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.
»Diese Selbstverständlichkeit ist passé!« . Neustart des Musiklebens
»This matter of course is passé!« . Restart of the musical life
by Marie König, Frauke Roth (15 Feb 2021)
Original source: Deutschlandfunk
Although an opening prospect is not yet in sight, but subscribers are already waiting impatiently for the start of concerts at the Dresden Philharmonic. How the upcoming concerts might look, however, is still unclear. At the moment, no tickets are being sold, as the experience of last year has created a great deal of uncertainty for everyone involved. Nevertheless, the artistic director of the Dresden Philharmonic, Marie König, is looking positively into the future. Not only does her house have an excellent ventilation system, but last fall also showed that visitors are taking advantage of the event dates on offer. If a checkerboard pattern could be offered to the audience, then the sense of community that is created at a concert could also be re-established.
As a long-term consequence for the concert business, she sees that the belief in planning security - both in terms of performances and for tours - has been permanently shaken. The long planning cycles that existed before the crisis will no longer exist after the crisis. There will also be increased attention to the fact that events where many people come together in small spaces will not take place for a while. In Dresden, for example, the concert introduction will no longer be offered as a face-to-face event, but as a podcast. Read More Read Less
As a long-term consequence for the concert business, she sees that the belief in planning security - both in terms of performances and for tours - has been permanently shaken. The long planning cycles that existed before the crisis will no longer exist after the crisis. There will also be increased attention to the fact that events where many people come together in small spaces will not take place for a while. In Dresden, for example, the concert introduction will no longer be offered as a face-to-face event, but as a podcast. Read More Read Less
tag Lockdown Öffnung Programmplanung Schachbrettmuster Dresdner Philharmonie gemeinschaftliches Erlebnis Music Interview
Ein Jahr ohne Werke . Was es für das Musikleben bedeutet, wenn Verlage um ihr Überleben kämpfen
A year without pieces . What it means for musical life when publishing houses fight for their survival
by Merle Krafeld (03 Feb 2021)
Original source: VAN Magazin für klassische Musik
Music publishers play an important role in the cultural ecosystem. Not only do they promote the work of composers, but they also produce well thought-out sheet music in individual parts, ensure good binding quality of the sheet music and produce new editions of historical works. To do this, they conduct study of sources and work with scientific precision. The publishers therefore generate income not only from the sale of sheet music, but above all from the lending of scores of mostly copyrighted works to orchestras and choirs. The rental fees are made up of various facto rs such as the length and instrumentation of the work, the number of performances and seats available for sale. Last year, the turnover from rental fees for music publishers collapsed by up to 80 per cent. In addition to lending fees, publishers and rights holders also lost income from distributions by the German Performing Rights Society (GEMA) and foreign collecting societies as well as the German Music Edition Society (VG Musikedition). Since royalties are usually only paid out in the following year, the loss of income will not be felt until 2021. Publishers who specialise in choral music are also particularly affected, as it is not foreseeable here when rehearsals can be resumed. In the lockdown, only the purchase of individual parts and chamber music with small ensembles boomed. Henle-Verlag, which serves this segment with an app, among other things, is the only publishing house that recorded an increase in turnover in 2020.
As long as there is no planning security in the cultural sector, the sale and rental of sheet music will not increase. The staff of the publishing houses are therefore currently on short-time work and at the same time working flat out to offer works with a small line-up.
Many publishers are currently falling through the cracks of the aid payments because they are either too small or too big. The Neustart Kultur programme can compensate for turnover losses from the rental sector, but only 30 per cent of the lost turnover from April to November 2020, against which aid already received, such as short-time allowance, must be offset. So in the end, the aid is just a drop in the ocean. Read More Read Less
As long as there is no planning security in the cultural sector, the sale and rental of sheet music will not increase. The staff of the publishing houses are therefore currently on short-time work and at the same time working flat out to offer works with a small line-up.
Many publishers are currently falling through the cracks of the aid payments because they are either too small or too big. The Neustart Kultur programme can compensate for turnover losses from the rental sector, but only 30 per cent of the lost turnover from April to November 2020, against which aid already received, such as short-time allowance, must be offset. So in the end, the aid is just a drop in the ocean. Read More Read Less
tag Musikverlage GEMA Planungssicherheit Chormusik Leihverkehr Kurzarbeit Neustart Kultur Music Bericht
Diese Normalität darf nicht zurückkehren . Am Sinn für tatsächliche Relevanz herrscht im Kulturbetrieb erschreckender Mangel
This normality must not return . There is a frightening lack of a sense of actual relevance in the culture industry
by Peter Grabowski (01 Feb 2021)
Original source: Politik & Kultur
With a persistently high incidence value, Yilmaz Dziewior, the director of the Museum Ludwig, expressed the assumption in a mid-January interview on Deutschlandfunk that the museums will reopen in mid-February. In his commentary, Peter Grabowski takes this statement as an opportunity to reflect on the overconfidence of cultural workers in Germany. Democracy is not in danger just because the public is not allowed into museums and theatres. These are leisure facilities. Central social issues have long since ceased to be negotiated in a leading role in cultural institutions . Social media and the mass media play a much more central role in discourse here. Therefore, Grabowski calls on cultural practitioners to leave their ivory tower, acknowledge the reality of the pandemic and think about how cultural institutions can regain more relevance in society.
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tag Kulturszene Relevanz Selbstüberschätzung Yilmaz Dziewior Quo vadis ars Lockdown All sections Kommentar
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.
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tag Theater Systemrelevanz Lockdown Premierenstau Quo vadis ars Planungssicherheit Performing Arts/ Cinema Bericht
Unterschätztes Schwergewicht in EU . Kultursektor mit 199 Milliarden Verlust
Underestimated heavyweight in EU . Cultural sector with 199 billion loss
by Stefan Weiss (26 Jan 2021)
Original source: Der Standard
That the cultural sector makes an important contribution to value creation in EU countries is no secret, nor is the fact that it has been hit disproportionately harder than other sectors of the economy in the Corona crisis. The »Rebuilding Europe« study commissioned by collecting societies now provides the figures on the crisis for the first time. Looking at the industry as a whole, there is a 31 percent drop in revenue in 2020 compared to 2019. In individual sectors such as theater or opera, with a minus 90 percent (37 billion euros), and music, with a minus 76 percent (18 billion euros), the losses are even more dramatic. This means that the cultural sector has been hit much harder by the crisis than, for example, tourism (minus 27 percent) or the automotive industry (minus 25 percent). Not only is there currently no end of the crisis on the horizon, but the industry is also concerned with the question of whether the public will quickly regain its trust in cultural institutions after the crisis. The demand is therefore that the current support programs should continue to run generously after the crisis.
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tag Rebuilding Europe EU-Studie Bruttowertschöpfung Kulturbranche Umsatzeinbruch All sections Bericht
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
Here’s the first Africa-wide survey of the economic impact of COVID-19 on cultural industries
by Ribio Nzeza Bunketi Buse (28 Dec 2020)
Original source: The Conversation
This report refers to a study on the effects of the pandemic for the creative industry in Africa. Quantitative data from Senegal, D.R. Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia and South Africa are compared, but also qualitative data from further African countries evaluated. The most affected subsector within the cultural industries in Africa was the performing arts whereas the non face to face media are more resilient. Predominantly the informal sector appears to be hit. Similar to reports of the effects in OECD countries a significant number of freelancers and very small siz e of companies are affected. Above all, precarious employments or short time jobs are disproportionately impacted.
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tag Afrika Prekariat Wirtschaftsfaktor informeller Sektor All sections Bericht
»Es wurde zu viel abgesagt« . Kultur während Corona
»Too much has been cancelled« . Culture during Corona
by Axel Zibulski (26 Dec 2020)
Original source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Already after the spring lockdown, it was clear to many concert organisers of smaller events that they would be better off financially foregoing performances. The few places that could be allocated did not allow for cost-covering events. Nevertheless, many of them spared no effort to be able to offer events again, to bring artists on stage. The audience gratefully accepted the offer. The tickets for each concert were quickly sold out.
Karl-Werner Joerg, who is in charge of several subscription series in the Rhine-Main region, criticises the fact that many organ isers have cancelled concerts in anticipatory obedience. Especially with the smaller concerts, hygiene concepts could be taken into account very well, which is why - unlike with a big rock concert - a cancellation did not seem necessary. This also shows the support he has received. Subscribers have largely supported him, some concerts could be made possible with special public payments or private donations.
For a freelance concert organiser who does not have his own venue, the emergency aid and bridging funds were not available during the lockdown. On the one hand, he has few fixed costs, on the other hand, he also had income from subscriptions during the lockdown, which he was, however, not allowed to use to finance the new season until the autumn.
In the current situation, he demands above all that smaller events be allowed to take place again and that the industry show more solidarity. If large spaces were opened up for smaller organisers, this would not only help them and the musicians, but would also send an important signal to the »culture industry«: As in agriculture or retail, it should be about promoting smaller initiatives so that in the end it is not only the big chains that survive.
tag Konzertveranstalter Lockdown Planungssicherheit Solidarität Kulturindustrie Music 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 Lesstag 2020 Kino Filmstarts Umsatzverlust Streaming Insolvenz Performing Arts/ Cinema Jahresrückblick
Auktionshäuser sind die Gewinner in der Krise
Auction houses are the winners in the crisis
by Christian Herchenröder (17 Dec 2020)
Original source: Handelsblatt
The corona-induced shrinkage of 30 to 40 percent is distributed differently among the players in the art market. While 2020 art fairs and galleries with virtual art fairs and exhibitions were only able to score with the public to a limited extent, the auction houses recorded strong sales increases with online-only auctions. In particular, they were able to encourage first-time buyers, especially from America and China, to bid for high-priced art, especially in the contemporary sector.
