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Dialogue process

Berlin > Athens

Open cultural policy discussion on European City Tax

Knowledge Sharing on strategies to finance the independent art scene

A research supported by Onassis AiR
& Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa, Berlin
(Bildende Kunst – Recherchestipendium)
2022 / 2023

“Art comes from making art”

“Supporting the creation of art is just

as important as supporting the presentation of art”

“The working and living conditions of artists are

closely tied to developments in city policy”

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These three basic convictions fueled the “City Tax debate” in Berlin over the last decade: an open cultural policy dialogue on the situation and future of the production and mediation of contemporary art in Berlin, between independent and institutional actors of the contemporary art scene and the Berlin Senate.
This cultural-political discussion involved also other groups, initiatives and institutions active in urban, social and cultural policy with an eye toward concepts and realities of work, productivity, and the commons. This joint effort culminated in the creation of a new funding pillar, the “Spartenoffene Förderung” [Multi-sector funding], which today covers part of the sector's needs.

I am taking the Berlin City Tax Debate as a case study to perform an analogous research in Athens, seeking for independent and municipal actors to join a dialogue on cultural policy and a preliminary study on the potential implementation of European Tourist Tax (City Tax) to support the local art sector. While no translation applies to different contexts in the same way; while histories, biographies, spaces, needs, resources, desires and political wills differ from place to place

What forms of imagination can we produce beyond survival to collectively thrive?
I wonder.

This new research project entangles fields of activism, cultural policy, comparative art history and curating (observed from the definition of “curating as a redistribution of power”), and relates to a question/desire that guides my practice:

how can the curatorial revert back to the local scene?

I am interested in the transfer of knowledge between two contexts that are constantly prototyping contingent solutions to combat similar pan-urban phenomena, protecting the city against total economic exploitation, and claiming for a fundamental cultural-political reorientation in the arts sector for long.

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BERLIN: Culture policy background & Dialogue milestones

LEISTUNGSSCHAU JUNGER KUNST AUS BERLIN
| Achievement show of young Berlin art

Planned by the municipality with private investors. Proofed unsustainable mid term + obscure financing & organization.

2008/2009 FAILED PROJECT > BERLINER KUNSTHALLE

2011 SCANDAL!! >

- Open call: portfolio submissions Berlin-based artists
 - 50-80 works would be chosen by 5 curators 
- Venue: temporary architecture to be built in Humboldthafen 
- Costs: 600.000€ state budget + 1 Million € Lottery Berlin
 = 1.6 Million € for a competitive one-off exhibition
vs. 4 Million € Berlin’s annual culture Budget

… this is very problematic! >> CALLING FOR BOYCOTT LEISTUNGSSCHAU!!

Neoliberal rhetoric!Efficiency + performance
WHY restricted to young artists only??
how were the curators chosen?? #nontransparent
UNADVERTISED competition! Juicy area os speculation #fishy
Budget out of proportion

#whatbywhy??

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1st.OPEN LETTER FROM HABEN+BRAUCHEN

*insights:

Calls for Boycott of young exhibition, revolts against the city marketing parasitizing artists labor for international appeal of Berlin as alternative destination, and demands a real DIALOGUE with culture workers to reorient funding policies in a sustainable way to protect the diverse self-organized scene in the face of rising rents + heavy land privatization (endangering art production spaces and livelihoods).

HABEN + BRAUCHEN | To have & to need

f.2011, informal platform to represent self-organized art scene

11/2011

project spaces + independ.initiatives + art galleries + communal  galleries + Kunstvereine + museums

“Each of these models contributes to the vibrancy of local contemporary art. This must be acknowledged more positively as a value, not just as rhetoric, And must be financially granted long-term”

BERLIN CASE: diverse + decentralized culture infrastructure

! Exploitation of artistic work for the purpose of city marketing? Economization of culture?

The international appeal of contemporary art contributes significantly to the attractiveness of Berlin. Yet little of the connected financial and reputational profit for the city reaches the contributors. To the contrary: the real work- and life-conditions of Berlin’s cultural producers are steadily declining due to

> increasing rent levels
> loss of self-organized free-spaces

DEMANDS OF HABEN + BRAUCHEN

of the concept & curatorial model for the exhibition

about the politics of urban development of a temporary exhibition at Humboldthafen within the context of privatization & commercialization of public space

about how the PRODUCTION & PRESENTATION conditions of contemporary art in Berlin can be SUSTAINABLY SUPPORTED + DEVELOPED away from media beacons.

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1. Fundamental revision

2. Public discussion

3. Public dialogue

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01/2012

MANIFESTO HABEN+BRAUCHEN

Collectively written by + than 40 culture workers. Lays foundation of points to address under financing of culture scene, calls for a reality check of culture policy makers on the conditions of art production based on statistics (self-exploitation of artists + culturalization of economy)

Download }

*insights:

Preamble

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The bustling art scene in Berlin evolved less through the specific support of the city and more through its historical situation […] The CONDITIONS for people engaged in cultural production are WORSENING dramatically.

The city prides itself on its artists; and the ATTENTION is WELCOME — in principle, >>>>> BUT:

> The view of how art should be fostered stands in STARK CONTRAST to what culture-makers consider necessary.

> Participants in cultural production today NEED a safeguarding of their conditions of production (not a new art museum).

> It is imperative to establish a CONSCIOUSNESS & SELF-CONCEPT concerning WHAT distinguishes the forms of artistic production and articulation that have unfolded in Berlin during recent decades and HOW these forms can be preserved and further developed.

Opposed to the Dispossession of the Commons

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Art is a central arena for local communities / Art is a relational event / Art is a collective societal process that involves everyone / Art must remain a subject that is devoted to pan societal concerns / All parts of society have a responsibility to the Commons that art and culture yields /

/ Art as COMMONS is seriously threatened today / Societal subjectivity in general is being PRIVATIZED and put up for sale in the form of a COMMODITY

Neoliberalism’s wishful thinking depicts art + culture = a matter of a form of capital known as “creativity” + individual stories of success known as “entrepreneurial activity + innovation”

> This is FICTION!!!

“the vibrant activities of artists and other culture-makers are reframed as evidence of the potential for the economic development of a city, and in the process, the obvious is ignored:

> often enough producers of art are just so active due to sheer SURVIVAL PRESSURE.

> justification of PUBLIC EXPOSURE AS COMPENSATION FOR BADLY PAID WORK —> ILLUSION!

> “Activity creates income”—> But NOT IN ART!

> Representation alone doesn’t generate capital, on the contrary: VISIBILITY COSTS MONEY.

> “When money is flowing it rarely comes from the city, and most of the actual business is taking place in other locations” > the claim that Berlin has a stable art market is a DANGEROUS ILLUSION

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What do we mean by "work" here?

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Art’s place lies at the HEART OF THE COMMONS —> exposed to & unprotected from SOCIETY’S CONTRADICTIONS

#Glamorization of the freelancer: deregulated work = potential for burnout

“Artists deliver an image for an ENTIRE (creative) INDUSTRY, but it is simply not the case that they are paid well (or paid at all) for their activities”. Artists DO NOT HAVE THE SAME MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITIES as other “creative professionals”.  

“A new work culture advertises itself as flexible, artistic and creative; at the same time, SURVIVAL ANXIETY and the PRESSURE TO PERFORM in this culture increase along with the GAP between the rich and the poor”

> Haben+brauchen AGAINST this construction of a SUCCESS STORY “ART IN BERLIN”: glossy narrative BUT “culture makers stay POOR even through they WORK NONSTOP”.

> Haben+brauchen FOR: COLLECTIVE DISCUSSION on how work should be understood / recognized / honored 
PAYMENT = expression of SOCIAL RECOGNITION.

#Productivity/efficiency aren’t good measures for art —> only a MARGINAL PART of artistic work can be understood in terms of productivity.  

“A large part of the time artistic work is DETERMINED BY OTHER ACTIVITIES that are NOT GOAL-ORIENTED, but that are a PRE-REQUISITE FOR ARTISTIC WORK: #REFLECTION, #RESEARCH, #READING, #COMMUNICATING, #LINKING ONE’S OWN KNOWLEDGE TO THAT OF OTHERS, #TRYING THINGS OUT, #PREPARING, #PRACTICING, #COACHING, #THROWING THINGS OUT, #FAILING, #GAINING DISTANCE, #EXPERIENCING, #FERMENTING

*CULTURE WORK = SCIENTIFIC WORKING processes: “it is almost always SELF-MOTIVATED, SELF-CONTRACTED, and it COSTS TIME + MONEY”

> AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE WORKING SPACES (studios, workshops, project spaces) + BASIC INCOME to enable continuation of artistic work = VITAL PREREQUISITES for the SECURING of this art-making + research continuity

“A society that’s interested in having art as part of its fabric and legacy has a RESPONSIBILITY to culture-makers, the responsibility to ensure the existence of SPACE and TIME where and when ART CAN BE MADE”.

> THE BECOMING PUBLIC: artistic practice is more complex today; and it REQUIRES THE CREATION FOR ENTIRELY NEW FORMS OF PRODUCTION, FINANCING AND PRESENTATION.

“art is no longer concerned only with the PRODUCTION and EXHIBITION of an ARTIFACT. Classical models such as exhibitions, performances, and publications continue to PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, but these days they frequently SHOW only EXCERPTS or segments of PROJECTS whose CONCEPTION SPANS A MUCH LONGER TIME"

* ARTISTIC WORK = work in EDUCATION and in DEMOCRACY —> beyond the art field / into other societal areas

#LOGIC of DENIAL & WITHDRAWAL must be opposed!

“Artists are celebrated as “creative” while art’s role in the creation of the Commons is denied —> Cultural activities must receive FAIR PAYMENT + PARTICIPATION in societal decision making processes"

#NO EXCUSES!! >> “FUNDS are TIGTH + working for PASSION = working for FREE >> MYTHS!

“In other positions/occupations there is NOTHING TO DISCUSS.
The MONEY IS THERE” —> #TWO-FACED BUDGETING: appears in INSTITUTIONS > Cretes a PATTERN > spreads to MACRO-LEVEL.

#CULTURAL "FLAGSHIP" PROJECTS #MEGAPROJECTS >> WISHFULL THINKING

--> they contribute to the creation of an ENTREPRENEURIAL CITY
--> a readiness emerges to invest ENORMOUS SUMS OF MONEY
--> RESOURCES of all kinds are MOBILIZED for INFLATED, SUPERSIZED PRODUCTIONS
--> HARDLY any of these supplies of money REACH the city's CULTURE-PRODUCERS THEMSELVES. MEGAPROJECTS ADDITIONAL EXPENSES > transportation, insurance, airfare, hotel, etc.) are MORE WILLINGLY PAID than FEES FOR FREELANCE WORKERS!! #CULTURE WORKERS EXPLOITATION

#VISIBILITY VS.CONTENT

--> for PUBLICITY higher rates are paid for the GRAPHIC DESIGNER and TRANSLATION of publications than for the AUTHORS of the ARTICLES themselves. --> CONTENT (artistic/intellectual)is treated as a DISPOSABLE RESOURCES.--> TO BE SEEN = COMPENSATION ENOUGH > MYTH!

#CHEAP WORKFORCE is an ENTREPRENEURIAL STRATEGY!!

--> People working in CONSTRUCTION / ART TRANSPORTATION / CURATORIAL ASSISTANTS / YOUNG CURATORS --> scandalously LOW COMPENSATIONS grossly DISPROPORTIONATE to their QUALIFICATIONS + PROFFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
--> BADLY PAID/UNPAID INTERNS for promise of further education + increased chances of future employment >> MYTH!

> Haben+brauchen FOR a MINIMUM WAGE 4 CULTURE WORKERS

> Haben+brauchen APPEAL to those RESPONSIBLE for ART FUNDING: FEES 4 ARTISTS + CULTURE WORKERS must COME INTO BUDGETS OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS

> Haben+brauchen APPEAL to those RESPONSIBLE in the INSTITUTIONS: "we need to come to an AGREEMENT within the FRAMEWORK OF AN EXHIBITION PROJECT: the ARTISTIC, CONTENT-RELATED + ORGANIZATIONAL significance of each person's work should STAND in ADEQUATE PROPORTION >> NOT IN INVERSE PROPORTION to its PAYMENT!!

*All drawings supporting the publications of HABEN+BRAUCHEN since its foundation, are the work of Erik Göngrich

Erik Göngrich is an artist working in the public domain dealing with artistic and climatic questions. He is using various methods of collaborations in his urban praxis. His working tools could be exhibitions, guided tours, documentary sculptures, books, architectural pavilions, furniture and cooking sessions.

goengrich.de / mitkunstzentrale.de / berlinerhefte.de / eeclectic.de

Economy: Partaking Rather than Being Cheated

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Art is being used as an ADVERTISING medium for the POTENTIAL OF AN ENTIRE CITY.

> Haben+brauchen REFUSE "to generate the stardust needed to lend the CULTURALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY its FALSE CHARM
> H+B REFUSE to thereby ASSIST in the CULTURALIZATION OF ECONOMY, whose first VICTIM is the ARTIST itself.

> BERLIN has undergone a MASSIVE UPWARD REVALUATION due to the ARTISTS'S ACTIVITIES > decisive CLIMB in the ATTRACTIVENESS of URBAN LIFE HERE --> NO POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES for the LIVING+WORKING CONDITIONS OF ARTISTS --> DESOLATE!

***** HARD FACTS:

STATISTICS

{6% no income
{16% up to 250€
{24% up to 500€
{31% up to 1000€
{ 13% up to 1500€
{4% up to 2000€
{3% up to 2500€
{3% up to 3000€

*SOURCE: German Institute for Economic Research (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung)

#MONTHLY INCOME of artists:

*SOURCE: IFSE (Institute for Strategy Development / Institut für Strategieentwicklung)

#artists' SOURCES OF INCOME:

{12,3% receive WELFARE / unemployment benefits / social welfare
{13,4% receive financial support from FAMILY / FRIENDS
{18,9% have a PERMANENT POSITION / SIDE JOB unrelated to arts
{13% live from the SALES OF ARTWORKS
{6,8% have a SIDE JOB in the ART FIELD
{6,4% live from COMMISSIONAL/FREELANCE WORK
{5,7% benefit from FUNDING PROGRAMS / STIPENDS
{5,5% TEACH in the VISUAL ARTS FIELD
{2,9% live from being EMPLOYED in individual ART PROJECTS

#it is ABSOLUTELY UNREALISTIC to BELIEVE that the ART MARKET would provide any RELIEF here, for the following reasons:

1. only 8% of Berlin artists have a PERMANENT RELATIONSHIP WITH A GALLERY / only {1/3 of this galleries are LOCATED IN BERLIN.

2. Certains FORMS OF WORK that are KEY to the life of CONTEMPORARY ART - #conceptual #discursive #documentary #site-specific installation #performance practices - are almost NEVER viable CANDIDATES FOR REPRESENTATION and DEALING with a GALLERY --> hardly ANY ARTIFACTS exist which could be SOLD.

3. + HARD FACTS from IFSE STUDY 2010: GALLERY TURNOVER BY CATEGORY

{60% PAINTING
{20% PHOTOGRAPHY
{12% SCULPTURE
[>10% CONCEPTUAL / DISCURSIVE / DOCUMENTARY / SITE-SPECIFIC INSTALLATION / PERFORMANCE

--> COMMERCIAL GALLERIES turnovers DO NOT DISPLAY the TENDENCIES providing MEANING to CONTEMPORARY ART.

3. The KEY ROLE in the ARTISTIC LIFE of this CITY is accorded to VENUES where ART IS SHOWN PUBLICLY >> but USUALLY NO FEE TO COMPENSATE ARTISTS'WORK

{48.7% of artists SHOWN their works in the LAST 3 YEARS in ART SPACES / OFF-SPACES / PROJECT SPACES
{19.7% in MUNICIPAL GALLERIES
{ 17.5% in ART CLUBS / ART SOCIETIES
{ 17.1% in MUSEUMS / LARGE-SCALE art VENUES

#haben+brauchen CONCLUSIONS:

> the ART MARKET does NOT provide a sufficient economic BASIS for the future LIFE of CONTEMPORARY ART IN BERLIN.

> if the CITY ADVERTISES ITSELF with the special role of BERLIN'S ART ARENA >> then the CITY must JOIN in taking RESPONSIBILITY for that arena ECONOMIC REQUISITES

> STOP talking in terms of FUNDING > START talking in terms of PARTAKING!

> whatever FLOWS INTO ART FLOWS BACK INTO THE CITY --> URGENTLY necessary to initialize a RETURN FLOW of RESOURCES NOW towards those who have AFFECTED the rising ATTRACTIVENESS OF THIS CITY.

> considering the fact that as 2011 approx.8000 VISUAL ARTISTS live here --> MUNICIPAL SUPPORT IS INSUFFICIENT

>> PROTECTING the increased VALUE + REPUTATION OF THE CITY can only BE ENSURED through LONG-TERM STRUCTURAL PROJECTS concerning ARTISTS + ART MAKING.

#strategy consulting
Founded in 2003 by Witten/Herdecke
Since 2007 in Berlin.

STUDIO BERLIN I
IFSE in Cooperation with n.b.k.
2010

Download EN }

Download DE }

Link to original source [DE & EN]

! Municipal ignorance of the debate over the SENSE? and NECESSITY? for a PERMANENT BERLIN KUNSTHALLE
| Art Gallery

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I have arrived at this research topic regarding the ECOLOGICAL DIMENSION OF CURATING
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DISCIPLINE:
> as a form of labor
> as a form of activism
> as a form of SITUATED MEMORY

MAPPING & DOCUMENTING ephemeral processes touches on the TEMPORALITY question, the SUSTAINABILITY challenge we have:

If an institution's survival is based on holding a memory of its processes...

... how can we produce collective memories of our collaborative ventures in the independent art scene?
... How do we make (collective) structures that survive us?
... How do we make structures that work without us?
... How do we stand the test of time?
... Can we vanish?

CURATING CONTEXT, and DOING THINGS WITH CONTEXT is both the praxis & poiesis embedded & rehearsed by this case study & ongoing research.

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