War schön, kann weg? Freie Kunst unter Druck.

When public budgets shrink, the already limited funding structures of the independent scene often come under pressure—echoing the sentiment: nice while it lasted, but expendable? Politics faces fundamental questions: How much art—and above all, which kind—do we as a society want to support, and what conditions does the independent scene need in order to survive?

The independent performing arts have always operated under conditions of risk—both artistically and structurally. Yet rising costs, precarious production conditions and cuts in cultural funding are intensifying the situation. The panel examines what these developments mean in concrete terms for artists, institutions and audiences—and which cultural policy decisions are now required.

Representatives from politics, associations and artistic practice discuss structural deficits, funding logics and possible future scenarios: How can sustainable working conditions be created? What lies behind the concept of “synergies”? What responsibilities does cultural policy bear? And how can the independent scene assert its role as a critical and outspoken voice?

With:
Erwin Köhler (Member of State Parliament, cultural policy spokesperson for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Dr. Alexander Becker (Member of the State Parliament, Committee for Science, Research and the Arts, CDU)
Sara Dahme (Member of Stuttgart City Council, cultural policy spokesperson for SPD)
Luise Leschik (director, board member of LaFT Baden-Württemberg)
Paul Hess (co-managing director of the Federal Association of Independent Performing Arts)
and other guests.

Moderated by: Janina Benduski (Programme Director, LAFT Berlin)

The event is part of 3 TAGE FREI and takes place in cooperation with FESTIVALFRIENDS – a nationwide network of regional festivals for the independent performing arts that strengthens exchange, visibility and joint cultural policy positioning.