Theater Plauen-Zwickau Faces Potential Bankruptcy, City Councils Divided on Savings Plan
Plauen & Zwickau, germany – The Theaterโค Plauen-Zwickau โis grappling with a severe financial crisis, facing projected deficits of โฌ1.5 million for 2024, a further โฌ1.6 million in 2025, and โฌ1.2 million in 2026. While current financial reserves and emergency aid from the Free State of saxony,and also the cities of Plauen and Zwickau,can temporarily offset these losses,a long-termโ solution remains elusive,raising the specter of potential bankruptcy.
The financial strain stems from rising personnel, energy, and material costs,โ a situation city officials โacknowledge โwas foreseeable. To address โthe crisis,both Plauen and Zwickau commissioned a savings plan from the Munich-based cultural consulting firm “Actori,” aiming to โขidentify โคpotential cuts while maintaining currentโข funding levels.
However, the path forward is proving contentious. The Zwickau city council rejected the austerity package in October,โค opting โto allow the theater management to independently determine savings measures -โ a decision welcomed by Theater Managing Director Sandra Kaiser. โฃThe Plauen city council, though, โ did โฃ approve a resolution based on โthe Actori plan, which โproposes cutting 21 jobs, implementing an in-house collective bargaining agreement forโ staff, and generating revenue by renting out theater buildings during off-peakโข times.
“We now need to discuss how the two resolutions in Plauen and โฃZwickau will be implemented,” Kaiser stated to MDR KULTUR. “Both cities must now negotiate a solution.” She โฃdescribed the proposed job cuts as “severe,” noting theyโ wouldโ impact employeesโข already working overtime. “I don’t know how that can work,” she added, expressing concern about the theater’s future offerings. “It certainlyโ won’t be affordable on that scale.”
Theater director Dirk Lรถschner echoed these concerns, explaining to MDR KULTUR that in-house collective bargaining agreements are typically temporary fixes. He alsoโ indicated that the 21 job cuts outlined in the Plauen resolution could be just the beginning, potentially โrisingโ to “45 to 55 jobs” inโฃ the future.
The diverging approaches of the two city โcouncils highlight theโข challenges facing the Theater Plauen-Zwickau as it navigates a precarious financial situation. the future of the regional theater, a importantโฃ cultural institution for both Plauen and zwickau, hinges on a unified solution and challenging decisions regarding its operational structure and workforce.