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.


 

Beendet den kulturellen Notstand! . 100 Tage Kultur im Lockdown
Stop the cultural emergency! . 100 Days of Culture in Lockdown

by René Schlott (08 Feb 2021)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk Kultur

Cultural institutions in Germany have been closed for 100 days. The representatives of the interests of those working in the cultural sector are barely succeeding in making their voices heard. Emergency decisions such as the closure of all Berlin theaters until Easter are hailed as a victory for planning security, rather than a loss of cultural participation. Instead - as historian René Schlott notes with surprise - statements that fuel the closure of the theaters are increasingly heard in the media. For example, the cancellation of the Leipzig Book Fair was greet ed with hope in a Berlin newspaper as a sign that other major events will soon be canceled.Positive examples such as the successful staging of the Salzburg Festival are no longer mentioned.  On the last weekend in January, the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, declared a »cultural state of emergency« as part of the »Théatres Ouverts« initiative. This must also be ended as quickly as possible in our country.

Read More Read Less

tag kultureller Notstand Lockdown Theater Museen Planungssicherheit Benoît Payan Théatres Ouverts Berichterstattung
All sections Appell

Die Literaturszene verliert ihre Foren . Absage der Leipziger Buchmesse
The literary scene loses its forums . Cancellation of the Leipzig Book Fair

by Helmut Böttiger (29 Jan 2021)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk Kultur

The Leipzig Book Fair will not take place in 2021 either. Even the postponement to the beginning of May seems untenable for a major event. For the industry in transition, the cancellation is a painful loss, not only financially, because what is currently understood as literature and how it is talked about has changed noticeably. Today, literature is a small market segment of the so-called culture industry and is no longer a place of debate about aesthetic standards and socio-political issues.  An indicator for this is the announcement of the WDR to go new ways in li terature reviews. The book fair would have offered publishers and authors a forum to exchange ideas about this structural crisis.

Read More Read Less

tag Buchmesse Literaturkritik Verlage Event Quo vadis ars
Literature/ Text Kommentar

Leipziger Buchmesse abgesagt
Leipzig Book Fair canceled

by Martin Hoferick (29 Jan 2021)
Original source: Kulturzeit

A major event is currently hardly plannable and so it is not surprising that the director of the Leipzig Book Fair, Oliver Zille, announced this week with a heavy heart the cancellation of this year's fair. Precisely because Leipzig relies on so many forms of encounter, the fair is hardly safe to hold this year. A shift to the digital is out of question for the organizers, because here the personal encounter as a central element of the Leipzig fair cannot be adequately implemented. The format itself will definitely be retained in the coming years, the situation on th e book market is good despite the cancellation. Nevertheless, Andreas Rötzer from the publishing house Matthes und Seitz demands that support for the industry must be considered if other major events are cancelled in the course of the year. A vaccination center will now be set up in the exhibition halls this far.

Read More Read Less

tag Buchmesse Buchbranche Digitalisierung Begegnung Großveranstaltungen
Literature/ Text Bericht

Ein Wort geht um auf deutschsprachigen Bühnen: der »Premierenstau«
A word is circulating on German-speaking stages: the »premiere backlog«

by Bernd Noack (29 Jan 2021)
Original source: Neue Züricher Zeitung

While the theatres had still hoped to reopen soon with the announcement of a lockdown light in November, the date for the start of productions seems to have receded into the distant future. While many theatres were still working on new productions in November and December, rehearsals have now largely stopped. Frustration in the ensembles is growing, as it is even less foreseeable than in the spring when a return to normal operations will be possible. As at the beginning of the season in autumn, audiences can then expect a flurry of premieres, as the new productions are j ust waiting to be presented. Until then, on the one hand, crisis management is in demand at the theatres, which - according to many theatre managers - is basically part of their everyday business. On the other hand, Nicolas Stemann from the Schauspielhaus Zurich asks the justified question of whether one can continue to plan with a theatre repertoire operation or whether the houses should not use the current situation to try out new formats and a new kind of artistic activity. 

Read More Read Less

tag Theater Systemrelevanz Lockdown Premierenstau Quo vadis ars Planungssicherheit
Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht

Kino in Corona-Zeit . Rückblick aufs (Katastrophen-) Filmjahr
Cinema in times of Corona . Review of the (disaster) film year

by Walli Müller (20 Dec 2020)
Original source: NDR

The annual reviews begin in mid-December. The film industry and cinema operators were particularly hard hit in 2020. While the start of the year with the 'Kangaroo Chronicles' still looked quite good, the Corona pandemic led to a 70 percent drop in sales for the year as a whole. The reason for this are not only the Hollywood blockbusters, which will not be screened until next year, and the competition from streaming providers, but above all the reduced space available and the renewed lockdown in November. German productions like 'Undine' and 'Berlin A lexanderplatz' reached only a small audience despite awards and good reviews. Only the children's film was able to show good attendance figures with 'Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13', despite the small amount of space available, November started promisingly.

On a positive note, 2020 saw the revival of drive-in cinemas and hybrid film festivals that made it open to more than just local visitors through online access. Nevertheless, the closures and the competition from streaming platforms are making it difficult for cinemas to operate. Three cinemas had to file for insolvency this year due to corona; whether these are the only victims of the industry will become clear in 2021.

Read More Read Less

tag 2020 Kino Filmstarts Umsatzverlust Streaming Insolvenz
Performing Arts/ Cinema Jahresrückblick

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.

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 Less

tag Filmindustrie Filmverleiher Filmkunstmesse Blockbuster Leipzig Monika Grütters Carlo Chatrian
Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht

„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 Less

tag Konzerte Konzerthäuser Konzertagenturen Solo-Selbständige Studierende stiller Tod Salzburger Festspiele Schachbrettmuster Jens Spahn
Music Interview

»Was in Berlin passiert, ist ziemlich einmalig« . Corona-Hilfe für Klubkultur
»What's happening in Berlin is quite unique« . Corona aid for club culture

by Laura Aha (20 Jul 2020)
Original source: Spiegel

Clubs were the first cultural institutions to close, and they will most likely be the last to be allowed to reopen. In Berlin alone, 140 clubs and as many club event agencies employ around 9000 people. In Berlin, Senator for Culture Klaus Lederer has launched a 30 million euro aid package for clubs. Cologne and Hamburg have also granted support to the scene at a very early stage. The situation is different in cities that have not yet promoted pop culture. Here, clubs are falling through the ranks of the various support models and are fighting for recognition as cultural institutions. Currently, the open-air season is making it possible to compensate somewhat for the slump in sales. But the scene needs a long-term strategy to avoid falling victim to the crisis.

Read More Read Less

tag Clubszene Berlin Soforthilfe Konjunkturpaket Klaus Lederer
Music Bericht

Die Buchbranche leidet und macht Verluste . Ein Virus namens Angst greift um sich
The book industry suffers and makes losses . A virus called anxiety is spreading

by Paul Jandl (17 Jul 2020)
Original source: Neue Züricher Zeitung

Even before the crisis, things did not look bright in the book industry. In recent years, the number of people who regularly buy a book has fallen steadily. The Corona crisis, during which many switched to other media and Amazon preferred to deliver toilet paper instead of books, reinforced this trend. At the end of May, the industry recorded a loss of 17.5 percent compared to the previous year. And so many publishers are reacting with a cost-cutting programme.
Just how hard the industry is struggling with its reinvention was shown by the squabbles surrounding the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. Many publishing companies have since cancelled their participation after the people in charge decided very early on to hold the Fair with an alternative concept. In Frankfurt, for example, people are now thinking about transforming the industry meeting into a creative festival where, besides literature, music, pop and gaming are also present. At the moment it is to be feared that anxiety is causing much more damage in the industry than the virus.

Read More Read Less

tag Buchbranche Buchmesse Neustart Kultur Umsatzeinbruch zweiter Frühling
Literature/ Text Bericht

Kommunen, Verbände, Künstler - der »Kulturpolitische Salon« im DLF Kultur diskutiert verschiedene Sichtweisen auf das Kulturpaket. Fazit: Die langfristigen Folgen der Krise sind noch nicht absehbar. . Kann das Milliardenpaket des Bundes die Kultur retten?
Leaving the Corona crisis behind with a . Can the federal government's billion-euro package save culture?

by Skadi Jennicke, Ulrich Khuon, Dagmar Schmidt, Wolfgang Schmidt, Olaf Zimmermann, Hans Dieter Heimendahl (12 Jun 2020)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk Kultur

As part of the economic stimulus package, the German Federal Government has provided one billion euros for the protection of the infrastructure in the cultural and creative industries with its "Restart Culture" programme. In the new format of Deutschlandfunk, the "Cultural Policy Salon", representatives from various sectors are discussing about the significance of the government's cultural package in the current situation and how the exit strategy from the crisis could look like for the sector. The participants agree that the economic stimulus pac kage is an important signal for the sector, but it is still seen as a form of emergency aid. The crisis is far from over, many cultural institutions are still in test mode. As the municipalities and institutions are still reacting to the crisis, they hope for some deceleration, so that there is again time for a reflective approach to the demands of the new everyday life.

Read More Read Less

tag Konjunkturpaket Neustart Kultur Kulturförderung Bundesregierung Verbände Kommunen
All sections Diskussion

News

Twitter


The signet of facing arts joining the faces of STORM.

Facing arts is a non-profi project. Feel free to support it and get in touch with us!

The Team

Facing arts is a projet by STORM.

STORM is an acronym playing with the initials by Miriam Seidler & Tim Otto Roth, who are hit both by the Corona crisis. Dr. Miriam Seidler is a scholar in German literature and currently works as specialist in public relations. Dr. Tim Otto Roth is a scholar in art and science history and works as a conceptual artist and composer. He is known for his huge projects in public space, cooperations with leading scientific institutions and his immersive sound and light installations. Miriam and Tim collaborate regularly for years. With facing arts they reaslize their first common art project.
You find more informatin on both initiators on www.miriamseidler.de and www.imachination.net.

Special thanks to Paco Croket for the tag cloud programming!

Getting in touch

Get in touch

Write an email to
or use the following form to contact us:

Impressum


Adresse

Privacy Notice

Content
The content of this website has been carefully prepared and reviewed. However, it does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or quality of the information provided, or that it is up-to-date. Liability claims against the publisher in respect of material or immaterial damage caused by the use or non-use of the information offered or by inaccurate or incomplete information are in principle ruled out provided that there is no provable culpable intent or gross negligence on the institute's part.
The publisher reserves the right to alter, amend or delete parts of the site or the entire offering, or to cease publication, without prior notice.

Links
Where the publisher provides direct or indirect references (i.e. links) to external websites, it is liable only if the publisher has precise knowledge of the content and if it is technically possible and reasonable for it to prevent use in the event that they contain unlawful content.
The publisher expressly states that the linked websites had no illegal content when the links were set up. It has no influence whatsoever on the current and future design of the linked sites and hereby distances itself expressly from any alterations to the content that were made after the links to those sites were set up.
The Publisher is not responsible for the content, availability, correctness or accuracy of the linked sites or of the offerings, links or advertisements therein. It is not liable for illegal, incorrect or incomplete content or in particular for damages arising from the use or non-use of the information provided on linked sites.

Copyright
In all publications, the publisher endeavours to comply with applicable copyrights. If, in spite of this, an infringement of copyright should occur, the publisher will after notification remove the relevant object from its publication or indicate the appropriate copyright. All brand names and trademarks mentioned within the Internet offering that are possibly protected by third parties are without limitation subject to the provisions of the law on trademarks and related signs and the property rights of the registered owners. The mere fact that they have been mentioned should not be taken to mean that trademarks are not protected by third-party rights.

Privacy Policy
The use of the internet pages of www.facingscience.net is possible without any indication of personal data; however, if a data subject wants to use the contact form or image upload form of our website, processing of personal data could become necessary. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no statutory basis for such processing, we generally obtain consent from the data subject.