Hack states he is probably one of the few creative artists who is opposed to cultural promotion. of course there are exceptions in the case of influential theater or opera. however, clubs, concerts and parties do not need public funding in his opinion. Berlin subculture also doesn't need a finance minister to organize berlin music week, just bringing him self-adulation. he should instead be concerned with preserving what already exists in Berlin and that it continues to grow.
how can policy enhance subculture? Hack claims the answer is to create a favorable environment as well as affordable areas for workshops, studios, concert, and club rooms in the city. founded in the early 90's, legendary pioneering clubs like the EWerk, Tresor, Bunker and WMF would probably never have existed without low rents. their operators didn't have a lot of money but lots of ideas and visions. they made Berlin a city that now attracts young people from all around the world.
half of the tourists visiting Berlin are under 30 and they visit the clubs, concerts and galleries that are not funded by the government. then they rave about their experiences in New York, London or Tokyo, and their stories are retold to fellow artists and club owners like Hack by traveling DJ's who want to play Berlin. however he warns us that if the current policy is to capitalize on every square meter, most of the subcultural scenes will soon die out.
many of the beach bars and clubs along the Spree are under threat. the Kiki Blofeld recently celebrated its closure, while Maria am Ostbahnhof and the Yaam are on the way out. the land is being sold to investors while operators have to pack their bags - after they were the ones that revived so many corners of the city in the first place. Hack points out that it was this frustration that led to Yaam, without knowing how long they will remain open from one year to the next, getting largely involved with the initiative "Mediaspree Versenken". the initiative proposes a land swap with investors, saying that the state should provide an alternative site on which to develop, which appears as a legitimate demand. Hack acknowledges it is clear that the area along the Spree should not just be for burning wild campfires and that investors will be interested in developing there. but he makes it clear that if the policy continues to mainly please investors, there will soon be no more campfires but instead every square meter near the Spree will be covered with office buildings and deluxe hotels.
Hack certainly knows that club owners and concert promoters have built their own successes without the help of public funding. rather than acknowledge this, Hack points out that the Finanztamt is about to strip the clubs of their subsidized VAT: soon he and his fellow club operators will pay nineteen percent tax instead of the current seven. those that manage without the subsidies will be informed that their old subsidies will now be used to pay for megalomania projects such as the Stadtschloss.
ten years ago, the Club Commission was founded as an umbrella organization of club owners and party organizers. the idea itself was good, but many of the big clubs never got themselves involved, including the Watergate, Hack admits. yet he views today's politics and sees little possibility to work together with the government. there is too much disagreement he says, as well as the argument that the city, which is €62 billion in debt, has hardly any scope for action.
sometimes the politicians throw him and the subculture scene a patronizing crumble of cake by letting them occupy a space, an example being their allowance to organize the "Fly Bermuda" festival at Tempelhof for the second time this november 5th. but Hack brings to attention that the location isn't reliable. because of the noise produced by concerts and parties, a housing project is currently under discussion. this would be the end of Tempelhof as a venue.
along with the development company Tempelhof Project, Hack and his associates agree that the long term use of Tempelhof requires large structural changes if it is to remain an area for events. yet until it is developed as a sustainable venue, it will remain a temporary event space. Hack states one big misunderstanding: the assumption that cultural operators are becoming more creative the more often they move. He suggests the politicians could try the idea out themselves and see how it works.
