Essential Component: Not Essential, nor an Optional Luxury
In a significant stride towards promoting inclusion, the "Course Change Culture - Network. Direction. Inclusion." project, a joint initiative by the Center for Cultural Participation Baden-Württemberg (ZfKT) and the State Association for Cultural Youth Education (LKJ), has completed its first round. The closing event took place at the Hospitalhof in Stuttgart on Tuesday.
Over the past two years, seven cultural institutions across the region have received funding to implement inclusive projects. These institutions include the Young Ensemble Stuttgart (JES), the State Theater Württemberg-Hohenzollern Tübingen Reutlingen, the National Theater Mannheim, the Theater Konstanz, the Theater RAMPE in Stuttgart, zeitraumexit from Mannheim, and the Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen.
The funded projects span a wide range of areas, from internet appearances in easy-to-understand language, audio description for blind and visually impaired people, training for deaf guide personnel, theater productions with artists with disabilities, to the "Let's Ally" festival. Matthias Nagel, who coordinates inclusive processes at JES and is himself blind, emphasized the need for a responsible, accountable person in these initiatives.
The "Course Change Culture" program, which lasts for three years, aims to promote inclusion in culture. It does this by guiding institutions through a series of strategic steps, focusing on leadership alignment, team engagement, HR integration, and ongoing measurement. During the first round, up to two ambassadors were responsible per institution, who met for networking and exchange.
The newly created network is coordinated and maintained by the program office of the LKJ. Birte Werner, director of the ZfKT, finds it exciting to see which new artistic forms emerge from the program. In the panel discussion, Markus Kosuch, chairman of the LKJ, stated that inclusion is a right that is still denied to many people.
Innovation and learning were not limited to the funded institutions. Nationwide contacts were made with experts, and people with disabilities were involved in the projects. Meike Sasse, chief dramaturg at the Theatre Konstanz, shared an example where the guide system installed for "Let's Ally" lacked sufficient contrast for visually impaired individuals, which was quickly rectified with some black duct tape.
Christian Holtzhauer, artistic director of the National Theatre Mannheim, pointed out that there is still debate about whether a new building should have an accessible restroom. In her video greeting, Petra Olschowski, Minister of Culture, emphasized the importance of social participation and inclusion. The Annelie-Wellensiek Center for Inclusive Education of the Pedagogical University Heidelberg was available for consultation.
Looking ahead, cultural institutions from the state, municipalities with less than 40,000 inhabitants, and their cultural offices can now apply for the second round of the "Course Change Culture" program, which will start in September 2025. The application deadline for this round is June 30. Each project will receive 15,000 euros in funding.
For detailed eligibility or application information for the 2025 round, it is recommended to consult the official program website or contact administrators directly, as these details are not present in the current data.
The "Course Change Culture" program, a three-year initiative, has been instrumental in fostering a more inclusive culture within policy-and-legislation and politics. Presently, the network, consisting of seven cultural institutions, is striving to create new artistic forms that cater to general-news underrepresented groups.
Moving forward, cultural institutions, municipalities, and their cultural offices can apply for the second round of the "Course Change Culture" program, set to commence in September 2025, with each project eligible for €15,000 in funding. For detailed eligibility or application information, potential applicants are advised to visit the program's official website or contact administrators directly.
