16.03.: The following open letter was sent on March 16 and has (as of March 26) been signed by 1201 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nDear Provincial Councillor Dr. Karlheinz Kornh\u00e4usl,
With this letter, we would like to express our deep concern regarding the development of the Styrian cultural landscape. The reason for this is the very surprising new appointment to the Cultural Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere is great resentment among Styrian artists and cultural professionals – both about the composition of the new Board of Trustees and about the hand-made appointment process. We do not recognize any professional competence in contemporary art – or in the cultural field in general – among some representatives of the board of trustees. To all appearances, political affiliation and not the relevant expertise was the decisive factor in some appointments. This approach is therefore clearly contrary to the 2030 Cultural Strategy adopted by the state parliament and the State Cultural Promotion Act, according to which party political influence must be repressed and independent expertise given priority. A cultural board of trustees that is not professionally but purely party-politically staffed will have incalculable negative consequences for the vibrant cultural region of Styria and the artistic diversity of our province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its new composition, the Board of Trustees also in no way reflects the complexity of the cultural field: virtually no one has experience in the independent scene, only a few are based in the regions, we are missing people from multilingual or ethnic cultural work, there are hardly any experts from contemporary and experimental art and hardly any supra-regional expertise. In addition, the gender ratio is once again seriously imbalanced. Such a one-sided board of trustees certainly does not do justice to the diversity of the cultural field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some representatives of the Board of Trustees have close ties to the far-right scene. Through their actions, they actively support the strengthening and dissemination of historical revisionist and right-wing extremist ideas. Having such personalities in central advisory positions is tantamount to breaking a cultural-political dam. The appointment is a serious blow to Styrian cultural policy, which has the proven aim of strengthening democracy, cooperation and the free, critical reflection and further development of society – values to which you have publicly committed yourself on several occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cuts that have already been made, which affect a considerable number of initiatives and artists, should also not go unmentioned. Some of these cuts are serious and threaten renowned initiatives that have been built up over many years and are now facing extinction. The decision as to who will be cut and by how much also appears arbitrary and lacking in transparency. Their public statements regarding the budgetary situation have so far been reassuring. This discrepancy is causing a serious loss of trust, which we would like to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We ask you to clarify: Do you stand by your promise to work for the preservation of Styria as a cultural region in all its diversity? Then this must also be reflected in the composition of the relevant bodies. Are you still in favor of the principles formulated in the Cultural Strategy 2030? Then appropriate decisions must also be made in this direction. Are you committed to cultural policy as a building block for the democratic development of society? Then representatives of the extreme right cannot sit on central committees. Do you oppose a clear-cutting of the cultural scene in Styria? Then we expect you, as a representative of our sector in the Styrian provincial government, to achieve an adequate budget situation for the sector that is so important for Styria and to free up funds for art and culture through reallocations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mit aller Dringlichkeit fordern wir als ersten Schritt die neuerliche Umbesetzung des Kulturkuratoriums. Es ist in seiner derzeitigen Form nicht tragbar. F\u00fcr einen offenen Gespr\u00e4chsprozess, in dem all diese Fragen besprochen werden k\u00f6nnen, stellen wir unsere Expertise sehr gerne zur Verf\u00fcgung.
With kind regards,<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nThe letter can be downloaded here<\/a> (in german).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Media reports: Der Standard<\/a> (17.3.), gat.news<\/a> (17.3.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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