Those who want to create art often live in precarious circumstances. Artists should talk about it more openly, because only then will change happen.
Artists like those in the theater need a helping hand Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa
On Labor Day I was looking for art. But I couldn't find it. This is sad because the working conditions of artists, especially freelancers, are intolerable.
Everything is precarious. You can't plan anything. Independent artists usually live from project to project. Income is not only low but also irregular. Infrastructure is crumbling, studios and rehearsal rooms are missing, and venues are underfunded. Inflation, rising rents and energy costs are a particular burden on the theatre.
Artists are constantly under pressure. Fixed rates mean that unexpected additional work is not paid for. Orders depend too much on personal relationships and, if we are honest, also on support. Professional and private lives are intertwined, boundaries are difficult, and people also work in the evenings and on weekends. Getting sick puts your existence in danger and there will never be a pension. So get out there for May 1st! Or not.
In some ways, the work is still considered cool in the theater. Although this attitude is slowly breaking down: we have been told for too long and told ourselves that it is a privilege to be able to practice these professions. Furthermore, it's not really work at all, but passion, love, maybe even compulsion. The true artist cannot help but create art.
Problem not visible
But the same applies in culture: work is no more attractive than poverty. And honestly: the great inspiring moments full of artistic expression, creativity and emotion on stage are the least of it. I mainly do emails.
Artists do not like to talk about their working conditions. And like many others, they don't like to admit that they feel bad. This admission would facilitate the work of our interest groups and associations. If more artists addressed empty bank accounts, overwork, worry, and burnout (as exhausting as it may be), the problem would be more visible and therefore could be recognized and combated more quickly.
But the shame is too great. And the fear of being seen as a failure and in little demand. No one knows exactly when an artist who hasn't yet had his big break becomes a failed artist. Boundaries are fluid, but being perceived as the latter can mean the end of the career.
Myth: the best art comes from lack
In the arts, very few colleagues make much money, while most live at a subsistence level. To say anything against this would mean admitting that you will probably never belong to the first group.
In a worrying interview on the Nachtkritik portal, Berlin Senator for Culture Joe Chialo noted that Mozart died poor and that “artists in Africa” are not financed by the state, but rather dance in front of “tin shacks.” ” and therefore go viral. Tik Tok. AHA. Mozart died in 1791 and Chialo is a Senator for Culture in Berlin. However, these were his reference points when he was asked in December if the Arts Council warned of imminent cultural clearing in Berlin.
That the best art comes from scarcity is a sad myth that has persisted for far too long. Maybe because even those who supposedly represent the interests of artists are spreading it.