Despite the federal government’s record budget, important cultural projects are no longer supported – including the Frankfurt Mousonturm. The city’s head of cultural affairs reacted indignantly.
The Künstlerhaus Mousonturm was opened in 1988 as one of the first independent production houses in Germany. It combines local and global art.
Image © IMAGO / imagebroker
The federal government’s cultural budget increases by ten percent to a record sum of 2.57 billion euros – and yet numerous nationwide relevant networks and projects are no longer supported. The Mousonturm in Frankfurt is also affected, as one of seven partner companies in the “Alliance of International Production Houses”.
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This will lead to significant restrictions, said Frankfurt’s head of culture Ina Hartwig (SPD) on Thursday and expressed her anger.
Hartwig: Indispensable for Frankfurt’s cultural landscape
The decision to cut funding has a significant impact on the affected communities. “The Mousonturm as an urban society is indispensable for Frankfurt’s cultural landscape with its innovative and internationally renowned offerings,” writes Hartwig in a statement.
“We will continue to support the house to the best of our ability and have been in close contact with the Mousonturm for months,” Hartwig continued.
The deletion had been looming for monthsbut recently seemed to have been averted under the traffic light government. Most recently, the then Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens) promised funding of 1.8 million euros for the alliance. However, this will not happen under the new government.
This marks the end of “a long-standing and successful cooperation between the seven most important production houses for contemporary performing arts, whose work brings together international perspectives with local artists and urban communities,” writes Hartwig.
Frankfurt wants to “limit damage”
The alliance recently received a total of 5 million euros annually from Berlin for this work; 600,000 euros were allocated to the Mouson Tower.
The city of Frankfurt supports the Mousonturm with over four million euros annually. “We as a municipality will do everything we can to limit the damage,” asserted Hartwig. “I can openly say that we are not happy with the current decisions from Berlin.”
The “Alliance of International Production Houses” includes the FFT Düsseldorf, HAU Hebbel am Ufer (Berlin), HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts (Dresden), Kampnagel (Hamburg), Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm (Frankfurt am Main), PACT Zollverein (Essen) and the tanzhaus nrw (Düsseldorf). This summer the alliance celebrated its tenth anniversary.
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