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Sizzles on the cultural scene. In a fury video on Facebook, cabaret master Lukas Resetarits expressed his anger at Secretary of State for Culture Ulrike Lunacek (Greens) and spoke to many of his fellow artists. “Black perspectives for all cultural workers,” Resetarits said in the video directed to Lunacek. He particularly criticized the still strict crown rules for events.
Now other prominent artists have formed an initiative calling for a “rescue umbrella for creative people and artists.” As of yesterday, more than 5,000 supporters have signed online.
Resentment is not only growing among professionals. Impatience grows daily in the hundreds of popular culture associations in Upper Austria. “We all adhere to the guidelines with great sense,” says Günther Reisegger, the director of the state gang. “But the longing is already very great.” There is a lot of uncertainty among music bands, says Alfred Lugstein, president of Landesblasmusikverband: “We finally need clear guidelines on when we can rehearse and how.”
Video of the Eberschwang peasant gang: “Eberschwanger musicians greet”
“Stressful situation”
Harald Wurmsdobler, president of the State Choirs Association, sees it similarly: “The situation is stressful for our choirs. Many are starting to cover the exit blocks.” But the situation is particularly delicate for the choir. Because only the St. Georgen / Gusen choir rehearsal weekend in early March triggered many corona infections in the Perg district. “Although the event was completely legal, the incident is still negatively related to the choral scene.” Now it is even more important to have precise specifications for the samples.
The virus also caught many theater groups. The theater group Engerwitzdorf was only a few days before the premiere, when all the performances had to be canceled. “Our people were disappointed,” says President Hubert Wögerbauer. Backdrops were set up, suits were sewn, food was bought. The 4483 theater in Hargelsberg had a similar experience, where the long-staged premiere would have been in late April.
But most clubs were not put off by bitter rejection and found new creative ways. For example, 4483 theater actors posted a photo and message to Instagram every day, and people from Engerwitzdorf cut video clips of past performances and told anecdotes about them. The choirs simply put their long choir night on the web on May 20. And the country music band Eberschwang from Landeskapellmeister Reisegger put together a video in which 45 musicians perform the “Eberschwanger Musikantengruß”, all at home and full of creative ideas.
Peter Schaumberger, CEO of the Volkskultur Forum, hopes that motivation among the 120,000 participants does not decrease. “But it will only be possible to see if people return to the clubs or if they have experienced without living if the business is working again.” All the more bitter that the popular culture festival had to be canceled in September. Schaumberger encourages: “Popular culture has strength, and it stays.
Petition: “Rescue Umbrella for Creative People”
Initiative: In view of continued insecurity in much of the cultural sector, a new initiative has been formed which, through an online petition, calls for a “rescue umbrella for creative people and artists”. The front row includes percussionist Martin Grubinger, actors Erwin Steinhauer and Adele Neuhauser, cabaret artist Lukas Resetarits, and culture spokesman SPÖ Thomas Drozda. Among other things, “clear and realistic guidelines for cultural activities” and “no downsides” are required compared to other industries. “We don’t want to be supplicants, but we are demanding government support for all those who currently cannot work and are allowed to work artistically,” he says.
Articles of
Herbert Schorn
Culture and life editor
