Culture of | Freedom | of Culture

Discourses on identity or discussions on racist, sexist and other forms of exclusion have also dominated the cultural scene for some time. In addition, the foundations and certainties of living and working together are being permanently shaken by the consequences of the pandemic. In this context, tendencies towards anti-democratic attitudes and movements such as the "lateral thinkers" scene can be increasingly observed among cultural workers.

In order to take a closer look at these current developments and the necessary consequences, the NRW KULTURsekretariat, in cooperation with DIE VIELEN, of which the NRWKS is one of the first signatories, and various partners, is organising a digital discussion series, initially in two parts, entitled "Was heißt hier: WIR? (What do you mean: WE?).

On 26 January, an interactive digital panel, organised in cooperation with the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, focused on "Power and Structure in Cultural Institutions". Participants were Dr. Christian Esch (NRW KULTURsekretariat), Dr. Hildegard Kaluza (Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of NRW), Barbara Neundlinger (Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V.), Claudia Schmitz (Deutscher Bühnen e.V.). ), Claudia Schmitz (Deutscher Bühnenverein), Nanette Snoep (Rautenstrauch-Jost-Museum Köln); critical input as Critical Friends was provided by Takao Baba (Pottporus e.V.), Anna Mareen Henke (Sommerblut Festival Köln), Stawrula Panagiotaki (Schauspiel Köln) and Ella Steinmann (Theater Oberhausen); Prasanna Oommen was the moderator. In the run-up to this event, interested parties had the opportunity to participate in the discussion via chat function.

The series began with an online panel discussion on diversity in theatre, which was organised in December 2021 in cooperation with the Schlosstheater Moers and the Ringlokschuppen Ruhr. Here, the director and artistic director of the Kammerspiele München, Pinar Karabulut, the author Max Czollek, the director and theatre pedagogue Günfer Cölgecen and the actor Ismail Deniz discussed the difficulties and paradoxes of representation and integration in the theatre and on stage.

The series leads up to the 11th Federal Congress on Cultural Policy in Berlin, which is planned for early summer 2022.

Already in 2019 - against the background of increasing right-wing populist, racist and anti-Semitic attacks on art and culture - the NRWKS has launched the initiative "Culture of | Freedom | Culture" and organised a hybrid conference with other partners in Düsseldorf in autumn 2020. On the eve of the conference, a public panel discussion took place, among others with soccer idol Hans Sarpei. With this initiative, cultural actors are supported in counteracting the growing anti-democratic tendencies in society. In 2022, events will also be promoted in the member cities in which measures are offered to deal with so-called "cancel culture", demands for bans and boycott appeals, threats of violence and anti-Semitism.