Organizers in Greifswald sue: City checks unfair event allocation!

Organizers in Greifswald sue: City checks unfair event allocation!

In Greifswald, the last-minute cancellation of the Venga Venga party show, which was supposed to take place at the museum harbor in June, is causing quite a stir. The organizer Roxx Events from Saxony had to cancel the event due to a supposed lack of tickets, which was met with great incomprehension by the local organizers. Many had hoped to use the Pentecost weekend for their own events and feel let down. In addition, there has been loud criticism of the awarding process, which for many appears to be vague and not very transparent. Baltic Sea newspaper reports on the concerns of organizers who want regional providers to be given preference.

Unfortunately, a lottery system for awarding events offers regional organizers little planning security. Torsten Westphal from OKF Media has already made it clear that a fixed appointment concept is essential in order to engage star guests. “We need at least a year in advance to book,” emphasizes Tobias Lembke from BT-Events, underlining the dilemma the organizers find themselves in. City spokeswoman Andrea Reimann explains that the law allows a maximum of ten “rare events” per year at one location in order to protect residents from excessive noise. Events that go beyond 10 p.m. even count twice. Greifswald cultural calendar has also already highlighted the challenge of making timely entries; Only those who respect the deadlines can make their events public.

Demand for more fairness

The dissatisfaction in the organizer community is clearly noticeable. Many are of the opinion that the city of Greifswald does not sufficiently respond to the needs of local cultural actors. “It's not just about us, it's about the culture in Greifswald!” was the tenor of some organizers. Sticking to a random system is further questioned. The city has currently announced that it will review the fairness of the award process and take the organizers' suggestions into account.

Another important point concerns the entries in the cultural calendar. Organizers can use this to publish their dates free of charge, but they must have a cultural reference and fit the calendar's program. Here too, there are clear deadlines and only events reported on time appear in the print edition. After the editorial deadline, changes are possible online, but not in printed format. To ensure this visibility, event organizers must register in advance and follow the city's rules to avoid legal trouble.

In the context of regional events

A look beyond the borders of Greifswald shows that other cities, such as Frankfurt, definitely benefit from a lively event landscape. There, visitors will find a wealth of events, from cultural festivals to concerts and sporting events. This type of diversity could also be good for Greifswald if the framework conditions for local organizers are adjusted. Better cooperation between the city administration and the region's creative minds could be crucial here in order to effectively expand cultural diversity and offer citizens and visitors a great event experience. Visit Frankfurt serves as an encouraging example.

It remains to be seen whether the city of Greifswald will take the necessary steps to accommodate the organizers and sustainably promote cultural life in the Hanseatic city. The dialogue between the city administration and organizers will be crucial in the coming weeks.