Protest by the artists:

Cultural Board of Trustees “not acceptable in this form”

A solidarity event was recently held at the Theater am Lend in Graz to mark the cuts to the cultural budget

(Bild: Eduard Haberl)

Almost 1000 Styrian artists and cultural professionals have written an open letter to the blue-black state government. In it, they demonstrate against the reshuffling of the cultural board of trustees and the cuts in the cultural budget. 

The bone of contention is the new appointment of the Cultural Board of Trustees by the new blue-black state government. 13 of the 15 old members have been shown the door - as we reported. And this despite the fact that they were actually appointed until the end of 2026. They are to be replaced by candidates (only four of whom are female candidates) who are very close to the ÖVP and FPÖ.

"A breach in cultural policy"
There is great resentment in the Styrian cultural scene. This frustration has now been expressed in an open letter to Styrian Governor Mario Kunasek and Provincial Councillor for Culture Karlheinz Kornhäusl, signed by a total of 974 cultural professionals.

In the letter, they criticize the new appointments to the board of trustees: some of the new members are seen as having "no professional expertise whatsoever", while others are seen as having "close ties to the far-right scene". The reshuffle would be "tantamount to breaking a cultural policy dam" and would be a "serious blow to Styrian cultural policy". Conclusion: "As a first step, we are urgently calling for a new reshuffle of the Cultural Board of Trustees. It is not sustainable in its current form."

Provincial Councillor for Culture Karlheinz Kornhäusl

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

The open letter is another critical voice with which the new government and, above all, Provincial Councillor for Culture Kornhäusl are confronted: IG Kultur Steiermark and IG Autorinnen Autoren had also strongly criticized the actions of recent weeks. There has also been a great deal of criticism of the recently announced cuts to the cultural budget, which will primarily affect the independent scene. The directors' group of the Austrian provincial and municipal theaters, for example, has already warned of a "deep cut" that "will hit the younger generation particularly hard".

There is a threat of "irreversible damage"
Most recently, the Rectorate of Graz University of the Arts also spoke out and emphasized the importance of a vibrant scene: "The extent of the subsidy cuts will mean that the inspiring cultural landscape for which Graz and Styria are role models throughout Austria will soon no longer exist," they warned, pleading for a reconsideration of the "budget consolidation measures published so far, so that irreversible damage does not occur for years, if not decades."

Whether this protest will change the state government's plans remains to be seen. Tomorrow, Tuesday, the new Cultural Board of Trustees is due to meet for its constituent meeting. The chair is also to be elected there (in the run-up to the meeting, former ÖVP state councillor for culture Christian Buchmann was considered the hottest ticket).

In any case, the cultural scene is already planning further steps: A demonstration is to take place in Graz on Thursday.