Independent Ensembles

The work of independent ensembles contributes to the continuous development of musical culture in general. They cultivate and expand chamber music repertoire, call common performance practices into question and develop new concert formats. Regardless of their genre – from early music to classical and romantic music to contemporary music, jazz, traditional and cross-genre formations – they make the diversity of musical expression visible and provide important inspiration for the continued development of musical life. Independent ensembles contribute to the international appeal of the German music landscape; however, the structural and financial challenges they face are great. 

Brief history of development

Independent ensembles have been shaping the development of today’s orchestral landscape since the 19th century; the term “ensemble” comes from French and began being used in German in a musical sense around the year 1900. At the turn of the century, the concept of self-managed collective music production became more widespread. Beyond the large symphony orchestras, a broad range of employment options for musicians established itself under the term “ensemble music”. Repertoires and members were varied and ranged from popular music in cafés, restaurants and cinemas to the area of so-called “serious” music, which referred to music that was more classical in nature. [1]

This early ensemble landscape also included group types from the classical chamber music tradition – for example, string quartets, which have shaped musical life since the 18th century both as a form of composition and as an ensemble type. The first professional string quartets, which performed with the same line-up of musicians and had regular concerts, were formed in the second half of the 19th century, including Germany’s famous Joachim Quartet. Ensembles from this tradition worked independently of institutionalised orchestral structures for decades and still influence concert life today with their classical-romantic repertoires as well as contemporary music. 

The example of the string quartet shows that the emergence of the independent ensemble landscape must be considered independently of genre affiliations or aesthetic attributions. Nevertheless, various musical developments influenced and promoted the emergence of the ensemble landscape. The main inspiration for this group format came from contemporary music and from the study of historically-informed performance practices. Compositions such as Schönberg’s Pierrot Lunaire (1912) or Varèse’s Octandre (1923) were characterised by unusual instrumentation and soloistic styles that required ensembles and musicians with great flexibility and specific playing skills. At the same time, the growing interest in historical performance practices led to specialised ensembles that had the appropriate instruments as well as detailed knowledge of performance and interpretation practices. 

The diversity and permeability between genres, musical styles and performance contexts that shaped the independent ensemble landscape in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century came under increasing pressure beginning in 1933. With the enforced conformity of musical life through the NS institution of the Reichsmusikkammer as well as new categorisations, the prohibition of privately starting new musical groups and the introduction of the collective bargaining system for cultural orchestras (Tarifordnung Kulturorchester, TOK), private and independent collective structures were increasingly displaced. Many independent ensembles and similar groups disappeared from the public eye. [2]

In the post-war period, the “independent ensemble” model experienced a rapid revival – first only selectively and often in the form of rather loose groups, later in clearly solidified structures. These developments were based on inspiration from the pre-war period. As one of the most famous string quartets from the direct post-war period, the Melos Quartet was founded in 1945, later followed by ensembles such as the Abegg Trio (1976), the Cherubini Quartet (1978) and the Kuss Quartet (1991). In the 1980s and 1990s, numerous special ensembles for contemporary and early music were founded, including the Ensemble Modern (1980), the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (1982), the Neue Vocalsolisten (1984), the Lautten Compagney Berlin (1984), the Ensemble Recherche (1985), the Ensemble Aventure (1986), the Freiburger Barockorchester (1987), Concerto Köln (1985), Musikfabrik Köln (1990), the Schola Heidelberg (1992) and the ensemble aisthesis (1992).

Today, the independent ensemble landscape is characterised by a large number of different representatives in a wide variety of genres: from classical-romantic chamber music ensembles to early and contemporary music ensembles to cross-genre groups. In recent years, more and more transtraditional ensembles have emerged that reflect the diverse musical traditions of immigrant society in Germany. Describing or even attempting to fully capture this diverse scene comes with challenges: the structures and artistic profiles can differ considerably. And just as regularly as new ensembles emerge onto the scene, others also dissolve again.

Categorising independent ensembles

Categorising independent ensembles is challenging, as they exist in all sorts of sizes – from trio (e.g. Trio Catch) to larger chamber orchestras (e.g. Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin) and often position themselves in different genres or even explicitly work across genres. These fluid transitions are clearly reflected in the way that some independent ensembles purposely position themselves between genres. For example, the Splitter Orchestra Berlin positions itself between contemporary and improvised music, the Stefan Schultze Large Ensemble belongs to the jazz genre, as well as other genres, as does the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra. It is clear that repertoire, aesthetic focuses and the artistic goals of the founding members are decisive for a group’s profile.

In the field of chamber music, there are numerous groups that use instruments explicitly derived from a genre-specific focus – the numerous string quartets or piano trios are examples of this. For ensembles in the area of historical performance practice, it is common to include musicians who play instruments such as harpsichord, traverse flute, cornett or lute. Examples include Lautten Compagney Berlin, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Capella de la Torre (Berlin), Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, La Ninfea (Bremen) or la festa musicale (Hanover). In contemporary music, electronics, composition, singing and instruments such as accordion, zither or guitar are regularly part of the ensemble, such as in the ensemble LUX:NM (accordion), Decoder (e-zither) or the string quartet PULSE (synthesizer and electronics). Conductors are rarely found as permanent members of independent ensembles.

There are also performative and musical-theatre-oriented independent ensembles, such as the soloist ensemble Kaleidoskop (Berlin). Larger orchestras such as the Berliner Symphoniker or the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen are also part of the independent ensemble landscape. They often differ from the ensembles of early and contemporary music in that instruments – for example strings – are played by multiple members and the regular line-up uses traditional chamber music instruments without the special instruments described above. There are also groups that are purely vocal ensembles, e.g. the Schola Heidelberg of the KlangForum Heidelberg, AuditivVokal Dresden or the Neue  Vocalsoloisten (Stuttgart).

In addition, transcultural ensembles have become established that combine European, Western, Central Asian and East Asian instruments into a common, contemporary musical form, such as the Trickster Orchestra (Berlin), the Bridges Kammerorchester (Frankfurt), the AsianArt Ensemble (Berlin) and Ensemble Asambura (Hanover). 

Repertoire development, concert practices and societal integration

Numerous developments and paradigm shifts in the German music landscape are closely linked to the work of independent ensembles. They create new interpretations of pieces in the established repertoire and open up previously under-appreciated and forgotten works, e.g. compositions by women. At the same time, they also create new ways for a wide variety of audiences to access their music by testing out new experimental presentation formats, unusual performance venues and interdisciplinary approaches. 

In classical-romantic music, independent ensembles make an important contribution to the maintenance, expansion and re-evaluation of the genre’s repertoire. They develop new interpretative approaches to well-known works and increasingly combine them with the targeted rediscovery of previously under-appreciated compositions, for example ones written by female composers. For example, the Kammerakademie Potsdam has dealt intensively with the work of composer Emilie Mayer and has thus contributed to increasing her visibility. Ensembles such as the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen or the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in turn show how the established repertoire can be reimagined and further developed through new programmatic contexts and interpretative approaches.

Likewise, the current presence of historically informed performance practice in early music as well as the continuous emergence of new works in contemporary music likely wouldn’t exist without independent ensembles. In various genres, they make important contributions to a diverse and specialised music culture and thus complement the offerings of publicly funded orchestras in an essential way.

The work of independent ensembles is characterised by increasing the visibility of different aesthetic perspectives and styles. With the resonanzraum in Hamburg, for example, the Ensemble Resonanz runs a chamber music club and combines classical music with DJ culture in its “Urban String” series. With its project Stadtteil-Oper, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen integrates an entire district into the production and provides opportunities for pupils from a comprehensive school to take the stage. The Schwelbrandorchester brings to life thoroughly composed concert installations complete with light, music and sound. Tempus Konnex emphasises the discursive nature of music and regularly integrates interviews, lectures and discussions into its concerts, while the Mahler Chamber Orchestra invites the listeners to actively participate with its “unboxing mozart” project and the Orchester im Treppenhaus plays on an island in the summer. As part of these projects, concert halls are turned into clubs and an island is turned into a concert hall.

The creation of new works by awarding composition commissions is closely linked to the special ensembles in contemporary music, which bring numerous world premieres, new works and productions to the stage every year. Ensembles such as the Zafraan Ensemble, the ensemble collective CO|:N:|ECT, the Musikfabrik Köln, the Neue Vocalsolisten, Broken Frames Syndicate, El Perro Andaluz and MAM – Manufaktur für aktuelle Musik – are all examples of groups that do precisely this. The movements in early music would not likely have happened without independent ensembles that specialise in historically informed performance practices. The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin has been organizing its own concert series at the Konzerthaus Berlin for over 35 years. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra is present in various concert halls and has several concert series. Smaller ensembles such as the ensembles La Ninfea and la festa musicale are dedicated to rediscovering works and put historical literature into new, contemporary contexts.

Independent ensembles contribute to increasing musical diversity and making it more visible. This is also clearly evident in transcultural ensembles that provide a space for different musical traditions and stories. Independent ensembles such as the Trickster Orchestra, Ensemble Asambura, the Bridges Kammerorchester and AsianArt Ensemble combine post-migration voices with classical music, compose their own repertoire and contribute to the development of a new musical language. 

The international festival and concert scene often collaborates with independent ensembles. They serve as artistic partners who, due to their specialisation and agile manner of working, are both artistically and structurally compatible with the conditions of festivals. At the same time, many independent ensembles are closely tied to their organisers through subscription series or residencies. Examples of these include the Kammerphilharmonie Lübeck as the house orchestra of the Eutiner Festspiele or the Deutsche Kammerorchester Berlin and the Berliner Symphoniker with concerts in the Philharmonic. 

Independent ensembles also appear as organisers themselves by developing their own musical theatre productions, concert series, projects and festivals. Examples of this include the soloist ensemble Kaleidoskop, which is dedicated to the development of new forms of experimental music theatre, the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt and the Bavarian Kammerphilharmonie with its own concert series as well as the “TransTraditionale”, a music festival that hosts the Trickster Orchestra and features other contemporary artists from around the globe. 

With their own music education projects in schools and day-care centres, as well as academies and workshops for young professionals, independent ensembles have created model projects that not only invest in future audiences, but also in the development of young artists. The Ensemble Modern founded the International Ensemble Modern Academy more than 20 years ago. The Kammerakademie Potsdam runs its own orchestral academy, the ensemble mosaik invests in young composers with its residency program “Progetto Positano”, and the Balthasar Neumann Choir and Orchestra has created a European academy program with its “Balthasar NOVA”. Concerto Köln has entered into a cooperation with the Cologne University of Music and Dance, giving students insights into their rehearsal processes and collaborative work through workshops and project phases. Capella de la Torre teaches playing techniques for historical instruments via a comprehensive media library using videos. Students come together at the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and work in a democratic orchestral structure. With all their offers for young professionals, ensembles not only pass on artistic and aesthetic knowledge, but also explicitly tackle entrepreneurial and organisational topics that are key for independent musicians to master the professional and business aspects. 

Independent ensembles provide creative and age-appropriate offers for children and adolescents – such as the Aventure and minifaktur ensembles with concerts for three- to six-year-olds, the Ascolta ensemble that puts on musical theatre performances for children ages six and up or the Musikfabrik ensemble with its Musikfabrik studio, a youth ensemble for contemporary music. The ensemble der/gelbe/klang in turn is the ensemble in residence for the “Jugend komponiert” workshop.

For many independent ensembles, dealing with political, social and societal issues is also an important part of their work. For example, in its UltraBACH festival, Ensemble Reflektor deals with how to handle with the emotional challenges of the current climate crisis. The New Babylon ensemble touches artistically on the topics of gender justice and the influence of social media, and the Dresden Symphony Orchestra addresses aspects of the remembrance culture. In one of its projects, AuditivVokal Dresden aims to raise awareness on questions about Europe’s present and future. The Ensemble Ruhr is dedicated to searching for new forms of social interaction with participatory city district projects; the Ensemble Quillo takes it one step further and has permanently settled in the rural area of the Uckermark. With the Quillo farm, the ensemble has created a cultural site in a 150-person village and, in its projects, deals with the topic of village development and the revitalisation of rural areas.

With venues such as the Betriebswerk Heidelberg (KlangForum Heidelberg and Heidelberger Sinfoniker), the Ensemblehaus Freiburg (Ensemble Recherche and Freiburg Baroque Orchestra) and the newly initiated SoundPort project (Ensemble Modern), some independent ensembles have succeeded in creating their own venues and have thus become even more firmly anchored in urban and village society.

Motivation and founding dynamics of independent ensembles 

“Forming your own band is a crazy step, always, it’s exciting, comes with a sense of elation, identity and meaning. Many ensembles also come together based on the founders’ personal decisions, perhaps turning away from prescribed career paths or in dissatisfaction with the existing options. In an emancipation from study and training content and existing conditioning and possibly – to put it bluntly – in an act of self-empowerment.” [4] This is how Tobias Rempe, founding member and long-standing Managing Director of Ensemble Resonanz and currently Artistic Director of the Konzerthaus Berlin, describes the motivation behind founding an independent ensemble.

An independent ensemble usually arises from the initiative of the musicians themselves; the degree of identification of the members with their ensemble is thus correspondingly high. The reasons for founding an independent ensemble are varied and usually include a specific desire for professional, artistic and personal development – in forms that can rarely be achieved in publicly funded orchestras.

An independent ensemble provides the opportunity, but also the necessity, to contribute artistically as well as organisationally and strategically, whether in music mediation, in the conception of new concert formats, in project management, in communication or in funding acquisition. Organisational tasks in particular are often the most challenging for musicians, because their music studies still do not fully prepare them for a career as self-employed professionals. Although nowadays there are now numerous offers in university career centres that provide information on important basics such as Germany’s social insurance scheme for artists, contracts or taxes and offer more specific additional training, e.g. in the field of funding applications, self-marketing and ensemble management. However, all these offers are usually voluntary and not integrated into the curriculum. They presuppose that students themselves recognise the importance or necessity of gathering information on all these aforementioned topics. In view of the demanding study curriculum and competitive pressure, this is not yet being done across the board, and it remains to be seen whether universities will decide to make their offers mandatory within a more targeted career orientation. Numerous networks and associations have identified these gaps in recent years. For example, the Deutsche Jazzunion, FREO, the Vereinigung Alte Musik, PRO MUSIK and various music academies now offer professionalisation offers that support independent musicians with workshops, guides and handouts.

Structural features of independent ensembles 

Despite the artistic and structural heterogeneity, common characteristics can be identified that characterise independent ensembles and can be used to define the “independent ensemble” model.

Private organisations with musicians as operators
In contrast to municipal and state orchestras, independent ensembles are privately organised companies that are operated by their own musicians. While musicians employed in publicly funded orchestras are subject to social security contributions, the members of independent ensembles usually work independently and are “shareholders” of their own ensemble organizations in various constellations. Thus, the musicians bear the economic risk themselves. Depending on the legal form, this means that they are also liable with their private assets in the event of damages.

Common legal forms in Germany are the Gesellschaft bürgerlichen Recht (GbR), the GmbH or gGmbH as well as the registered association (e. V.). By far the most frequently used form is the GbR (68.3%), followed by the non-profit e. V. (20.4%). Significantly less common are the gGmbH (2.1%), GmbH (1.6%), gUG (1.4%) and UG (0.7%). [5]

The GbR is the most widespread legal form, as it involves less bureaucracy and fewer obligations to provide proof. This form makes basic democratic structures and comprehensive shareholder influence possible. Start-up capital is not required. Disadvantages include an increased liability risk for the shareholders with their private assets as well as the lack of non-profit status. The latter makes it particularly difficult to obtain private funding, which often presupposes non-profit status.

Since there is currently no legal form in Germany that combines all the needs of independent ensembles (non-profit, basic democratic structures, low liability risk), many work with a combination of organisational structures. For example, there are ensembles that create an umbrella structure for their GbR in the form of an e. V. or GmbH whose only shareholder is a GbR formed by the members of the ensemble. Other ensembles set up donors’ associations or friends’ schemes. The more an independent ensemble is established, the more complex the requirements for its legal form and organisational structure become.

Long-term continuity and core ensemble members
The work of independent ensembles is designed to work in the long term with consistent structures. This can be seen in, among other things, regularly participating musicians and other artists, who form the artistic core of the group which is expanded upon by guests, depending on the project. This distinguishes independent ensembles from project orchestras with changing line-ups that only come together for specific occasions. It is striking that in many independent ensembles, (almost) all regular members are also shareholders or owners of the organisation. [6]

Grassroots participation in decision-making processes
Structures that enable grassroots participation are at the core of many independent ensembles. [7] Both artistic and managerial decisions are made in models that enable the greatest possible participation. However, a completely grassroots structure – in which all members actually make all the decisions together – is rare, as this structure does not meet the requirements of a fast-paced music business. Instead, each independent ensemble defines its own participatory structures depending on its size, degree of establishment and goals. Common formats include regular meetings with all members (monthly to semi-annual), internal committees and working groups, temporary mandates, elected artistic directors or management (internal or external) – sometimes in cooperation with agencies. It is comparatively rare for the management to make decisions entirely on its own, with members of the ensemble merely being informed of them. 

Establishing models in which aspirations of grassroots structures, personal decision-making skills and the requirements of a dynamic music business can be satisfactorily combined is a constant challenge for independent ensembles. That is why they regularly put their internal structures to the test, trying out new formats, discarding them again and continuously working to develop and improve their structures[.

Artistic work and organisational responsibility

The organisational structure of independent ensembles requires musicians to take great responsibility for their own economic existence, the ensemble as a business and its employees. It is not only in the early years that there is often a lack of resources to hire staff for organisational, administrative or communication tasks.

The musicians have to take action themselves: in order to set up the business structures with their organisational and administrative processes, they have to deal with numerous questions that are decisive for the successful establishment of the ensemble: Who has which qualifications? Who can and would like to take over which tasks? How can decision-making processes be designed that not only adhere to cooperative and participatory principles, but at the same time also enable fast and effective action to be taken? Who takes over the leadership role in which situation? What should be decided together and how much should and must be in the hands of the individual musicians or employees? Very few musicians are sufficiently prepared for these questions and structural approaches. As previously mentioned, music study programmes are still strongly artistically focused and training in additional skills such as self-organisation or project management is lacking. 

This creates a unique organisational structure in each independent ensemble. Basic democratic structures always play a decisive role in this, though the challenge is to enable the members’ participation, co-design and participation in such a way that fast and effective action is also possible. As the ensemble grows in size and becomes more established, clearer responsibilities often emerge (artistic direction, management, executive direction). 

In addition to their artistic work in the ensemble, musicians also commonly take on the tasks of acquisition, funding applications, press and public relations, project management, event organisation and bookkeeping. This can be enriching – for example, to contribute or build one’s individual skills – but it is often also a burden. Many of these tasks are done without pay because the budgets of independent ensembles are often limited. 

A crucial factor for the long-term success of an independent ensemble is whether it succeeds in establishing financing that enables the transfer of administrative and communication tasks to its own staff, contract employees or external partners (e.g. agencies). Otherwise, there is a risk of stagnation, because their own artistic staff – i.e. the musicians – are too heavily involved in the administration.

Some ensembles from the founding boom of the 1980s and1990s were able to become so well-established that they took on employees (public relations, management, commercial direction, project coordination, accounting, travel planning, etc.). However, large teams like these are the exception. Most independent ensembles only have a single person for these tasks, if any at all; temporary and project-related cooperation (production, stage and sound technology, PR) on a fee basis is widespread, as financing can be obtained via project funding. [8]

Financing structures and economic challenges

Independent ensembles are financed from a mix of public and private funding as well as from event and ticket revenues; subsidies and fees are the most common sources of income. Public funds from municipalities, states and, in part, the federal government play a key role. In contrast to publicly funded orchestras, however, for independent ensembles, temporary project funding based on a single artistic project is most common. Institutional funding is the exception – and even where it exists, it usually accounts for only a fraction of the annual budget. The existence of institutional support does not mean that this is no longer an independent ensemble. The decisive factor in distinguishing independent ensembles from other structures is the question of sponsorship: even an institutionally funded independent ensemble remains in the private ownership of its musicians – while in comparison, a publicly and institutionally funded orchestra is under public ownership.

Independent ensembles in North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, Bremen and Lower Saxony have the opportunity to apply for multi-year structural funding. Although this is awarded like project funding and must be applied for again and again, in contrast to artistic project funding, these funding measures focus on the financing of ongoing structural and organisational expenses – usually independently of individual projects.

Important federal funding institutions include the Federal Cultural Foundation and the Musikfonds. In the past, there was specific federal funding as part of the “Exzellente Orchesterlandschaft” programme and – in the context of the coronavirus pandemic – the NEUSTART KULTUR special programme “Freie Musikensembles”; these programmes are no longer active and it remains unclear whether they will be restarted in the future.

Financing, cost developments and personnel continuity

The economic situation for independent ensembles is often challenging. Their organisational forms, way of working and predominantly short-term financing tend to lead to a high level of uncertainty. A sudden loss of fee payments, for example when a concert is cancelled, can quickly trigger financial issues. [9]

This was particularly evident during the coronavirus pandemic, when events were cancelled and subsidised in-house productions could not be realised. Since independent ensembles generally do not have financial reserves to draw on, the pandemic was a threat to the scene’s very existence. During this time, the NEUSTART KULTUR programme for independent music ensembles proved to be a significant source of support, since the funding was explicitly not just a crisis programme. In addition to providing security for independent ensembles during the conditions of the pandemic, the programme also focused on continuing development, professionalisation and preparations for the post-pandemic period. The funding made it possible to strengthen organisational structures, to compensate musicians fairly for taking over administrative tasks and to invest strategically and structurally in professionalisation and artistic development. As a result, musicians were noticeably relieved of their workload and internal work processes were professionalised. At the same time, the programme also created scope for artistic development: ensembles were able to rehearse more intensively, develop new formats and further enhance their profile. Many reported improvements in the quality of their rehearsals, greater artistic confidence and a new appreciation for the diverse tasks within the ensemble, including those of an organisational nature. Overall, the funding made a significant contribution to securing the independent ensembles’ ability to work and their artistic development in this existential crisis situation. [10]

The main challenge is medium- and long-term financing – especially for structural expenses such as personnel, rent or continuous public relations. [11] So far, the existing funding landscape has only taken limited account of the independent ensembles’ specific requirements, as it is primarily divided into project funding for a limited time and for specific artistic projects on the one hand and institutional funding on the other. There is a lack of funding that focuses on financing structures and processes and also offers the independent ensembles planning security and opportunities for development. The cultural budgets, which are currently under attack, combined with rapidly rising production and living costs exacerbate the challenge considerably.

The musicians in the independent ensembles play a special role – as is evident in their organisational structures, responsibilities and distribution of tasks. Without them, there would be no ensemble. Nevertheless, many regular members cannot make a living from their ensemble work alone
[12] 

Many musicians therefore work in other ensembles at the same time, serve as guests on a project basis or play as temporary members in publicly funded orchestras. Many also take up teaching positions – teaching at music schools or teaching contract work at music academies. This also brings up questions of adequate retirement provision, social security and safeguards in the predominantly free structure that independent ensembles are continuously working in.

Visibility and institutional awareness 

Independent ensembles are regularly confronted with the challenge that they are sometimes not perceived as professional musicians and are instead classified in the field of amateur music. In addition, knowledge of their specific structures and working methods is lacking at many relevant points – for example in administrations or at funding institutions. As a result, it repeatedly happens that, for example, funding programmes are not geared to the needs of the scene and not formulated accordingly, or independent ensembles are excluded from funding programmes altogether.

A lack of social and political attention is also a point repeatedly mentioned by independent ensembles. The challenging financial situation means that the communication resources necessary to continuously work on visibility are often lacking. This creates a paradoxical situation: while independent ensembles provide important inspiration for aesthetic developments, innovative concert formats, new forms of cooperation, help shape musical life both regionally and internationally with numerous activities and reach a large and diverse audience, this work is only reflected to a limited extent in media attention or cultural-political perception.

Conclusion

Independent ensembles are an important part of musical diversity. They define new approaches to repertoire development and maintenance, interpretation, performance practices and the development of new concert formats. Their special characteristic lies in their artistic and organisational flexibility and in their self-governing structures. As model organisations, independent ensembles stand for new forms of cooperation – characterised by agility, basic democratic structures and shared leadership, in which musicians jointly assume artistic, entrepreneurial and strategic responsibility.

With their pursuit of innovation, paradigm shifts and continuous reference to social and political processes, they participate in social and cultural transformation processes. The sustainable further development of independent ensembles requires funding structures that open up long-term possibilities, strengthen confidence in independent working methods and take into account the growing organisational and artistic realities of the independent scene.

Translation: Laurie Ross