Dresden Declaration of the Many

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With this declaration, the signatories want to clearly articulate the cohesion in art and culture as part of civil society against populist as well as völkisch-national currents. With this declaration, the creators of art and culture are sending a socio-political signal that intervenes in our daily practice. Together, nationwide, we are taking a stand for tolerance, diversity and respect. At the same time, the Declaration of the Many will be presented in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. The Dresden Declaration of the Many was initiated by "#WOD – Initiative weltoffenes Dresden".

WIR SIND VIELE – JEDE*R EINZELNE VON UNS! #WOD – Initiative weltoffenes Dresden

Art creates a space to change the world.

As cultural workers in Germany, we are not above things, but on a ground from which the greatest state crimes in human history were committed. Art was defamed as "degenerate" and culture was widely abused for propaganda purposes. Millions of people were murdered or went into exile, including many artists.

Today we understand art and its institutions, museums, theaters, studios, clubs, urban and rural places of culture as open spaces that belong to many. Our society is a plural assembly. Many different interests collide and are often found in between. Democracy has to be renegotiated every day - but always under one condition: It's about everyone, about each individual! The ground on which we stand together is the Basic Law.

Right-wing populism, which attacks cultural institutions as actors in this social vision, is hostile to the art of the many. Right-wing populist groups and parties disrupt events, want to intervene in the fixtures and programs, polemicize against the freedom of art and work on a renationalization of culture. Their contemptuous treatment of people on the run, with committed cultural workers, with those who think differently reveals how they intend to deal with society as soon as the balance of power changes in their favor.

In our state of Saxony, Pegida, the Identitarian Movement and AfD work hand in hand and polemicize against the democratic, cosmopolitan society. We oppose this.

As the undersigned of the Dresden theaters, art and cultural institutions and their interest groups, we approach these attempts with a clear attitude:

  • The undersigned art and cultural institutions conduct an open and critical dialogue on right-wing populist strategies that undermine fundamental democratic values. They shape this dialogue with participants and the audience in the conviction that the institutions involved have a mandate to further develop our democratic society.
  • All signatories promote debates in the interests of democracy, but do not offer any forums for propaganda of any kind.
  • We fend off attempts by right-wing populists to instrumentalize cultural events for their own purposes.
  • We show solidarity with people who are marginalized by right-wing populist politics.

It's about us all. Hence: Art for Democracy!

List of initial signatories

AuditivVokal Dresden
Agentur Kulturperlen Dresden
Atticus e.V.
Comödie Dresden
DAVE Deutsches Hygiene-Museum
Dresdens Kabarett-Theater Die Herkuleskeule GmbH
Dresdner Comedy & Theater Club
Jacopo Godani – Dresden Frankfurt Dance Company
Dresdner Geschichtsverein e.V.
Dresdner Hofmusik e. V.
Dresdner Musikfestspiele
Dresdner Philharmonie
Filmfest Dresden
Folkloretanzensemble „Thea Maass“ der TU Dresden
Eigenbetrieb Heinrich-Schütz-Konservatorium der Landeshauptstadt Dresden
Hellerau – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste
Hochschule für Bildende Künste Dresden
Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden
Iris Meusemann – Büro für Kulturvermittlung
Jüdische Musik- und Theaterwoche DresdenJ
Künstlerbund Dresden e.V.
Künstlervereinigung Blaue Fabrik e.V.
Kunsthaus Dresden – Städtische Galerie für Gegenwartskunst
Kunstverein Dresden e.V.
Kustodie der TU Dresden mit der Altana Galerie im Görges-Bau
Landesbühnen Sachsen
Literaturhaus Villa Augustin
Museen der Stadt Dresden
1001 Märchen in der Yenidze
Objektiv e.V.
OSTRALE Dresden
projekttheater dresden e.V.
Riesa efau. Kultur Forum Dresden
scheune e.V.
Semperoper Dresden
Societaetstheater
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Staatsschauspiel Dresden
Staatliche Schlösser, Burgen und Gärten Sachsen gGmbH
Staatsoperette Dresden
Stadtteilhaus Dresden-Äußere Neustadt
Stiftung Frauenkirche Dresden
Tanzbühne Dresden e.V.
Theaterhaus Rudi
Theaterkahn – Dresdner Brettl
tjg. theater junge generation Staatsschauspiel Dresden
tristan ManagementProductionEvent
Urge to Move – Drum and Bass
Verkehrsmuseum Dresden
Villa Wigman für TANZ e.V.