Obwald continues to receive cantonal funding

Due to the announced resignation of all board members of the sponsoring association as well as the long-standing artistic director Martin Hess, a new management team headed by Tobias Lengen has been responsible for the organization and implementation of the festival since November 2022, according to the canton's press release.

The artistic direction has passed into the hands of Roman Britschgi. The 42-year-old performer, composer, festival director, program designer and conceptionist grew up in Wilen. He lived and worked in Vienna for the last twenty years before moving back to Obwalden a year ago.

The cantonal government is supporting the sponsoring association for the organization of the festival from 2023 to 2025 with an annual contribution of CHF 70,000. In addition, the association will receive a one-off contribution of CHF 30,000. This will be used to cover expenses associated with the change of staff and the further development of the festival. All funding contributions are taken from the Swisslos fund.

The Obwald Folk Culture Festival took place for the first time in 2006. Since then, sixteen editions have been held. With the exception of 2020, when the Federal Council's coronavirus protection measures made it impossible to hold the festival, folk music from the region and around the world has been played every early summer at the Giswil Gsang forest clearing.