After the publication of several incendiary letters with the title “It’s burning,” Munich’s independent theaters are receiving political support. Sanne Kurz, cultural policy spokeswoman for the state parliament Greens, also sees the Free State as having a duty to financially support independent theaters.
Kurz published a statement in which she called for “state funding for the state capital as well.” According to current rules, theaters based in Munich cannot apply for funding from the Free State. The Greens have already made proposals to change this, “for example, opening the cultural fund for Munich with a cap in line with the number of inhabitants,” writes Kurz. “The situation of the free stages could be significantly improved and all of Bavaria could benefit from it.” SPD city councilor Julia Schönfeld-Knor made a similar statement when asked by the SZ: “I just always think that the appeal to the Free State is not enough – it is shirking its responsibility here!”
CSU city councilor Beatrix Burkhardt submitted an urgent motion for the culture committee on Thursday, September 21st. The city council should be informed “about the planned changes to funding in the area of the independent theater scene”, including about foreseeable improvements that a change could bring about. The background to the fire letters is a planned new funding model, which would have meant a new structure and more money for the independent stages. However, due to the budget situation, the funding should not be changed for the time being.