - especially since they make an important contribution to society. Read More Read Less
Even the applications for solo self-employed persons do not take into account the living and working conditions of artists even after three months. Seifert critically observes that in many federal states the cost of living may not be regarded as operating costs, but also the fact that in the second round applications may only be made by tax or accountants is completely ignoring the reality of small and medium-sized enterprises. Although the profession of an artist is fundamentally associated with uncertainty, the general conditions have currently changed radically. No one can predict with certainty how the pandemic will develop. When again which event format will be possible.
Olaf Zimmermann, Managing Director of the German Cultural Council, points out that the working structures on the cultural market have changed in recent years. Although there are fewer artists, there are more solo self-employed people in the field of cultural education, management and technology. Cultural policy has failed to counteract the precarious structures that have emerged here. Basically, according to Olaf Zimmermann, one should think about whether the classic concept of the entrepreneur still applies to artists and cultural workers - especially since they make an important contribution to society. Read More Read Less
tag Soforthilfe Grundsicherung Solidarität Verdi bbk Elisabeth Anschütz Sascha Oliver Bauer Ka Bomhardt Wilko Reinhold Olaf Zimmermann All sections Bericht
Sibler und Söder bremsen die Kultur aus . Kunst in Bayern
Sibler and Söder slow down the culture . Art in Bavaria
by Friedrich-Karl Bruhns, Vera Deininger, Axel Schertel (07 Jul 2020)
Original source: Süddeutsche Zeitung
In letters to the editor, the Süddeutsche Zeitung creates space for its readers to react to the cultural policy in Corona times in Bavaria. They react to articles by Egbert Tholl and an interview with the State Opera Director Nikolaus Bachler. The results are devastating. Vera Deininger calls on the newspaper to fight courageously for culture in the face of the failure of political decision-makers. Dr. Axel Schertel expresses the same impression with regard to Austria and Switzerland, where cultural events with up to 1000 visitors are to be permitted again from Sept ember. In addition to the extreme restrictions for orchestras, Friedrich-Karl Bruhns criticises the government's self-praise with regard to "aid for solo self-employed persons". Contrary to the official announcements, these aids do not reach many artists for various reasons - unrealistic requirements or missing application forms. Bruhns sees the fact that in return the business lobby was able to negotiate completely different regulations for air traffic as proof that the art and culture sector as well as the threat to the existence of artists and organizers is not taken seriously. The trade-off between necessary caution and possible opening should apply to everyone.
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