Toronto : 25 May 2007
Bundesminsister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Bundesfinanzminister Peer Steinbrück
Dienstsitz Berlin
Wilhelmstraße 97
10117 Berlin
Dear Ministers Steinmeier and Steinbrück,
We have received the very disturbing news that the Goethe-Institut plans to close their cultural facilities in Toronto -- the cinema, gallery and library -- effective 30th June 2007.
To lose an active public space in Canada's most important city for ongoing and carefully nurtured international collaborations and presentations between Germany and Canada is a dreadful setback to cultural programming for Toronto, sister cities in Germany and international locations elsewhere.
With more than ten years of consistently groundbreaking programming and presentation in the present Toronto premises the Goethe-Institut Toronto has provided a bridge to international artists, venues and dialogues, and is of the utmost importance as a haven for community building and exchange. We are both baffled and deeply saddened by this decision.
If the Goethe-Institut Toronto is forced to work solely as a guest within local partner venues, it will not be able to sustain the same long term impact and focus that has been its unique trademark over the past decade. The projects will by definition become more fragmented, and the Institut forced to fit in where it can and to bend far more to the mandate and priorities of its local partners. The programming that the Institut already contributes to local cultural institutions is anchored, intensified and wisely balanced by the structure and content of the events in the Goethe-Institut's own Toronto cinema and gallery, much of which could simply not be transplanted into outside venues.
Speaking for the artists, writers, educators, cultural workers and city councillors, who have approached us since the announcement, we must state how misguided, in our view, this cultural closing of the Goethe-Institut is seen to be.
We cannot understand why the Goethe-Institut would close the public face of one of its most active and relevant world centres! The cinema, library and gallery are widely known as essential spaces for meeting, learning, growing and experiencing art and other cornerstones of international culture and discussion. In Canada, the bridge-building initiatives and overall programming of the Goethe-Institut have contributed immeasurably to a more accurate and empathetic perception of Germany history and identity, making life in general for German-Canadians and guests from Germany both richer culturally and less troubled by stereotyping.
It is certainly in Germany's interest to sustain the cultural relationships that have been planted and nurtured in stable countries such as Canada. The post-WWII establishment of the Goethe-Instituts and its underlying mission to heal via cultural exchange the wounds that followed is both necessary and effective to this day and remains a respected example for the current and prospective institutions of other countries. It remains unthinkable that other nations will maintain substantial cultural facilities in Toronto, while the German presence shrinks.
Toronto has been designated by UNESCO as the most multicultural city in the world. Toronto is a city where over 150 languages are spoken and the whole world meets. As a cultural venue and inspiring force the Goethe-Institut fulfills an important position within this international framework. It would be both tragic and foolish to see this jeopardized.
The Goethe-Institut Toronto has fostered a growing exchange between both our countries and has given many Canadian and German artists in all disciplines the wonderful opportunity to forge fruitful relationships -- the Goethe-Institut here in Toronto has been the key to opening the doors not only to German culture but to Europe and beyond. No other non-academic venue in the city has been able to open up public perception to the European perspective like the Goethe-Institut in Toronto.
Since mid-April, artists, academics, community and consular partners in Toronto and across Canada have expressed their concerns. An online petition has been set up and details will be forwarded to the most interested parties such as: Secretary-General Hans-Georg Knopp in Munich, urging him and the Director of the Goethe-Institut Toronto, the Regional Director for North America in New York, and Dr. Knopp's co-directors at the head office of the Goethe-Institut in Munich, Germany, to keep open and active the Kinowelt cinema and gallery, as well as the full library of this vital centre. We have also set up a website for information sharing and dissemination.
In summary, we are urging the German government and the Goethe-Institut to seriously consider what a tremendous loss this proposed action is and that it goes against what we have always understood to be the Goethe's mission. The Goethe is one of the finest cultural institutes in the world and has understood well that culture can change lives. It is not only the developing world that needs to benefit from this mission; we here in Canada unquestionably still need and deserve the benefit of this exchange, as we believe does Germany, and we truly hope that the Auswaertiges Amt and the Ministry of Finance in Germany as well as the leadership of the Goethe-Institut will reconsider this very troubling and counterproductive decision and restore to full and proper function the facilities on which the Institut's important cultural programmes depend.
Sincerely yours,
Vera Frenkel, F.R.S.C.
Governnor General's Award Laureate
documenta IX artist,
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Fine Arts, York University, Toronto
Scott Miller Berry, M.A. Executive Director,
Northern Visions Independent Film & Video Association
o/a The Images Festival of Independent Film/Video, Installation, Performance and New Media
Toronto
On behalf of the Save Kinowelt Committee
Toronto, CANADA
*The "SAVE KINOWELT" petition is available here:
http://www.petitiononline.com/goethe07
With copies of this letter sent to:
Der Spiegel Director of the "´Kultur" department Dr. Romain Leick Brandstwiete 19 20457 Hamburg
Der Tagesspiegel
Leiter der Kulturabteilung
Verlag Der Tagesspiegel GmbH
Postanschrift: 10876 Berlin
Die Zeit
Wenke Husmann
Zeitverlag Gerd Bucerius GmbH & Co. KG
Pressehaus, Speersort 1
20095 Hamburg
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung:
Roland Zorn (Feuilleton)
FAZ
60267 Frankfurt am Main
Dr. Bernd Graff (Kultur – Internet Dept)
Thomas Steinfeld (Director – Feuilleton)
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Sendlinger Str. 8
80331 München
Friday, May 25, 2007
Response from Secretary General Dr. Knopp
From: "Marquardt Eva Dr."
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 09:37:20 +0200
Dear Mrs. Flanders,
Thank you very much for your e-mail from April 19, 2007, which Dr. Knopp asked me to answer. Due to a loss of data in April I wish to apology for this late answer. Thank you for letting us know your overall concern for our activities, in which you express apprehension about the restructuring of the Goethe-Institut Toronto. I comprehend very well your regret, and, at the same time, I am pleased to note your empathetic concern for the development of the Goethe-Institut.
Restructuring always denotes adaptation and change. But on all operational levels the work of the Goethe-Institutes in Canada will continue in full force. So there is now intention at all to close the Goethe-Institut cultural facililities. Let me explain in greater detail what we plan and why we need to change.
The decision to transfer our own programs and integrate them entirely with Canadian supporter and partner organizations certainly has positive aspects and follows on good experiences. Even in the past we have frequently and successfully carried out events together with Canadian partners in their own venues. It is therefore not a novelty to embed our programs in Canadian establishments. In future we will reinforce this modus operandi - and also extend the radius of our work. Furthermore, we will gain new flexibility in using our budget, which we would like to apply to emphasizing focal issues, enabling us to define them anew with every project, because this strikes us as particularly pressing and important. In contrast, we have experienced that with permanent buildings there is also always a danger of a professing to issues, defining their content by means of their structure, although the natural starting point of our work is to focus on the political aspects of culture. Moreover, this restructuring will allow a de-centralization in all operational spheres of the Goethe-Institutes, be they language courses, information distribution, programming projects or events, thus also benefiting less centrally located Canadian cities. Another pleasant aspect is that the limits of the budget for culture and education will be less constricted when they are no longer tied to the fixed costs of steadily increasing infrastructure prices. An expiring rental contract such as the one for the Goethe-Institut Toronto can be viewed from many perspectives to present a good opportunity to assume new cultural and political positions, to readjust one's plans, to better conform to and integrate with local conditions.
So these are the reasons why we will in the future just show German films and exhibitions of German artists in cooperation with local Canadian partners in their venues. From now on we want to spend more money on shared Canadian-German cultural projects and simply less on rent.
As you can see, we have arrived at these decisions - which were not easy ones for us - not purely through financial considerations, but rather by strong conceptual arguments.
An additional aspect concerns the new alignment of our Institute's network in terms of global strategy. Shifts on this level are a completely normal and, indeed, necessary process for "global players", determined by overarching political perspectives rather than the respective local viewpoint. A worldwide network such as the Goethe-Institut has to conform and restructure from time to time. In cooperation and agreement with the Department of Foreign Affairs of the German Federal Republic and members of the German parliament, the Goethe-Institut has therefore decided to initiate the kinds of changes you have observed in Canada. For that reason, I hope you will understand when we persist in our decision.
We would like to thank you particularly for your kind words of appreciation about the cultural contributions of the Goethe-Institut Toronto. At the same time, we encourage your future cooperation and ongoing connection with the Goethe-Institut.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Eva Marquardt
Strategy and Planning
Head North America Desk
Goethe-Institut Zentrale
Dachauerstraße 122
D-80637 München
Tel. +49 89 15921-220
Fax +49 89 15921-668
marquardt@goethe.de
Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 09:37:20 +0200
Dear Mrs. Flanders,
Thank you very much for your e-mail from April 19, 2007, which Dr. Knopp asked me to answer. Due to a loss of data in April I wish to apology for this late answer. Thank you for letting us know your overall concern for our activities, in which you express apprehension about the restructuring of the Goethe-Institut Toronto. I comprehend very well your regret, and, at the same time, I am pleased to note your empathetic concern for the development of the Goethe-Institut.
Restructuring always denotes adaptation and change. But on all operational levels the work of the Goethe-Institutes in Canada will continue in full force. So there is now intention at all to close the Goethe-Institut cultural facililities. Let me explain in greater detail what we plan and why we need to change.
The decision to transfer our own programs and integrate them entirely with Canadian supporter and partner organizations certainly has positive aspects and follows on good experiences. Even in the past we have frequently and successfully carried out events together with Canadian partners in their own venues. It is therefore not a novelty to embed our programs in Canadian establishments. In future we will reinforce this modus operandi - and also extend the radius of our work. Furthermore, we will gain new flexibility in using our budget, which we would like to apply to emphasizing focal issues, enabling us to define them anew with every project, because this strikes us as particularly pressing and important. In contrast, we have experienced that with permanent buildings there is also always a danger of a professing to issues, defining their content by means of their structure, although the natural starting point of our work is to focus on the political aspects of culture. Moreover, this restructuring will allow a de-centralization in all operational spheres of the Goethe-Institutes, be they language courses, information distribution, programming projects or events, thus also benefiting less centrally located Canadian cities. Another pleasant aspect is that the limits of the budget for culture and education will be less constricted when they are no longer tied to the fixed costs of steadily increasing infrastructure prices. An expiring rental contract such as the one for the Goethe-Institut Toronto can be viewed from many perspectives to present a good opportunity to assume new cultural and political positions, to readjust one's plans, to better conform to and integrate with local conditions.
So these are the reasons why we will in the future just show German films and exhibitions of German artists in cooperation with local Canadian partners in their venues. From now on we want to spend more money on shared Canadian-German cultural projects and simply less on rent.
As you can see, we have arrived at these decisions - which were not easy ones for us - not purely through financial considerations, but rather by strong conceptual arguments.
An additional aspect concerns the new alignment of our Institute's network in terms of global strategy. Shifts on this level are a completely normal and, indeed, necessary process for "global players", determined by overarching political perspectives rather than the respective local viewpoint. A worldwide network such as the Goethe-Institut has to conform and restructure from time to time. In cooperation and agreement with the Department of Foreign Affairs of the German Federal Republic and members of the German parliament, the Goethe-Institut has therefore decided to initiate the kinds of changes you have observed in Canada. For that reason, I hope you will understand when we persist in our decision.
We would like to thank you particularly for your kind words of appreciation about the cultural contributions of the Goethe-Institut Toronto. At the same time, we encourage your future cooperation and ongoing connection with the Goethe-Institut.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Eva Marquardt
Strategy and Planning
Head North America Desk
Goethe-Institut Zentrale
Dachauerstraße 122
D-80637 München
Tel. +49 89 15921-220
Fax +49 89 15921-668
marquardt@goethe.de
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