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The main representatives of the Austrian cultural scene attacked the Austrian government en masse from the ÖVP and the Greens at a press conference due to the lack of clear prospects for the crown crisis. German-Austrian writer Daniel Kehlmann also harshly criticized the government. Politicians like to refer to the achievements of the cultural nation, “but if all this is invaded by a global catastrophe, no one can be contacted in politics, who is very interested in furniture stores and hardware stores.”
“This federal government is an imposition,” Josefstadt theater director Herbert Föttinger said at the press conference. Many artists are worried, desperate, and angry. The scene finally awaited clear announcements about whether the theater could be played in an acceptable way. In a contribution to the press conference, writer Peter Turrini said: “If it is absolutely necessary, leave the theater closed and open it immediately if it is no longer necessary.” The government should stop talking about distance rules and mouth protection during rehearsals and performances.
The coalition clearly lacks a deeper understanding of the role of theaters, said Föttinger, who runs Austria’s largest private theater with more than 400 employees. He asked Foreign Minister Sebastián Kurz (ÖVP) to personally commit to the cultural nation and to provide a rescue package that offered artists an economic perspective on the crisis.
The government says it will shortly present a risk management concept in view of corona risk, at least for small and medium-sized cultural events.
