The Cultural Governance course led by Professor Dr. Timo Schwarzwälder from the Cultural Education and Cultural Management Master's program at The Hochschule Niederrhein had the opportunity to visit the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament in Düsseldorf at the beginning of December. The excursion offered the students a practical orientation into the political processes and cultural policy work of the state.
At the beginning of the visit, the participants received an introduction to the working methods and structures of the state parliament. They then took part in an hour-long plenary session in which current budgetary issues in the state were discussed. A debate on the Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte (GEMA) was of particular interest to the course with its focus on cultural governance.
Another highlight of the visit was a discussion round with cultural politicians Klaus Kaiser (CDU) and Andreas Bialas (SPD). During the one-hour discussion, the students exchanged views with the MPs on the current challenges facing culture in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Topics such as current cutbacks and the financing of cultural projects, the democratizing role of cultural mediation and precarious working conditions in the cultural sector were discussed in depth. The politicians' practical insights provided the students with valuable points of reference for their own academic and professional development.
The degree was rounded off with the opportunity for informal discussions and questions. The politicians emphasized the special task of cultural educators and cultural managers to create spaces for dialogue and cultural exchange. They emphasized that culture plays an essential role in a vibrant democracy and that young cultural workers bear a central responsibility in this regard.
The Cultural Governance course is part of the interdisciplinary Master's Cultural Management and Cultural Education program at The Hochschule Niederrhein, which prepares students to manage cultural projects and institutions and promote cultural education.
