Rowdy Talk: New Culture Boss Wedl-Wilson Slams More Budget Cuts in Berlin
Opposing Additional Budget Reductions Advocated by New Cultural Senator Wedl-Wilson - Opposing Additional Reductions, Sen. Wedl-Wilson Advocates for Cultural Preservation
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Berlin's newly-appointed Culture Senator, Sarah Wedl-Wilson, has no appetite for further budget slashes in the cultural sector of the city over the next couple of years. In an unfiltered interview with RBB's Radio3, she slammed the latest 130 million euros in savings as "hitting below the belt" and warned that extracting more would be ludicrous. "We can't keep dipping into culture's pockets like this," she bluntly stated.
In light of this, she vowed to rally together all the creative minds of the city to underscore the undeniable significance of the cultural scene for the city and its folks, demonstrating the invaluable contribution of culture to society. At the same time, she acknowledged the need to find creative ways to save costs, trim unnecessary fat, and generate additional income without compromising on artistic integrity.
"Last call for the axe on arts"
To accomplish this, Wedl-Wilson announced a much- Needed cultural dialogue between the Senate and the institutions to brainstorm new strategies, improve existing ones, and identify untapped potential. Elements under discussion include shared storage facilities, joint logistics for theaters, joint ticket offices, consolidated payroll accounting, and leasing out performance spaces for events.
No Privatization, Just Cooperative Changes
The prospect of privatization was swiftly dismissed, with Wedl-Wilson doubting the veracity of such claims. "Privatization? Give me a break! It's all BS," she quipped. Instead, the focus will be on figuring out the best ways for cultural institutions to adapt to the current financial crisis.
"But let me be clear," she emphasized. "This isn't about wage cuts or layoffs. It's about collaborating better, finding our groove collectively, and exploring the possibilities of a long-term foundation model."
Senate Swearing-In on May 22
Berlin's Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) introduced Wedl-Wilson as the city's Culture Senator on Monday. She is due to take the oath of office in the House of Representatives on May 22, succeeding Joe Chialo (CDU), who stepped down last Friday.
- Sarah Wedl-Wilson
- Berlin
- Cuts
- Herculean task
- RBB
Enrichment Data:
Proposed Approaches:
- Shared storage facilities or logistics for theaters
- Joint ticket offices for multiple institutions
- Consolidation of payroll accounting or other services
- Renting out performance spaces for events to generate income
- Sarah Wedl-Wilson has expressed her opposition to additional budget cuts in Berlin's cultural sector, likening the recent 130 million euros in savings as a "low blow."
- In an effort to safeguard the cultural scene's significance for the city and its residents, Wedl-Wilson plans to gather all creative minds and initiate a dialogue with the Senate to develop new strategies.
- The proposed strategies include sharing storage facilities, joint logistics for theaters, joint ticket offices, consolidated payroll accounting, and leasing out performance spaces for events.
- Sarah Wedl-Wilson has ruled out privatization as a solution, instead focusing on finding ways for cultural institutions to adapt to the financial crisis while maintaining their artistic integrity.
