30 years of the Saxon Academy of Arts

How little is enough - On the future of the arts in the 21st century. Festive event to mark the 30th anniversary of the Saxon Academy of Arts

The title of the public event to mark the 30th anniversary of the Saxon Academy of Arts “How little is enough?” is aimed at the current situation of culture and at the same time includes questions about future-oriented possibilities for artistic practice. On this evening at the Festspielhaus Hellerau, exemplary forward-looking works by young artists from the fields of architecture, visual arts, performing arts, film, literature and music will be presented on stage in tandem with members of the Saxon Academy of Arts. Installations, films and music can be discovered in the Festspielhaus and provide an opportunity for further dialog.

The Saxon Academy of Arts was founded in 1996 as an institution of the Free State of Saxony. Its core mission is “to promote the arts, make proposals for their promotion, and preserve the heritage of the traditional Saxon cultural region.” It “advocates for the freedom and integrity of the arts in relation to the state and society, and introduces the public to significant artistic achievements, perspectives, and processes of our time.” Today, the five-discipline academy brings together 185 renowned artists from Germany and abroad.

This aspiration gave rise to the idea of placing new developments in the arts at the center of the 30th anniversary celebration through a collaborative mentoring project. Members of the Academy from the fields of architecture, visual arts, performing arts, film, literature, and music will showcase exemplary, forward-looking works by young artists, which will be presented in various formats and along a curated route at the celebratory event.

The Saxon Constitution, which came into force as preparations were underway for the founding of the Saxon Academy of Arts, enshrines culture as a state objective. And yet, massive cuts and budget reductions are currently being made, curtailing the scope of action for institutions working artistically for the public—such as the Saxon Academy of Arts. This is occurring at a time of erosion of liberal-democratic structures and the resurgence of authoritarian systems, accompanied by the consequences of climate change that is altering the very fabric of existence.

Thus, the Saxon Academy of Arts dedicates this celebratory event to the future-oriented possibilities of artistic practice with the question “How little is enough?”

Celebratory event in cooperation with HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts and with the support of additional partners