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"The situation is dramatic": culture should be secured

2022-08-04T14:18:43.094Z


"The situation is dramatic": culture should be secured Created: 08/04/2022Updated: 08/04/2022 16:04 Claudia Roth (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Minister of State for Culture and Media. © Michael Kappeler/dpa/archive image With the energy crisis, the costs for theaters and museums are also increasing significantly. Cultural institutions are also about saving. The federal and state governments are work


"The situation is dramatic": culture should be secured

Created: 08/04/2022Updated: 08/04/2022 16:04

Claudia Roth (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Minister of State for Culture and Media.

© Michael Kappeler/dpa/archive image

With the energy crisis, the costs for theaters and museums are also increasing significantly.

Cultural institutions are also about saving.

The federal and state governments are working on joint plans for this.

Berlin - In view of the energy crisis and the associated cost increases, the federal, state and local governments want to secure cultural institutions such as museums and theaters as well as the cultural infrastructure.

"The situation is dramatic," said Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth of the German Press Agency in Berlin on Thursday after a meeting with her counterparts from the federal states and representatives of the municipalities.

During the video conference, the President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, described possible immediate measures and necessary preparations for the winter months.

"We want to ensure the functionality of the cultural institutions and keep them open.

Closures are definitely not the answer," said the Green politician.

"The consequences of the Russian war of aggression with the gas shortage affect us all, including the cultural sector and the cultural industry, with massive price increases."

"Cultural institutions can take on a role model function and say: Yes, we understand, we have to make a contribution," said Roth.

Graduated plans are to be drawn up for potential savings in order to determine limit values ​​and “possibly also to define what cultural assets are particularly worthy of protection.

The cultural infrastructure as a whole should be preserved.

It has a very special meaning, especially in these difficult times.”

An ad hoc working group should intensively promote the exchange.

The culture ministers want to proceed together.

"It's important to pull together on potential savings," said Roth.

"In the federal states, very different measures have already been considered, studies have been carried out and proposals have been drawn up.

We want to exchange them with each other so that we can agree on a common line in September.”

Roth wants an overview of possible options for action, best-practice examples and worst-case strategies that the institutions can use for orientation across countries.

The museums and institutions are currently determining their potential.

“It is still premature to give percentage figures for savings.

There are very different cultural institutions, you have to look at that together with the associations.

But there is a great willingness to save and to consider how to deal with the temperatures," said Roth.

The Minister of State for Culture sees financial consequences for the public sector.

"In the households of the already burdened municipalities, there will be massive cost increases due to the energy," said Roth.

Support is needed and it must be considered whether special funds could be generated.

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The chairwoman of the Conference of Ministers of Culture, North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister of Culture Ina Brandes (CDU), also emphasized in a statement that cultural offerings should be there for the public despite the major challenges of the energy crisis.

"In addition, archives, museums and libraries are part of the critical infrastructure, for example if they store important cultural assets," she said.

Therefore, their energy supply must be prioritized in the gas emergency plan even at alarm level 3.

At the same time, cultural institutions would have to prepare for emergencies in the energy supply.

Müller spoke of a tense situation.

"In order for the cultural sector with its important social functions to be able to make its contribution even with reduced gas supply volumes, we all have to save gas together in solidarity and must not allow a gas shortage to occur." dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-08-04

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