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Federal Councilor Berset showed understanding for the culture industry. But he didn’t want to give up a binding perspective.
At the second meeting of the cultural sector with Federal Councilor Alain Berset, cultural workers demanded prospects for a predictable restart of cultural life in Switzerland. Berset showed understanding, but cultural workers have so far lacked commitment.
Desire for cultural events
“After 11 months of uncertainty, perspectives are now needed,” reads a message from the Culture Working Group. The cultural sector associations joined forces in this working group last March.
They highlight the urgent need to resume cultural life. They see Monday’s conversation as a prelude to working on a new beginning.
Together with the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the cantons and the different scientific areas, they want to work on concepts and approval criteria during the coming weeks and, above all, define a schedule “so that we are prepared to restart”, they write . Cultural workers insist on framework conditions “for a binding and plannable restart”.
Berset wants to “tackle problems as effectively as possible”
Representatives of the Federal Office of Culture (BAK), the Pro Helvetia Cultural Foundation, the BAG, the Federal Office of Social Security (FSIO) and the Secretary of State for the Economy (Seco) were also present at the meeting between representatives of the cultural sector . and Federal Councilor Berset.
Federal Councilor Berset welcomed the direct exchange between industry and the authorities and underlined his willingness to address the existential difficulties of the cultural sector in the most effective way possible, as stated in a new communication from the Federal Department of the Interior ( FDHA).
Better harmonization of support
But the large number of institutions represented at the meeting showed a problem: Four different federal offices are responsible for the various support measures, in addition to the individual cantons. What is urgently needed here is a better overview, a contact person at the federal level, and a central database that temporarily manages supportive contributions from applicants, according to the Working Group on Culture.
In addition to these improvements in support for those working in the arts, it is urgently important to the Culture Working Group that the gaps in support are closed. These gaps were often based on the fact that support measures were not coordinated with each other.
