Clubs struggle with rising costs and new conflicts

The club scene in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia is facing a number of problems. "At the moment, everyone is thinking three times about opening a club," said Nadia Schmidt from the City of Halle's Department of Culture. She is co-organizer of the Central German Conference for Night Culture, which is taking place today and Friday in Jena.

A major issue at the moment is the displacement of people from city centers. There are more and more conflicts with local residents. "We've seen this come to a head since coronavirus." In a number of cities, night commissioners or so-called night mayors have been installed in recent years to help tackle the issue. There are such contact points in Erfurt, Jena, Leipzig and Halle, among others.

Different going-out behavior since corona

In general, going-out behavior has changed fundamentally since the pandemic, said Schmidt. "We have a generation that we have to pick up again that wasn't used to going to clubs." However, audiences are slowly returning and things are also picking up financially after the tough pandemic years, she added.

She sees clubs and concert venues as a melting pot of society. "The problem is that everything has become more expensive." The costs of running clubs have become more expensive, which is ultimately reflected in the admission and drinks prices. Club visits used to cost less in comparison.

Small initiatives revitalize the scene

In general, nightlife culture has always been tough and forced to adapt to new conditions, Schmidt continued. Currently, hardly any larger clubs are opening. Instead, there are many new small initiatives and collectives.

There are also always small projects in rural areas. "There really are people who are incredibly committed." And yet there is always hostility, especially in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. "For a club culture that also values diversity, it is a challenge when there is a shift to the right," said Schmidt.