Systemrelevant?! Kunstschaffende, Kulturpolitik und Demokratie

Symposium am Lutherplatz in Kassel

Interested parties are invited to discuss with artists, cultural politicians and academics on Saturday, July 9, 2022 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the traces Forschungsstation on Lutherplatz.

As part of the Kassel symposium, we will be asking what politicians have done and are doing for artists during the pandemic - beyond verbal tributes. Does cultural policy in the city and state live up to the often-invoked importance of the arts for the German “cultural nation”?

According to the coalition agreement of the “traffic light coalition”, culture is to be enshrined as a national objective. Hardly anyone disputes that culture is essential for a vital democracy and civil society. Art and culture are therefore “systemically relevant” - as areas of activity, they stand for meaningful experience and creativity, for self-understanding and reinvention, for critical intervention and empowerment. Artistic-participative techniques of narration and collective imagination also create spaces in which a sense of community and participation can be developed, which is fundamental to democratic coexistence. Art is able to initiate an open dialog between people from different walks of life. However, the possibility of such an exchange cannot be taken for granted, but must be protected and strengthened by politicians as an anchor point of civil society cohesion. Against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic, the importance of culture and art for the resilience of individuals, but also for democratic society, has become particularly apparent. This contrasts with the precarious social situation of people working in this field. The Covid pandemic has had serious consequences for the working and living conditions of cultural workers in particular.

As part of the Kassel symposium, we are asking what politicians have done and are doing for artists during the pandemic - beyond verbal tributes. Does cultural policy in the city and state reflect the importance of the arts for the German “cultural nation” that is so often invoked?

In a second phase, we will then look at what art has to do with resilient democracy and what experiences there are in this regard, especially in the context of documenta and its history.

All interested parties are invited to join us under the title “Systemically relevant? - Artists, cultural policy and democracy” at the traces Forschungsstation on Lutherplatz in Kassel on Saturday, July 9, 2022 from 2 to 6 p.m. to discuss with artists, cultural policy-makers and academics.

First discussion round from 2 to 4 pm: “Creative! Precarious! - Systemically relevant? - On the working conditions of artists and public policy”

Second discussion round 4 to 6 p.m.: “Art. Power. Democracy - What does art have to do with democratic resilience?”

The symposium is organized by Prof. Dr. Mi You (Art and Economies) and Prof. Dr. Sabine Ruß-Sattar (Comparative Politics) in cooperation with the documenta Institute and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Hessen.

Further information on the event can be found at https://mittendrin-kassel.de/systemrelevant-kunstschaffende-kulturpolitik-und-demokratie/

Venue: traces Forschungsstation am Lutherplatz, 34117 Kassel