After the chat affair

Ailing LIVA seeks new management duo

Meinhard Lukas, Chairman of the LIVA Supervisory Board, and Dietmar Prammer, Executive Deputy Mayor (right)

(Bild: Reinhard Winkler)

"The advertisement will go out on Saturday," says Meinhard Lukas, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Linz event company LIVA. He didn't take the easy way out, but has been intensively involved with LIVA, which combines cultural and sports facilities under one roof. Now not only the profile for a new management duo has been determined, but also a high-caliber selection committee.

"After difficult months, we are on the right track," says Dietmar Prammer, Managing Deputy Mayor, about the steps that have now been taken to make LIVA fully maneuverable again.

As is well known, the former artistic director of LIVA was first released from his duties due to suspected compliance violations and improper business dealings and then dismissed in July. The employment relationship with the commercial director was also terminated, as we have reported on several occasions. Both positions are currently occupied by interim managers.

Brucknerhaus remains centrally in tender
Meinhard Lukas, the new Chairman of the LIVA Supervisory Board, has now set up a process to find two new managing directors - who will take on a full-time position - and what they need to fulfill.

The Brucknerhaus in Linz was previously the center of the Brucknerfest

(Bild: Einöder Horst/Horst Einöder/Flashpictures)

Brucknerfest as a "festival"
Lukas mentions two key points: "The Brucknerfest is to be repositioned. Here in particular, we are expecting completely new ideas in the application process." It should become "a festival in our city". And both managing directors should work as a team. They want a "strong management duo that is dedicated to the core competence of 'organizing' in order to reach the people of Linz in the best possible way," Prammer specifies.

New names for the new bosses
To sharpen the focus on the future, the labels are also being changed: The "Managing Director of LIVA" will become an "Executive Director", who will not only have overall responsibility for the company in all commercial and operational matters. According to Lukas, this "General Manager" will also develop the corporate strategy, including LIVA Sport.

How will scandals be avoided?
The artistic director will become an "Artistic Director", who will focus on the Brucknerhaus and the Brucknerfest, including Klangwolke. And the overall coordination of the LIVA cultural venues, taking into account the program autonomy of the Posthof and Kuddelmuddel, among others.

In order to counteract scandalous stumbling blocks such as excessive secondary employment in the future, the applicants are also expected to "demonstrate ethical management behavior", emphasizes Lukas.

Commission draws up shortlist for hearing
The application deadline is January 31, 2025, and a newly formed hearing committee will discuss who else could be invited to the open process at the beginning of January. Everything will be supervised by personnel consultant Gundi Wenter, who has already been entrusted with filling management positions at the Vienna Burgtheater and the State Opera, among others.

From the applicants, the commission draws up a shortlist of names to be invited to a hearing. This should result in the casting proposal. "We guarantee confidentiality to all applicants," emphasizes Lukas. The earliest planned starting date is July 1, 2025.

Big names have their say
The seven-member commission is made up of high-caliber members. Alongside Lukas are: Christian Schmid (Finance Director of the City of Linz), Julius Stieber (Cultural Director), Christian Kirchner (Managing Director of the Bundestheater), Helga Rabl-Stadler (former President of the Salzburg Festival), Dodo Roščić (Program Director of FM4) and Franz Welser-Möst (Chief Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra). All are taking part in the process on a voluntary basis, with only expenses being reimbursed.