Open letter from initiatives and activists from the independent scene in Linz to the City of Linz's Head of Cultural Affairs

Linz, November 23, 2006

Dear Mr. Deputy Mayor, dear City Councillor, dear Dr. Watzl, Head of Cultural Affairs

The situation in Linz's independent scene is extremely precarious. On the occasion of the upcoming subsidy negotiations for the "three-year contracts", but also in view of the Capital of Culture year 2009, initiatives, artists and cultural workers from the independent scene feel compelled to address you in an open letter.

As Head of Cultural Affairs, you have made a media-effective commitment to a pluralistic independent scene in the City of Linz's cultural development plan. In your application for the Capital of Culture year 2009, you also adorn yourself and the city of Linz with the diverse qualities of the independent scene in Linz.

Your political practice towards the independent scene, however, is contradictory to this: The independent scene continues to suffer from fundamental structural deficiencies. These include a lack of space (rehearsal rooms, offices, studios, workshops, presentation areas, ...), a lack of financial security for independent
Initiatives and activists and a lack of public and political recognition. This is sometimes your responsibility as a cultural officer.

While major investments are being made in prestigious public buildings (AEC extension, Schlossmuseum, Nordico, Musiktheater ...), many initiatives and activists are struggling for minimal amounts and their existence. This is particularly your responsibility as cultural officer.The entire situation is exacerbated by highly precarious employment conditions, which are clearly due to the lack of basic funding. Numerous activists in the independent scene are forced to live below the poverty line. The working conditions, working hours and pay of cultural workers are extremely unbalanced. Here, too, you cannot evade responsibility.We therefore demand:

• The conscious recognition of the independent scene and its role for the city of Linz - not just on paper!
• The long-term and sustainable structural safeguarding of the independent scene now, in 2009 and beyond!
• Medium-term funding contracts in sufficient amounts for all continuously working initiatives, artists and cultural workers!
• Clear stipulation and handling that sums in medium-term funding contracts are to be regarded as minimum sums and not as fixed maximum sums!
• Transparent and comprehensible subsidy decisions!
• The opening of existing spaces and the creation of new spaces for local artists and cultural workers!
• Humane working conditions and appropriate pay for cultural workers according to their qualifications and working hours!

Linz, 23.11.2006

Signatories:

a.s.a.p (www.asap-lab.org)
The fabricators (www.fabrikanten.at)
FIFTITU% -- Networking Center for Women in Art&Culture (www.fiftitu.at)
FRO - Free Radio Upper Austria (www.fro.at)
IFEK - Institute for Extended Art (www.ifek.at)
IG Kultur (www.igkultur.at)
KAPU (www.kapu.or.at)
KUPF - Cultural Platform Upper Austria (www.kupf.at)
Linzer frühling (www.linzer-fruehling.at)
maiz (www.maiz.at/)
Medea (www.servus.at/medea)
Moviemento (www.moviemento.at)
Pangea (www.pangea.at)
qujOchÖ (www.qujochoe.org)
Servus.at (www.servus.at)
Social Impact (www.social-impact.at)
Stadtwerkstatt (www.stwst.at)
Tonträger Reords (www.trontraeger-records.com)
Transpublic (www.transpublic.at)
Wunderkinder KG (www.wunderkinderkg.com)
Zach Records (www.zach-records.com)