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.
Zauber der lebenden Bilder . 125 Jahre Kino
The magic of tableaux vivants
by Andreas Busche (28 Dec 2020)
Original source: Tagesspiegel
To mark the anniversary of the first cinema showing on 28 December 1895, cinemas will be closed in almost all countries this year. The industry is therefore not in the mood to celebrate. In the Tagesspiegel, Andreas Busche reflects on the current situation of the industry on the occasion of the anniversary.
A premiere took place at Christmas: Warner and Disney released films without a theatrical release for the first time. The era of the blockbuster is thus coming to an end. Whether the new James Bond will draw audiences to the cinema next year remains open to que stion. In 2020, the combination of streaming services and the pandemic has taken an extreme toll on the industry. Currently, film theatres are only getting through the crisis with state support. This is not only because the film theatre has lost the aura that surrounded it in the early 20th century. At present, instead of euphoria, there is often a sense of mistrust towards the people sitting in the cinema with them. However - as Busche reminds us - cinema has always depended on a mixed calculation. For example, the factory owner Stollwerk realised early on that selling chocolate in the cinema hall would boost business. Today, cinema operators have to offer chocolate, nachos and cola to survive because ticket sales alone do not pay off.
The crisis of the cinema is proclaimed at regular intervals. Busche is therefore sure that it will survive this crisis, too - but he is not one of the optimists who hope that the pandemic could be a corrective for undesirable developments of past decades. Read More Read Less
A premiere took place at Christmas: Warner and Disney released films without a theatrical release for the first time. The era of the blockbuster is thus coming to an end. Whether the new James Bond will draw audiences to the cinema next year remains open to que stion. In 2020, the combination of streaming services and the pandemic has taken an extreme toll on the industry. Currently, film theatres are only getting through the crisis with state support. This is not only because the film theatre has lost the aura that surrounded it in the early 20th century. At present, instead of euphoria, there is often a sense of mistrust towards the people sitting in the cinema with them. However - as Busche reminds us - cinema has always depended on a mixed calculation. For example, the factory owner Stollwerk realised early on that selling chocolate in the cinema hall would boost business. Today, cinema operators have to offer chocolate, nachos and cola to survive because ticket sales alone do not pay off.
The crisis of the cinema is proclaimed at regular intervals. Busche is therefore sure that it will survive this crisis, too - but he is not one of the optimists who hope that the pandemic could be a corrective for undesirable developments of past decades. Read More Read Less
tag Kino Streaming Blockbuster Misstrauen Krise als Chance Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht
Deutsche Filmbranche sucht Auswege aus der Corona-Krise . Filmkunstmesse in Leipzig
German film industry seeks ways out of the Corona crisis . Film art fair in Leipzig
by Ole Steffen (17 Sep 2020)
Original source: mdr Kultur
The film art fair takes place in Leipzig. The event was the first industry meeting in Germany since the beginning of the Corona crisis and thus also served to reflect on the current situation.
As an introduction to a panel discussion at the Alte Handelsbörse in Leipzig, the Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grütters, had the opportunity to make a statement on cultural funding during the Corona crisis. This was followed by a panel discussion with, among others, Carlo Chatrian, festival director of Berlin, and Michael Kölmel, managing director of Weltkino distribution. The latter assessed the film industry's funding awards - for producers, distributors and cinemas - as fundamentally positive, but complained that film distributors only receive funding for German films. Since the film business is now international, this hardly helps at all. Monika Grütters pointed out that the extra billion for culture is financed by taxpayers' money, which is why it is necessary to look very closely at how the funding is distributed.
As an introduction to a panel discussion at the Alte Handelsbörse in Leipzig, the Minister of State for Culture, Monika Grütters, had the opportunity to make a statement on cultural funding during the Corona crisis. This was followed by a panel discussion with, among others, Carlo Chatrian, festival director of Berlin, and Michael Kölmel, managing director of Weltkino distribution. The latter assessed the film industry's funding awards - for producers, distributors and cinemas - as fundamentally positive, but complained that film distributors only receive funding for German films. Since the film business is now international, this hardly helps at all. Monika Grütters pointed out that the extra billion for culture is financed by taxpayers' money, which is why it is necessary to look very closely at how the funding is distributed.
International films played an important role in the discussion, because blockbusters from America usually attract visitors to the cinemas. At present, US films are being held back by German distributors, which is why many cinema owners complain that they are not only restricted by hygiene rules, but that the reduced number of films on offer also attracts hardly any visitors to the cinemas. Carlo Chatrian, festival director of the Berlinale, pointed out that defocusing American productions could also be an advantage. He also sees therein an opportunity to stimulate a new reflection on the quality of films and a European film culture.
Read More Read Lesstag Filmindustrie Filmverleiher Filmkunstmesse Blockbuster Leipzig Monika Grütters Carlo Chatrian Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht
How we can save our theatres . Britain’s powerhouse cultural sector needs investment, not charity
by Sam Mendes (05 Jun 2020)
Original source: Financial Times
With regards to the grave situation for theatres in the UK Sir Sam Mendes believes to have a plan how to help this rich culture to survive. The British film and stage director underlines the economic factor of the UK as cultural »soft super power«: Here live theatre not only generates ticket revenues, but is breeding new talents for film industry. To save the »multi-faceted organism« of live theatre he provides a mixture of recipes. First off all he pleas to sustain the workforce. Above all he proposes a tax relief increased from 20 per cent to 50 per cent for the next three years. Finally, he introduces a new model for governmental support: He proposes the state to function as an »Angel« similar to a private investor co-producing new programs. So the government does not provide subsidies, but functions as public investor getting also share of the revenue in case of a successful production.
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tag Theater Sam Mendes Steuererleichterung Kulturförderung Performing Arts/ Cinema Statement
Kein »Zurück auf Los« für die Kultur
No »Go back to square one« for culture
by Gero Schließ (30 May 2020)
Original source: Deutsche Welle
Beside aviation, tourism and gastronomy, the pandemic has hit culture hardest. The cultural and creative industries are still waiting for the saving stimulus package that will compensate for the consequences and maintain the infrastructure. What is already foreseeable: the damage in the cultural sector is gigantic and it will have long-term effects. Part of the problem is the large number of employees who live on the edge of the subsistence level and have no reserves. This raises the fundamental cultural-political question of how to improve the situation after the crisis .
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tag Konjunkturpaket Mini-Jobs prekäre Lebenslage kulturelle Infrastruktur All sections Kommentar
In Zeiten der Abstandsästhetik . Theater unter Corona-Bedingungen
In times of distance aesthetics . Theatre under corona conditions
by Stefan Grund (26 May 2020)
Original source: Welt
In Hamburg, the theatres are currently not yet allowed to reopen. However, in preparation for the new season, the Deutsches Schauspielhaus and the Thalia Theater have resumed rehearsals. Here, too, the rules of hygiene are strictly observed. This has an impact on the plays, in which more distance must now be maintained between the actors. Jan Bosse, director at the Thalia Theater, understands the alienation, which he did not choose himself, as an aesthetic challenge, which produces new solutions during rehearsals. These are also understood by the audience, since everyone can understand and interpret the collective narrative Corona. As an unique experience, he considers the Corona conditions as a challenge. However, the rules of hygiene should not be set in the long run, because especially the distance on stage can quickly lead to boredom.
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