Funding Denied: Home Secretary Does Not Provide Finances for Akklamer Theater
The renovation of the dilapidated Anklam Theater, a cherished project for many residents and city representatives, has hit a significant roadblock. A recent rejection notification from Schwerin has left the relevant department of the Anklam town hall seeking a solution.
Andreas Brusch, Burgomaster of Anklam and chairman of the Vorpommern Cultural Factory, reported on the completion of preparatory work for the theater renovation just a week ago. However, the 16 million euros required for the project is beyond the means of the city and operating associations.
The letter from Schwerin, which arrived as early as early July, states that the Anklam Theater is not eligible for the funding pot due to its location outside the city's area and the lack of a long-term lease agreement, such as an hereditary lease.
Despite this setback, Brusch remains hopeful. He expects the state government to work together to find a solution for preserving the Anklam Theater. Ministers involved in regional cultural and governmental cooperation, including representatives from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's cultural administration, local government officials from Anklam, and partners from the theater network cooperating across the German-Polish border, are being called upon to come together in Schwerin for open dialogue and mutual trust to maintain the theater as part of the regional cultural landscape.
The Vorpommern State Theater, headquartered in the Anklam Theater, is operated by the Vorpommern Cultural Factory. The rejection notification has now been passed on to the cultural committee by Beatrix Wittmann-Stifft.
In a surprising turn of events, the Ministry of Construction states in the letter that it knows nothing of the 4.5 million euros previously promised for renovation years ago. The association chairman believes these funds are still in the area of the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of the Interior, however, is not responsible for the funding of the Anklam Theater renovation.
The city of Anklam was encouraged to apply for state special-purpose grants to fund the project, but it was required to hurry with the application. The Peenestadt residents and their administration spared no effort and cost in the preparatory work for the theater renovation, hoping that the project would happen very quickly, as earlier reports suggested.
It is now up to the ministers to find a solution to preserve this important piece of the regional cultural landscape. The future of the Anklam Theater hangs in the balance.
