Strengthened neighborhood, shared musical experience: Under the motto "A street goes to a concert", the Alte Oper and the Polytechnische Gesellschaft Foundation have launched a new community project. They are looking for committed residents of a street in Frankfurt who want to join forces to bring music and concerts to their neighborhood, but also to get to know the Alte Oper and its programme by attending concerts together.
Participants benefit from the expertise and support of the Alte Oper and the Polytechnische Gesellschaft Foundation to realize their own ideas on site in their street.
Music at home and in the concert hall
The community project takes place in two locations - in the Alte Oper and in the participating street. Citizens of a neighborhood are supported in the project to bring music to their homes, their front gardens or backyards, to their squares. Possible options include concerts by professional musicians arranged through the Alte Oper, relaxed backyard or street music, house concerts from the neighborhood, possibly also in line with the Alte Oper's "Pegasus" music education program, children's or family concerts and perhaps also a party at the end of the project. Conversely, the Alte Oper invites the participants to visit several times - to attend selected concerts and to take an exclusive tour of the house.
Wanted: a street, application deadline: 1. May
From now until Wednesday, May 1, groups can apply to take part by presenting themselves and their street community. A jury consisting of representatives from the Alte Oper, the Polytechnische Gesellschaft Foundation and the City of Frankfurt will select a street community from the applications received. The project is free of charge for participants and will take place between fall 2024 and early summer 2025.
Further information and the application form can be found at alteoper.de/strasse.
Open to ideas
Ina Hartwig, Head of Cultural Affairs, welcomes the initiative: "The fact that the Alte Oper has an impact beyond its actual location in the city has long been demonstrated by projects such as the children's concerts 'Rabauken on tour' in the city's districts or the 'Auswärtsspiele' at unusual venues. What is new and exciting is the neighborhood concept associated with the 'Eine Straße geht ins Konzert' project. The project stands for social commitment and cultural education, but not least for beautiful and intense communal experiences that strengthen the cohesion of the people on a street."
Artistic Director and Managing Director Markus Fein is also excited about the commitment of the participants and emphasizes: "This project depends on the ideas and energy of the community. Together with the Polytechnische Gesellschaft Foundation, we at the Alte Oper are bearing the project costs, for example for fees for the musicians performing in the street and for attending concerts here. And of course we are happy to introduce the participants to our world. But first and foremost, the project lives from what the community contributes. And for the participants, this means not only developing ideas on how to bring music to the streets, but also helping out in a very tangible and concrete way when it comes to implementation."
Frank Dievernich, Chairman of the Executive Board of Stiftung Polytechnische Gesellschaft, adds: "As a charitable foundation, we have been committed to social interaction in Frankfurt for almost twenty years. And where is this lived out more than in your own neighborhood, on your own doorstep? The new community project 'Eine Straße geht ins Konzert' promotes cultural participation and strengthens neighborhood cohesion - in line with our foundation motto 'Wir bauen am Wir'. It creates moments in which personal relationships are formed and community can be experienced. That's why we are happy to be involved and look forward to receiving creative applications from all Frankfurt districts."
