Angela Merkel's speech on the importance of artists to the country

German Chancellor Angela Merkel released a four-and-a-half-minute video on May 9 explaining what the role of culture is, especially during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, and why artists are important. The video, posted on the chancellor’s official website, also explains how artists will be helped. An approach, then, quite different from that of our Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who in art and culture circles has sparked a vigorous controversy in recent hours, since, at the press conference presenting the relaunch decree, he merely spoke of “our artists who entertain us so much and make us so passionate.”

Of an entirely different tenor were Angela Merkel’s words. The video, which consists of three sections (“Introduction,” “What role does culture play during the coronavirus?”, “How does the federal government help women artists?”), can be reached at this address. We provide the full translation below.

Introduction

Germany is a land of culture, and we are proud of the variety of cultural offerings throughout our country: the museums, theaters, opera houses, literary circles, and more. The cultural offerings speak of us, of our identity. Now, the pandemic and the coronavirus have dealt a heavy blow to our common cultural life. All of our artists and all of our performers have suffered, and this is especially true for those in free practice. And that is why the federal government, together with the states and especially the Secretary of State for Culture Monika Grütters, has an interest in ensuring that our cultural life also has a chance in the future, and that artists continue to build bridges.

What role does culture play during coronavirus?

Cultural events are critically important to our lives. This is also true during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. And perhaps it is during these times that we are even more aware of what we are missing right now. For in the interaction between women artists and their audiences, entirely new perspectives emerge that allow us to cast a glance at our own lives. We engage in passionate confrontations, develop emotions and new thoughts, and are ready to engage in interesting discussions. We can better understand the past and can look to the future with completely new eyes. All this, of course, during the time of the coronavirus is possible only in a very limited way. It is a blow to the artists, but of course also to their audience. I am grateful for the many new ideas that have emerged from the digital space, and I am grateful to the many women artists who have taken on new, compelling projects. I therefore believe that those who make these cultural offerings possible deserve very special respect. Nevertheless, even on digital, the possibilities are very limited. And that is why I am glad that now museums and monuments can open again, with the appropriate security measures. This week we asked the ministers of the states, together with the Secretary of State for Culture, to work on hygiene and security measures to make sure that theaters, concert halls, opera houses and other cultural venues can also open again. For some, however, it will still be hard, especially for those who organize large concerts and festivals. But we are happy that we can take the first steps to return to normalcy, especially in the cultural sector.

How does the federal government help female artists?

In Germany, responsibility for culture is primarily a task for the states. All the states have launched support programs for women artists. But the federal government has also contributed to their programs and has always taken into account the needs of artists and creative industries. Our program is mainly aimed at the self-employed who have to pay for studio costs, rentals and other similar expenses. We have then arranged for access to basic minimum income for the self-employed, which is very open and designed in a very easy way. In addition, State Secretary of Culture Monika Grütters has assured that it will be possible to support all those who have suffered losses. And in the coming months we will continue to develop support measures for the arts aimed at all those who need it. This is because our goal is that our large and diverse cultural landscape will be able to continue even after we have defeated the pandemic and overcome the deep blows that the pandemic will inflict. This is a delicate task, but it is at the top of the government’s priority list. Dear artists, dear artists, I know these are very, very difficult times for you. I know what we are missing, and I know how much the citizens are waiting to return again, and finally, to experience your cultural offerings. Until then we will try, as best we can, to support you with our aid programs, but also by telling you how important you are to us.

Angela Merkel's speech on the importance of artists to the country

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