The 23rd Sommerwerft came to a successful close on Sunday after 17 days of intense cultural life at the Wesel shipyard. Under the theme of PEACE CULTURE, the festival once again offered a space for encounters, exchange and artistic dialog, which is particularly important in these times of growing hatred and social tensions. Despite a new record number of visitors in summery weather, the future of the festival remains extremely uncertain.
Thanks to the summery weather and the diverse program, over 120,000 visitors took advantage of the cultural offerings on the banks of the Main in Frankfurt this year. The Sommerwerft attracted more than 200 events, including theater performances, dance performances, music, open-air cinema, workshops and talks. The Theaterhaus Ensemble's children's stage and workshops also offered a colourful program for younger guests. Visitors enjoyed the warm days and balmy evenings by the river and created a lively and inspiring atmosphere of togetherness.
This year's highlights were once again the "Queer Night" and the "Night of Dance", as well as the impressive performance by antagon theaterAKTion with the play TRAUM EINER SACHE and Teatro Nucleo from Italy, whose monumental production QUIJOTE! - once produced in Frankfurt
- closed the festival; or the participation of the Brazilian Teatro Popular de Ilheus, whose play BOREPETEÌ. UNO brought indigenous perspectives to the stage.
The Sommerwerft has once again proven to be an indispensable element of Frankfurt's cultural scene, reflecting the city's diversity and joie de vivre. This year's edition of the festival once again focused on the power of culture to build bridges and open dialogues - an essential contribution in times of increasing social division.
However, behind the scenes, the situation for the Sommerwerft is more serious than ever. The cultural association protagon e.V., which has been organizing the Sommerwerft for over two decades, is increasingly facing an existential threat. Despite the high visitor numbers, it is uncertain whether the income will cover the expenses - only the final accounts will show this. On the last evening of Sommerwerft, Artistic Director Bernhard Bub could not guarantee on stage that the festival would take place next year. "I can only promise that we will fight for it," he emphasized in his speech.
In order to secure the continued existence of Sommerwerft, a petition is currently underway calling for permanent financial support from the city of Frankfurt. "The most important thing for us is that it is not only clear six weeks before the start of the festival whether we will receive sufficient support or not, but that a solution is found this year so that we can plan again," says Bub. The petition is addressed directly to Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) and calls for timely and secure funding for the socially relevant, inclusive and multicultural cultural festival.
The petition can be supported at the following link: https://www.openpetition.de/petition/online/die-sommerwerft-braucht-eine-dauerhafte-gesamtfoerderung
After the Sommerwerft, protagon e.V. will continue directly: From 16 to 22 September 2024. September 2024, the International Women's*Theatre Festival will explore feminist perspectives in peace and conflict research under the title SAFER SPACES, focusing on safe spaces for exchange.
