Culture strategy 2030: New opportunities for Styrian cultural initiatives

Culture strategy 2030: New opportunities for Styrian cultural initiatives

The discussion about the future of culture in Styria is in full swing. At a meeting in the Trofaiacher Simon Mühle, cultural representatives from the region had the opportunity to directly receive information about the Styrian Cultural Strategy 2030. This was an important opportunity for everyone who is involved in the cultural landscape, especially for smaller cultural initiatives who often have difficulty gaining financial support.

Department 9 Culture, Europe and Sport of the Styrian state government has made it clear that it is a continuing challenge to distribute financial resources fairly. "The budget is just never enough. More and more artists are added while the money is stagnating," reported Evelyn Kometter from the state government and thus expressed the current problem.

The challenges of the application

The application is a complex process, especially for smaller organizations that often do not have the necessary resources to submit a well -founded application. After the application, initiators must wait up to 14 weeks before they receive feedback. In many cases, the answer remains negative, which leads to discouragement and frustration. Maeve Doyle, a member of the Trofaiach Culture Association Art Mine, emphasizes that it is crucial for smaller clubs to find out well about the award criteria and to enter into cooperation with other cultural associations.

In order to improve the situation, the new cultural strategy 2030 aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and simplify the application process. On September 17, 2024, a catalog of measures with 86 destinations and 122 measures in the state parliament was decided. This catalog is intended to serve as guidelines in order to promote the implementation of the goals and to promote the development in the cultural area.

Mayor Mario ABL emphasized the initiative of the Trofaiach Culture Association and referred to the positive influence of events in the community. "Art Mine brings large and small formats that enrich the cultural landscape of Trofaiach," said the mayor.

Wider participation and implementation progress

It is gratifying that over 600 people from different cultural and artistic areas were involved in the design of the 2030 cultural strategy. In 2022, the process began with regional conferences, which were specified in June 2023 by a state parliament decision. The recommendations include measures to promote cooperations between various initiatives, the development of regional profiles and a cross -departmental work.

So far, the first steps have already been initiated to achieve some of these goals. The external consultants Heidrun Primas and Werner Schrempf coordinate the next measures together with the cultural department. For example, the expansion of existing international artist-in residence programs outside of Graz has already been implemented.

Evelyn Kometter concluded: "The cultural strategy is a crucial step to renew the cultural landscape in Styria. We need a modern strategy and an increase in the cultural budget to meet cultural diversity and to meet the requirements of today."

For many in the region, there is hope that this will lead to more support for cultural initiatives, especially in rural areas. In particular, the exchange between the cultural workers is considered central to sustainably strengthen culture in Styria.