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.
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
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
tag Museen Kulturförderung Soforthilfe Solo-Selbständige Hartz IV Olaf Zimmermann Tobias J. Knobloch All sections Bericht
Vorhang auf! . Spielstart: Anti-Corona-Konzepte deutscher Theater
Open the Curtain! . Start of Season: Anti-Corona concepts of German Theatres
by Verena Greb, Nadine Wojcik (19 Jul 2020)
Original source: Deutsche Welle
Dismantled seats, Plexiglas panes, hand disinfection, separate entrances and exits: The operation at the theaters is to start again, but this requires hygiene concepts to protect the audience from being infected by droplets. Each theatre is currently developing its own concepts. What they all have in common is that a maximum of a quarter of the previous tickets can be offered.
Special tests were carried out in Augsburg and Berlin. With the help of machines and fans, hydrogen peroxide is nebulized over large areas in the halls. The Berliner Ensemble reports that th e naturally degradable disinfectant can kill 99 percent of viruses and bacteria. In the future, the technology will therefore not only be used for the halls, but also for toilets and entrance areas.
Meanwhile, a theater course has been developed at the Munich Residenztheater. The visitors are guided in groups of four through different stations in the building where the individual scenes are performed. However, it is problematic that not only the audience has to be kept at a distance, but also the actors must not get too close to each other.
Therefore, the schedules for the new season have been revised in all buildings, and extremely physical productions have been cancelled, as have those with many different roles.
Even though the theaters are slowly awakening from their state of shock, fundamental doubts remain about cultural policy: Why do the theaters have different regulations than German aviation? What significance does culture have? The survival of the large theaters is ensured by Corona cultural aid. If this is not sufficient, the federal states will help out in the long term. For the small theaters, which cannot keep buoy up with their limited number of seats, things do not look so rosy. They now have to decide whether to extend the Corona break. The curtain may have fallen here forever. Read More Read Less
Special tests were carried out in Augsburg and Berlin. With the help of machines and fans, hydrogen peroxide is nebulized over large areas in the halls. The Berliner Ensemble reports that th e naturally degradable disinfectant can kill 99 percent of viruses and bacteria. In the future, the technology will therefore not only be used for the halls, but also for toilets and entrance areas.
Meanwhile, a theater course has been developed at the Munich Residenztheater. The visitors are guided in groups of four through different stations in the building where the individual scenes are performed. However, it is problematic that not only the audience has to be kept at a distance, but also the actors must not get too close to each other.
Therefore, the schedules for the new season have been revised in all buildings, and extremely physical productions have been cancelled, as have those with many different roles.
Even though the theaters are slowly awakening from their state of shock, fundamental doubts remain about cultural policy: Why do the theaters have different regulations than German aviation? What significance does culture have? The survival of the large theaters is ensured by Corona cultural aid. If this is not sufficient, the federal states will help out in the long term. For the small theaters, which cannot keep buoy up with their limited number of seats, things do not look so rosy. They now have to decide whether to extend the Corona break. The curtain may have fallen here forever. Read More Read Less
tag Spielzeit Theater Hygieneregeln Wasserstoffperoxid Freie Szene Kulturförderung Performing Arts/ Cinema 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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tag Egbert Tholl Markus Söder Bernd Sibler Münchner Philharmoniker Soforthilfe Hygieneregeln All sections Leserbriefe
Jeff Koons, Gagosian Gallery, and Many Other Blue-Chip Art Operations Received Millions of Dollars in Government Stimulus Money
by Taylor Dafoe (07 Jul 2020)
Original source: artnet news
Art seems to be a different business in the US if you look to the public aid during the crisis not only for museums, but also for galleries and artist studios. According to the data released by the federal Treasury Department not only galleries as Pace, David Zwirner and Gagosian received millions but also the studios of Jeff Koons or Meow Wolff. The lists of who received how much is publically available.
tag USA Galerien Soforthilfe Museum Visual Arts/Design Bericht
Zerreißprobe für die Buchmesse
Ordeal for the book fair
by Sandra Kegel (04 Jul 2020)
Original source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The Frankfurt Book Fair is not only an important economic factor for the industry, it is also a historical institution, as it can look back on an intellectual tradition and five hundred years of history. In the current crisis, the fair management, together with the Börsenverein, has decided to hold the fair this year, but to distribute many events throughout the city. Now it has become known that the city of Frankfurt wants to expand the trade fair concept for 2021 to include music and gaming. The outcry in the book industry is huge. It is to be hoped that the book fair concept will survive this crisis as well.
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tag Literatur Buchmesse Frankfurt Literature/ Text Bericht
Entwarnung klingt anders . Chorsingen und Corona: Studie macht Aerosole sichtbar
It doesn't sound like the all-clear . Choral singing and corona: Study makes aerosols visible
by Tobias Stosiek (03 Jul 2020)
Original source: BR Klassik
At the beginning of the Corona pandemic there were some cases of mass infection in choirs and so it is reasonable to assume that the risk of infection is particularly high when singing. In a study conducted by the LMU Munich and the Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen, the voice physician Matthias Echternach and the fluid mechanic Stefan Kniesburges conducted a series of experiments to make the spread of aerosols visible.
Singers of the Bavarian Radio Choir were available as test persons. They had the hope that the study would send a positive signal for an early resumption of concert activities.
The all-clear hoped for by the study did not come true, the hygiene rules that have been in force up to now are quite sensible, since aerosols do not only spread forward but also sideways. The degree of propagation depends on the existing ventilation system. A whole series of questions still remain unanswered: Does deep breathing while singing contribute to an increased probability of infection? How large is the amount of aerosol that is formed when singing and what is the corresponding concentration of aerosols in the air? Questions that still need to be answered in order to further trace the dangers of choral singing.
Read More Read Lesstag Chorsingen Aerosole Spucketröpfchen Hygieneregeln BR-Chor Matthias Echternach Stefan Kniesburges Music Bericht
Es fehlt die Angemessenheit der Mittel . Gesangsverbot für Chöre in Berlin
by Maria Ossowski (29 Jun 2020)
Original source: rbb24
Berlin has updated its Corona Ordinance and has banned singing in closed rooms strictly. There are no exceptions to this regulation. The regulations are to remain in force until 24 October. The choirs are annoyed because they were not informed about the new ban in advance.
tag Chöre Oper Berufsverbot Berlin Verhältnismäßigkeit Music Kommentar
Was möglich ist . Die Münchner Philharmoniker spielen wieder vor Publikum
What's possible . The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra plays again in front of an audience
by Egbert Tholl (25 Jun 2020)
Original source: Süddeutsche Zeitung
In Bavaria the hygiene rules are more restrictive than in any other federal state. Not only maximum distances between visitors in the Munich Philharmonic Hall are adhered to, but it is also not permitted to remove masks during the concert. It remains to be seen whether this is due to the "obviously most useless Minister of Art" who does not have confidence in the discipline of high culture audiences. But the 40 or so musicians under the direction of Valery Gergiev are not letting the restrictions affect them.
tag Klassische Musik Münchner Philharmoniker Hygieneregeln Kulturminister Konzert Music Kurzkritik
Event- und Konzertveranstalter in Not . Aktion „Night of Light“
Event and concert organizer in distress . Campaign: „Night of Light“
by Tom Koperek, Stephan Karkowsky (22 Jun 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk
On the evening of 22 June 2020 concert halls, theatres and live clubs are taking part throughout Germany: Their buildings illuminated in red did draw attention to the problems of the event industry at the "Night of Light". Since the event industry is a very heterogeneous branch of industry with over 150 subsections, it is difficult to make them visible in the political discourse.
