Urgent Action Needed: Preserve the Existence of Free Theatres in NRW!
Free theaters in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) are facing a critical period of financial uncertainty, as minimum fees and rising costs put pressure on their already limited budgets. These constraints, compounded by uncertain public and private funding, threaten the viability of these cultural institutions that offer diverse performances and serve as a catalyst for open and aesthetically diverse theater.
The free theater scene in NRW is more than just a platform for artistic expression; it plays a significant role in the region's cultural landscape, fostering a sense of home and belonging within communities, and facilitating discussions on a wide range of questions and situations. It also contributes to the local economy as employers and commissioners.
However, the ongoing concern about reductions in cultural funding in NRW has raised alarm bells for artists and independent cultural workers. The rising operational costs, including venue rental, staff payments, production expenses, and administrative overheads, make it harder for free or volunteer-driven institutions to sustain regular productions without charging admission fees. This financial burden comes at a time when public and private funding is uncertain or declining.
Sonja Bongers, a prominent figure in the free theater scene, has warned that these financial pressures may lead to fewer artists being supported and fewer performances being shown. The funding for some smaller institutions may not be sufficient for socially insured employment relationships, leading to precarious arrangements and potentially the reduction or cessation of operations for free theaters. This would be a significant loss for both the cultural landscape and social cohesion in NRW.
Bongers has called for more support from the state government for the free theater scene, highlighting the importance of these institutions in promoting understanding and acceptance of different lifestyles and opinions, thereby laying an important foundation for the success of democracy.
The free theater scene in Germany is under immense structural pressure, with actors and practitioners designing various genres and formats of theater, including performances, dance pieces, audio walks, puppet theater, new circus, and many others. These diverse offerings provide a language for children to express complex emotions and address difficult topics, offering strength, courage, and a means to overcome loneliness for children and young people.
In the face of these challenges, it is crucial to reconsider the debate on fair payments in NRW. While the focus has been on minimum fees for artists and technicians, the debate overlooks the permanently employed staff in the houses, who are not subject to a real tariff obligation or honorar underlimits recommendation.
The free theater scene also creates local public spheres and explores new perspectives, opening up play and experience spaces. These theaters evoke a range of emotions, supporting a balanced emotional state, and serve as a catalyst for modern, open, and aesthetically diverse theater. In a world where art has become more inward-looking and dependent on grant systems, the free theater scene remains a beacon of openness and inclusivity, calling for renewed strategies to support sustainable, accessible theater culture in the region.
- The financial uncertainty facing free theaters in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is not just about artistic expression; it significantly influences the region's cultural landscape, fostering a sense of home and belonging, and facilitating discussions on a wide range of topics.
- The rising operational costs, including venue rental, staff payments, production expenses, and administrative overheads, make it challenging for free theaters to continue providing diverse performances without charging admission fees, especially with uncertain or declining public and private funding.
- Sonja Bongers, a significant figure in the free theater scene, fears that these financial pressures may lead to fewer artists being supported and fewer performances being shown, potentially causing a significant loss for both the cultural landscape and social cohesion in NRW.
- Bongers emphasizes the importance of the free theater scene in promoting understanding and acceptance of different lifestyles and opinions, thereby laying an important foundation for the success of democracy.
- It is crucial to reconsider the debate on fair payments in NRW, not just for artists and technicians, but also for the permanently employed staff in the houses, who are currently overlooked in the conversation about minimum fees and honorar underlimits.
