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
