Loss of subscribers in culture - Ramadan from Icking hopes for more subscribers in 2023

Created: 12/21/2022, 12:16 p.m

By: Franca Winkler

Organizer and musician Wolfgang Ramadan is advertising the "Kanapee Musik Open Air" in the Tölzer Rosenpark.

© Daniel Wegscheider

Icking - With stars like Wolfgang Krebs, Luise Kinseher or Chris Boettcher, cultural event organizer "BrotZeit & Spiele" is starting the new year after difficult pandemic years.

His new program is intended to be a fresh start after two difficult years of the pandemic, especially for independent cultural event organizers.

In an interview, organizer and musician Wolfgang Ramadan reports on this.

Mr. Ramadan, before Corona you were very successful with “BrotZeit & Spiele”.

The pandemic broke everything.

Now start your subscription programs again, but this time with almost no funding.

What can your subscription customers expect in 2023?

For 2023, we need to win back our audience

"We dare to restart with a tried and tested concept and hope that our audience will be just as large as before Corona.

Now it is important to win back our audience for the year 2023 - this is the only way we can survive as independent cultural organizers - then the basic cultural provision of 'BrotZeit & Spiele' can celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2024."

The pandemic has changed the cultural landscape as well as audience habits.

What did you observe?

“In autumn/winter 2022 we had a 80 percent slump in demand.

Nevertheless, thanks to the funding, we were able to carry out forty performances and thus pay for artists, technicians and rent.

The subscription is currently being extended for 2023. We can see slightly increasing numbers, but we will see at the beginning of January whether the utilization is sufficient to survive the next year.

The public has become cautious, thrifty and selective.

Christmas markets are overflowing, but tickets for cultural events are rarely sold.

In addition, there has been an oversupply of events for almost three years due to the backlog of appointments.”

What happens if the number of visitors does not increase?

“Then I see three scenarios.

First: We will stop operations - then there will no longer be any culture on site.

Second: We 'gag' the artists and pay lower fees, then the artists have to see how they survive.

Third: The Free State of Bavaria is launching a functioning rescue package that will ensure the survival of small and independent artists and organizers until the effects of the pandemic are no longer noticeable.

What distinguishes your offer from the many others?

“The basic cultural provision of 'BrotZeit & Spiele' increases the quality of life through local cultural offerings.

The subscription offers many advantages: fixed seat reservation, tickets are freely transferable, no queuing at the cash desk and price advantage.

With the subscription, interested parties receive six individual tickets that they can pass on to friends, colleagues, relatives and acquaintances at any time.”

Christmas is coming, what would you put on your wish list?

What do you wish?

"I want our audience back.

May they enjoy going to the theater again, healthy and alert, and celebrate inspiring evenings with our artists together with us.

And I would like to see a rescue package from the Free State for 2023.”