Author: Kulturamt der Stadt Innsbruck

On the way to the Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030 an important step was taken this week. A working group, established by the office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck has been constituted. The following persons belong to it:

• Monika Abendstein: head of bilding – art and architectural school for children and young people
• Karl. C. Berger: head of Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, member of cultural advisory board for folk culture of the state of Tyrol
• Isabel Gabbe: head of Department for Music Pedagogy Innsbruck of University Mozarteum Salzburg
• Petra Poelzl: artistic director and managing director of Tiroler Künstler:innenschaft (Kunstpavillon & Neue Galerie)
• David Prieth: freelance artist, managing director of p.m.k. Plattform mobile Kulturinitiativen, board member of TKI – Tiroler Kulturinitiativen and IG Kultur Österreich, member of skin on marble and Kulturkollektiv Contrapunkt
• Helene Schnitzer: managing director of TKI – Tiroler Kulturinitiativen, member of cultural advisory board for cultural initiatives of the state of Tyrol
• Nicola Weber: managing director of WEI SRAUM. Designforum Tirol

The working group is accompanied by a project team around Isabelle Brandauer (head of office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck) with Rita Hebenstreit (office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck, internal project manager for Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030), Aliette Dörflinger (LIquA, external project manager), Philipp Fromm (urban planning department) and Norma Schiffer-Zobernig (office of the mayor of the City of Innsbruck).

The working group supports the project team in developing the contents of the Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030. In this context the results from the workshops starting in April are discussed, validated and condensed in regular meetings.

The Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030 was in focus of the Cultural Committee meeting at the beginning of December 2020. At first, Mag.^a Aliette Dörflinger informed about the status of the work, especially on the preparations for the topic workshops that will start this spring.

The first three dates have now been fixed:

• Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 5 p.m.
• Monday, May 17, 2021, 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 15, 2021, 5 p.m.

Save the date!

Duration of the workshops approx. 3.5 hours. The locations (possibly also a digital variant) and the topics of the workshops will be announced soon, as the dates of the workshops that follow in September, October and November.

Afterwards, MMag. Thomas Philipp gave an insight into the currently ongoing baseline study work. He primarily addressed initial findings from the 33 interviews conducted and talked about several topics that are of particular importance for the future of Innsbruck as a city of culture. Two of these topics were then discussed intensively for more than an hour in the Culture Committee:

• Art and culture in public space
• Fundings and criteria

The participants in the session addressed their ideas of what the city of Innsbruck should have achieved on these two topics in 2030 and what supporting or hindering factors there are to consider.

The discussion on “Art and Culture in Public Space” led from reflections on visions of urban space, on the special topography of Innsbruck and on the increased use of urban peripheral locations, to questions of the connection between quality of stay and art and culture in public space, thoughts on the interface between culture and urban development or traffic planning, to questions of curation and cultural education as well as bureaucratic issues. On the topic of “Funding and Criteria” various approaches on the formulation of funding criteria were reflected upon, considerations on setting priorities and evaluation were discussed, and the consequences of Fair Pay for fundings were debated.

The meeting of the Culture Committee was attended by Uschi Schwarzl (GRÜNE), the city councilor in charge of the department at that time, as well as the members of the Culture Committee Irene Heisz (SPÖ), Christoph Appler (ÖVP), Andrea Dengg (FPÖ), Astrid Denz (FPÖ), Thomas Lechleitner (GRÜNE), Dejan Lukovic (GRÜNE), Mesut Onay (ALI), Theresa Ringler (Für Innsbruck) and Julia Seidl (NEOS), furthermore by Isabelle Brandauer (MA V, Cultural Department of the City of Innsbruck), Rita Hebenstreit (MA V, Cultural Department of the City of Innsbruck), Birgit Neu (MA V – Society, Culture, Health and Sports), Thomas Philipp (LIquA) and Aliette Dörflinger (external project managemer, for LIquA).

More details of the discussion – similar to the interview results – will be included in the baseline study for the cultural strategy, which will be published here on this website in March.

Word is getting around more and more: the Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030 is in work. The baseline study is currently underway before a broad discussion and workshop phase will start in April 2021 lasting several months.

Thomas Philipp, who conducts the surveys and analyses, explains

“For the development of the Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030 it is important to us that the discussion and workshop phase does not start ‘from 0 to 100’, but is based on a solid ground. We will, for example, describe which institutions and initiatives are – in what way – active in Innsbruck in the field of art and culture, work out objectives and measures relevant to cultural policy from existing strategy papers, or conduct more than 30 qualitative interviews with personalities from the fields of art and culture and from interface areas.”

MMag. Thomas Philipp, head of the independent research institute LIquA

The interview partners were selected after intensive discussion in the project team. Various criteria were taken into account in order to reflect the diversity of Innsbruck’s art and culture scene. Thus, different forms of organization, different artistic fields, traditional and contemporary approaches to art and culture, different phases from artistic production to art education, lay and professional work and interfaces such as tourism, education or economy are all covered.

Interviews have already been conducted with the following persons (functions and names of organizations in German):

• Monika Abendstein, head of bilding – art and architectural school for children and young people
• Kathrin Aste (together with Teresa Stillebacher), head of ./studio3 at Institute for experimental architecture at the University of Innsbruck, founding partner of architectural office LAAC zt-gmbh, president of aut. architektur und tirol, member of cultural advisory board for fine art and architecture of the state of Tyrol
• Karl C. Berger, head of Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, member of cultural advisory board for folk culture of the state of Tyrol
• Hannah Crepaz, head of Gallery St. Barbara in Hall, Osterfestival Tirol, ORGELfest and musik+, board member of TKI, member of cultural advisory board for cultural initiatives of the state of Tyrol
• Isabel Gabbe, head of Department for Music Pedagogy Innsbruck of University Mozarteum Salzburg
• Karl Gostner, Chairman of Innsbruck Tourismus
• Christoph Grud, architect, co-founder of Bäckerei – Kulturbackstube
• Michael Haupt, managing director of Initiative Minderheiten Tirol, board member of TKI, chairman of Kulturverein Inzing, member of cultural advisory board for cultural initiatives of the state of Tyrol
• Tanja Helm, managing director and artistic director of Leokino and Cinematograph
• Kurt Höretzeder, freelance graphic and communication designer, co-initiator of kreativland.tirol, founder of WEI SRAUM. Designforum Tirol
• Paul Klumpner, head of ISD Stadtteilarbeit, Stadtteilkoordination Reichenau
• Wolfgang Laubichler, director of Haus der Musik Innsbruck
• Frederik Lordick, operator of Dachsbau, member of Innsbruck Club Commission
• Peter Margreiter, chairman of Tiroler Musikverein and Zweigvereine, head of folk music at Tiroler Musikschulwerk, head of Alpenländischer Volksmusikwettbewerb Herma Haselsteiner-Preis, moderator at ORF-Landesstudio Tirol, member of cultural advisory board for folk culture of the state of Tyrol
• Magdalena Modler-El Abdaoui, special assistant for interreligious and intercultural dialogue at Haus der Begegnung
• Daniela Oberrauch, pedagogical and organizational head of YA! Young acting, board member of IG Freie Theater
• Efendi Onay, pedagogical head of SOS-Kinderdorfs Biwak in Hall in Tirol, chair man of office for integration Innsbruck, head of “Es lebe die Welt”-Festival
• Antonella Placheta, freelance tourist guide and art mediator, co-founder of KulturKinder, deputy chairwoman of Interessengemeinschaft Tiroler Fremdenführer (ITF), speaker of the group of Tiroler Fremdenführer at chamber of commerce Tyrol
• Norbert K. Pleifer, program responsible and artistic director of Treibhaus Innsbruck
• Petra Poelzl, artistic director and managing director of Tiroler Künstler:innenschaft (Kunstpavillon & Neue Galerie)
• David Prieth, freelance artist, managing director of p.m.k., board member of TKI and IG Kultur Österreich, member of skin on marble and Kulturkollektiv Contrapunkt
• Johannes Reitmeier, managing director of Tyrolean State Theatre, member of cultural advisory board for literature, performing arts and film of the state of Tyrol
• Elisabeth Rieder, head of the office of commissioner for disabled persons at University Innsbruck, chairwoman of advisory board for disabled persons of the City of Innsbruck
• Margarete Ringler, managing director of Tiroler Bildungsforum – Verein für Kultur und Bildung, chairwoman of Erwachsenenbildung Tirol, member of cultural advisory board for adult training and libraries of the state of Tyrol
• Veronika Sandbichler, director of Schloss Ambras Innsbruck, member of cultural advisory board for heritage management and museums of the statesof Tyrol
• Thomas Schafferer, president of IG Autorinnen Autoren Tirol, deputy chairman of Cognac & Biskotten
• Bernhard Schlögl, artistic director of Promenadenkonzerte
• Elisabeth Schweeger, artistic and managing director of Academy for performing arts in Ludwigsburg
• Lukas Trentini, member of the management team of POJAT – Plattform Offene Jugendarbeit Tirol
• Carmen Sulzenbacher, head of BRUX / Freies Theater Innsbruck, board member of Triebwerk7, member of cultural advisory board for literature, performing arts and film of the state of Tyrol
• Ulrike Tanzer, vice dean for research at the University of Innsbruck, head of research institute Brenner-Archiv, member of cultural advisory board for literature, performing arts and film of the state of Tyrol
• Charlotte Trippolt, managing director of Freies Radio Innsbruck FREIRAD
• Daniela Weiss-Schletterer, artistic director of Haus VIER UND EINZIG

Aliette Dörflinger, who is responsible for the conception and hosting of the workshops, adds:

“In the current phase, our aim is to identify central topics for the further cultural development of the city of Innsbruck – topics that are important for many areas and sectors. With the baseline study, which will be published in March, we will provide an overview of particularly important aspects of the arts and cultural sector in Innsbruck, thus laying the ground for the heart of the cultural strategy process: the discussion and workshop phase. The workshops are the central point of participation, where the framework is created for discussing future objectives and measures for Innsbruck’s art and culture sector with all target groups and interested citizens”.

Mag.a Aliette Dörflinger, external project manager

The cultural strategy process is currently in the middle of the first step. On the one hand, this includes scientific surveys and analyses, and on the other hand, the preparation of next year’s discussion and workshop formats. The project team plays a central role in this process. It is responsible for the strategic control and coordination and consists of four persons:

• Dr.ⁱⁿ Isabelle Brandauer (head of the office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck)
• Dipl.-Kult.ⁱⁿ Rita Hebenstreit (project manager of Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030)
• Arch. Dipl.-Ing. Philipp Fromm (representative from the urban planning department)
• Norma Schiffer-Zobernig BA (office of mayor)
• Mag.^a Aliette Dörflinger (external project manager)

The next necessary steps are discussed at regular intervals. At the last meeting, for example, the selection criteria for the interview partners in the context of the baseline study were defined.

„Currently, the project team is creating a good basis for a broad discussion about Innsbruck’s cultural future. As many Innsbruck residents as possible should be able to contribute constructively and imaginatively. This also includes good cooperation between the various departments of our house. I am very much looking forward to the results of the ongoing researches and interviews.“

Mag.a Uschi Schwarzl, Vice mayor of the City of Innsbruck

„We have chosen to ensure broad participation of the population throughout the process. It is therefore – already for the baseline study – important to recruit multipliers who are well connected in as many areas and interfaces as possible and have sufficient expertise. This is an essential basis for the selection of interview partners, but also for the composition of the working group and the advisory board. We don’t make it easy for ourselves and discuss this very intensively. It is also important for us to have a diverse setup.“

Dipl.-Kult.in Rita Hebenstreit, Office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck

 

Aliette Dörflinger conducts the interviews together with her colleague Thomas Philipp from the Linzer Institute für Qualitative Analysen.

„Our interview partners cover different forms of organization, different artistic disciplines, traditional and contemporary approaches to art and culture, different phases from artistic production to education, amateur and professional work and interfaces such as tourism, education or business. We were also interested in the view from the outside, as well as we took socio-demographic characteristics such as gender or age into consideration.“

Mag.a Aliette Dörflinger, external project manager

In the December article on the website, the list of interview partners will be published, together with a short insight into the ongoing baseline study.

The project team also intensively discussed the composition of the working group and the advisory board, which will be active from April 2021 to accompany the discussions and workshops. Both boards will be staffed by the office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck. For the workshops themselves, the possible dates and locations were explored and a plan B was discussed in case – unexpectedly – there should be restrictions on events.

„A careful approach to the cultural strategy process is very important to us. We want to create an optimal framework for broad participation. This includes, for example, addressing different target groups personally, changing workshop locations in different parts of the city, or digital possibilities for contribution.“

Dr.in Isabelle Brandauer, Office for cultural affairs of the City of Innsbruck

The linking of art, culture and urban planning is a particular concern in the cultural strategy process.

„We will have to deal with a number of issues related to the further development of urban space. Examples include the cultural use of vacant buildings, cultural work in urban districts, and the role of architecture in the urban experience.“

Arch. Dipl.-Ing. Philipp Fromm, Department for Urban Planning, Urban Development and Integration of the City of Innsbruck

Art and culture are here for everyone who lives, works or stays in Innsbruck. They not only shape the image of a city, but are also of outstanding importance for its identity, the attractiveness of the location and the quality of life. In December 2019, the City Senate therefore decided to develop a cultural strategy for Innsbruck, under broad public participation, which should contain proposals for implementation over the next ten years.

The first phase of this initiative was launched in June this year. On July 16th 2020, the process for developing the Innsbruck Cultural Strategy 2030 was presented to the Innsbruck municipal council.

A live stream of the municipal council meeting can be watched here: youtube.com/watch?v=76h1ynoqhec, and the press release can be found here: innsbruck.gv.at/data.cfm?vpath=redaktion/ma_v/kultur/dokumente33

“With the cultural strategy, we are creating an opportunity for all those who wish to participate in the joint reflection on how we want to shape and strengthen our city as a cultural city in the future. In this comprehensive process, we want to explore together what we can do to help implement our vision. We have noticed that the need for exchange and the development of new strategies in the fields of art and culture is particularly great after the past few months. The cultural strategy process is therefore coming at exactly the right time.”

Mag.^a Uschi Schwarzl, Vice mayor of the City of Innsbruck

As a first step, a baseline study will now be carried out until March 2021. From April 2021 onwards, a discussion and workshop phase on the cultural future of Innsbruck will follow for several months. As many actors as possible from Innsbruck’s field of art and culture will be personally invited to a total of six topic workshops. The workshops are also open to all other people interested in the cultural future of Innsbruck. They are followed by the political decision-making and communication of the cultural strategy. After the planned resolution at the Innsbruck municipal council, the cultural strategy will also be presented to the public in May 2022. In order to ensure that the cultural strategy process is effective in the long term, two further phases will follow: the implementation of initial measures (planned from mid 2022/beginning of 2023) and then (around 2024) an evaluation and reporting to the municipal council with a decision on the next steps until 2030.

Expert support for the process is provided by Linzer Institut für qualitative Analysen (LIquA) under the direction of MMag. Thomas Philipp in cooperation with Mag.^a Aliette Dörflinger. The process is strategical coordinated by a project team. In addition, a working group and an advisory board will be set up to provide support in terms of content.

“We see this joint process as an opportunity to put communication and exchange within the cultural scene on a new level between the diverse actors. Of course, transparency is particularly important to us. To this end, we have now set up a website which, among other things, offers the opportunity to find out more about the process and, if interested, to subscribe to a newsletter. Various results, which will be worked out over the next few months, can also be commented on here later. In this way we are creating an initial basis for direct participation by the population.”

Dipl.-Kult.ⁱⁿ Rita Hebenstreit, office for cultural development and funding