An interview with the new manageing director of the Gasteig.
"I want to breathe life into the Munich Gasteig!” exclaims Brigitte von Welser. Mighty words from a petite woman who has taken on a difficult job as the Gasteig’s new managing director. In this age of media sponsorship, it is no longer enough to be a culture vulture with a keen knowledge of the classic and a sharp sense of new trends. The director of a cultural institution today must be a “holistic” manager; one who knows carpeting as well as cantatas. “Well, we might have to change the carpeting…and the doorknobs. The Gasteig is beginning to look a bit tired.” Lucky for Munich’s Gasteig, the arts center on the banks of the Isar, von Welser is paying attention to the details. A Munich native, von Welser exudes the traits of the Munich personality: a no-nonsense directness that is illuminated with charm, flair and a smile. “I love this city, the [Bavarian] blue sky, the culture…and, at the same time, there is a lot I could grumble about.” For von Welser, Munich is a city where culture is able to thrive. “We have tradition and art, but we have the quiet of provincial life,” this said with one eye on Berlin, where art pleasures reflect a faster-paced lifestyle. “And we can grow,” she adds quickly. Growth is just what is planned for the Gasteig in the coming years of her tenure. In her years as division head of the Munich Arts Council, von Welser made growth a defining goal for the organization. She spearheaded the establishment of several cultural attractions, for example the Münchner Biennale, which have become popular events that attract sizeable turnout and support. Support is yet another theme that ignites von Welser’s enthusiasm. “The Gasteig is an expensive undertaking. After all we are the home of the Munich Philharmonic, we house a huge division of the Munich Municipal Library which includes the largest music library in Germany, the head office of the Munich Adult Education College (Volkshochschule) is also here, as well as the Richard Strauss Music Conservatory of the City of Munich, a Vocal and Music School…not to mention a busy ticket-booking center in the entrance hall. That all costs quite a bit.” A juggling act that requires not only tight managerial control, but entrepreneurial inspiration as well. A large part of von Welser’s job involves attracting private sponsorships while keeping Munich audiences interested. Perhaps the biggest challenge von Welser faces will be translating her vision of the Gasteig’s future into action. The Gasteig has often been referred to as a “sleeping giant” – a cultural institution that has not yet realized its full potential. “We need more energy here. We need to open up more, let the public reach us. And in turn we must reach out to the public.” Summer, traditionally a quiet time in Munich, should, according to von Welser, be a time to “use the space we have; to think about the guests that visit in August and provide them with culture.” Joint programs with the neighboring Muffathalle and Deutsches Museum are part of her dream of culturally integrated programming. In winter she hopes to bring to Gasteig an event “with a long tradition” – an ice-sculpting contest that would decorate the city with crystaline works of art. On the Gasteig’s current program, von Welser is particularly proud to be hosting the 22nd annual European Brass Band Championships 1999 (April 22-24), an event which will bring hundreds of brass players to Munich. Although Bavaria is practically synonymous with the famous oom-pah sounds of the brass, it has taken decades to bring the competition here. Presiding over the proceedings will be Munich’s renowned brass ensemble Blechschaden, as well as the defending European champions, the Brighouse & Rastrick Band from Great Britain. “I want the Gasteig to become the hub of Munich cultural life. I want to give people a lot more reasons to visit the Gasteig. Shops, better restaurants, a polished image and, of course, our continued cultural offerings; that and more is what we need to do.” Brigitte von Welser, a Münchnerin with a mission, rubs her hands together. “We have 118 staff members. We all need to work together. What can we change? What can we do?” And in that spirit the seeds of growth have been planted for the “new” Munich Gasteig.