08/09/2020

Was that it? Of course not!

What this alleged new normal is supposed to be, we still don’t know. But one thing’s for sure: under other circumstances, back then™, it was fairly easy to quantify the success of a festival edition once it ended: Tallying attendees, adding up ticket sales – that’s all it really takes, and then everyone knows where the whole thing stands. And how it was qualitatively, that’s something the press knows, besides everyone else who was there in person. That’s more or less what »normal« used to be.

But that’s not how it is in 2020, because the end of this year’s edition actually marks its beginning. The Show trifecta, which we presented over the course of the 26th to the 28th of August, was conceived primarily as a springboard, intended to offer just a taste of the various acts and their visions as well as to arouse curiosity about the talks taking place as part of Pop-Kultur 2020. From here on out, the three dozen audio-visual works are permanently available in our mediatheque, and we’re happy every time someone checks them out or leaves feedback on our YouTube channel. In the end, we’re not just interested in how Pop-Kultur 2020 will grow and flourish as a permanent online festival in terms of statistics, but also whether it’s been a convincing venture in light of the new abnormal. So, what did you think?

Just as we’re eagerly awaiting your answers to this question, we can settle a few others: Pop-Kultur will take place next year as well, from the 25th to the 27th of August. How exactly? Well, that depends on what the new normal will be then, but we can promise that we’re not losing any momentum in getting started with the 2021 edition. We’re already putting our heads together – with proper distance, of course.

 

What this alleged new normal is supposed to be, we still don’t know. But one thing’s for sure: under other circumstances, back then™, it was fairly easy to quantify the success of a festival edition once it ended: Tallying attendees, adding up ticket sales – that’s all it really takes, and then everyone knows where the whole thing stands. And how it was qualitatively, that’s something the press knows, besides everyone else who was there in person. That’s more or less what »normal« used to be.

But that’s not how it is in 2020, because the end of this year’s edition actually marks its beginning. The Show trifecta, which we presented over the course of the 26th to the 28th of August, was conceived primarily as a springboard, intended to offer just a taste of the various acts and their visions as well as to arouse curiosity about the talks taking place as part of Pop-Kultur 2020. From here on out, the three dozen audio-visual works are permanently available in our mediatheque, and we’re happy every time someone checks them out or leaves feedback on our YouTube channel. In the end, we’re not just interested in how Pop-Kultur 2020 will grow and flourish as a permanent online festival in terms of statistics, but also whether it’s been a convincing venture in light of the new abnormal. So, what did you think?

Just as we’re eagerly awaiting your answers to this question, we can settle a few others: Pop-Kultur will take place next year as well, from the 25th to the 27th of August. How exactly? Well, that depends on what the new normal will be then, but we can promise that we’re not losing any momentum in getting started with the 2021 edition. We’re already putting our heads together – with proper distance, of course.