Zurich music institutions receive extraordinary support
For the first time since 2000, the Canton of Zurich is once again using the lottery fund to finance unique and exceptional projects by three major cultural institutions in Winterthur and two in Zurich. The Tonhalle Zurich and the Musikkollegium Winterthur are among the beneficiaries.
According to the canton's press release, the Schauspielhaus and the Tonhalle in the city of Zurich are to benefit from support payments, but not the Kunsthaus, whose expansion is already receiving significant support from the lottery fund. In Winterthur, it is the Musikkollegium, the Kunstmuseum and the Theater Winterthur.
The Tonhalle wants to record its concert programs electronically and organize tours. The overriding aim is to "increase the national and international appeal of Zurich as a city of culture". The Musikkollegium Winterthur and Theater Winterthur are producing a children's opera together, among other things.
The project contributions do not constitute compensation for possible shortfalls in the cities' contributions. The money granted once every four years from the lottery fund is intended to finance self-contained projects. These include special events, improvements in cultural education, particularly for children and young people, the organization of tours and festivals, and the production of recordings.
Once per legislative period, the cities of Zurich and Winterthur will in future be able to submit a special application for financial support from the Lottery Fund in order to finance extraordinary and one-off projects by major cultural institutions. This is the key point of new criteria developed by the cantonal government at the suggestion of the cantonal council. They are now being applied for the first time. For submissions during the 2011 to 2015 legislative period, the cantonal government has stipulated that ten million francs are available per city.
