In this series of interviews, we want to introduce you to young artists and creative minds who are making Munich a little louder, more colorful and better with their art and projects. In the third episode, we talk to thecollective "Die Städtischen", a group of young Munich residents who are constantly attracting attention with their art and cultural projects in public spaces. They spoke to editor Julia about interdisciplinarity, their villa and upcoming projects.

Would you like to introduce yourselves?

We are "Die Städtischen". It's a conglomerate of many different people who come together and bring different backgrounds with them. Together, we try to use public space in a way that is unusual in order to show the potential that lies within it.

So interdisciplinarity is important to you. Who is involved with you?

That is the most important thing of all. We have the least amount of work if everyone does what they do best. But even if someone wants to learn something, that's not a problem because someone will be there to teach them. Interdisciplinarity really is the be-all and end-all. We're not just music, not just art, not just graffiti - that's our strength. We benefit from a constant change of perspective and actually act like a small university. By the way, we have a small celebration before every event so that the artists, musicians, bar staff and helpers are all on the same level and know that they are all equally respected. We are also not angry if someone can't make it, the person will be able to help us again elsewhere in the future.

We are around 70 people, 30 of whom are responsible for a project. But actually everyone is "Die Städtischen" - even the neighbor who complains. They are also part of the city and we try to respect them and get them on board. If you come to us with a good idea and can convince two or three people of it, then you're already part of the collective.

© The municipal

How long has your collective been around?

We've been around since shortly before Corona. Corona wasn't the main reason we were founded. Before the pandemic, we had already thought about the game days, a different event every day, like a summer party. If we had only started planning during the pandemic, we would never have gone through with it.

I actually thought that you were founded during or because of Corona. The focus of your projects is on public space, and in the last year in particular it has become clear how important this space is. I don't have a balcony myself and am dependent on public space in the city. You managed to appropriate this space just when it was needed the most.

Corona was another turbo for us because - as you say - we lacked open spaces and we wanted to do something against the standstill. The urbanites are "anti-lockdown". You could say that was the spirit of the times. At the beginning of last year, we took part in a competition for allotment gardens and were already talking about parking spaces at the time. Our plan was to repurpose parking spaces for non-consumption purposes before all the allotment gardens were built. The fact that this is now possible is really only due to corona. Also our project on Breisässerplatz. The KVR recently even officially changed the regulations so that this conversion of the square is now officially permitted.

© The municipal

You mentioned the match days, can you briefly explain what you did last year?

The play days took place on seven consecutive days. There was a different activity every day: a play, film festival, concert or art installation. A rave was planned for the last day, but we couldn't go ahead with it due to coronavirus. It was too risky.

So you are aware of a certain responsibility.

We want to do something good for the city and comply with the hygiene measures. We currently have interim use of the Gasteig and have received feedback that we are the best organizers they have ever had. The hygiene concept is adhered to, we don't leave any glass or garbage behind. The police were also there at the last concert, but everything was fine and they moved on again. We are aware of our responsibility and are currently in talks with the city for larger events in the summer. If we don't prove ourselves now, it won't work.

So you are already planning the next projects. Can you already reveal something?

We are currently planning and discussing intensively with the cultural department, the KJR and the night mayor -

The night mayor?

Several cities have this. It's like a moderator between the nightlife and the city. If there are no problems with the Delta variant, then the summer will be very good and there will be events for large numbers of people, but also smaller events. Like last year, only much bigger.

...and in cooperation with the City of Munich, those are good prospects!

There are several reasons for us to work with the city, for example liability. We can do what we want, but if someone slips and injures themselves at one of our events, then we have to see how we deal with it. Recognition is also important. The problem is that we are consumer-free and are therefore not taken as seriously. It's actually easier to get a permit if you present a concept with consumption. But we want to create alternatives.

© The municipal

You were recently featured inSZ Junge Leute and presented your villa. Would you like to briefly explain what it's all about?

Together with the Bushbash collective, we use the villa as a workspace and have already implemented projects there together. It was also an unused space that was supposed to be demolished, but that was postponed due to corona, among other things. We can stay there until February/March and have an idyllic garden, a studio, a workshop, office space for learning and working. There is art in every corner and we simply try to use every little space. We got the space from private people who are super nice, support us, pay the electricity bills and actually do the city's job. There are so many places like this that the city could make better use of. We're fighting for that too. More space, more public space, but we also need a base. The villa is the headquarters of our association.

Normally I ask at the end what the artists would want from the city, but in your case it has become quite clear. Hence my final question: What do you already like about Munich?

So much! The openness of the people, the environmental awareness of the city, all the greenery. People have time - and money, which means they have time - and can do something like "Die Städtischen". That's a good thing. We are also noticing a slow change in politics.

This content has been machine translated.