studiobühneköln | Ohne Räume keine Szene?

In the organizer's words:

Cultural policy responsibility for the independent performing arts

In times of tight public budgets, spaces and resources for the independent performing arts are becoming increasingly scarce. The issue of space has long been more than just a logistical problem: it directly influences artistic decisions, production conditions and choice of subject matter.

What options do actors in the independent performing arts community currently have for using performance and work spaces? Can projects in public spaces help to compensate for a lack of infrastructure and at the same time strengthen participation and involvement? Or does the constant development of new spaces stand in the way of a sustainable use of limited resources? While more and more flexibility is expected from artists, it often remains unclear how cultural policy can fulfill its responsibility to secure reliable and long-term venues for the independent performing arts. After all, cultural policy is always also spatial policy - and therefore urban development policy. It raises the fundamental question of what kind of city we want to live in: as artists as well as citizens, for whom access to artistic offerings should be guaranteed.

A conversation with Hilke Berger (urban researcher, Hamburg), Flori Gugger (dramaturge, Vienna), Sabine Kroner (Berlin Mondiale) and Stawrula Panagiotaki (studiobühneköln)

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Without Spaces, No Scene? On the Cultural and Political Responsibility for the Independent Performing Arts

When the public purse tightens, space and resources for the independent performing arts become increasingly scarce. The issue of space has long been more than just a logistical problem: it directly influences artistic decisions, modes of production and topic choice.

What possibilities are currently available to independent artists in terms of performance and rehearsal spaces? Can projects in public spaces help to compensate for a lack of infrastructure whilst simultaneously strengthening participation and inclusion? Or is the constant opening up of new locations an obstacle to the sustainable use of limited resources? Whilst the expectation is for artists to become increasingly flexible, it remains unclear how cultural policy can fulfill its own responsibility to secure reliable, long-term sites for the independent performing arts. For cultural policy always includes spatial policy - and thus urban development policy. It raises the fundamental question of what kind of city we want to live in, as artists as well as citizens, for whom access to the arts must be guaranteed.

A conversation with Hilke Berger (urban researcher, Hamburg), Flori Gugger (dramaturge, Vienna), Sabine Kroner (Berlin Mondiale), and Stawrula Panagiotaki (studiobühneköln)