FREIRÄUME

A multimedia lecture-concert on the theme of emigration and the brain drain

Open spaces are created where something that was there is no longer present. The town of Zeitz, a site of historic significance in southern Saxony-Anhalt which has lost almost half its population in the last 30 years, is an example with parallels in other regions – especially central Germany – of the accelerating migration of creative professionals and artists away from these areas. This is called brain drain. It is a phenomenon that cancels out all the investments made in educating the population. The Weimar ensemble MIET+ wishes to make a stand, draw attention to this issue, ask ques- tions and draw a line under it by looking for art-related solutions. What hidden potential lies in forgotten towns and regions, and how can we rediscover this and use it creatively to shape the future? What are the causes of emigration and what is required to promote immigration? How can those who have stayed and those who have moved in come together? What does a “homeland” and the fear of losing it mean in this context?

MIET + is a free and self-determined experimental ensemble for new music founded in Weimar. Remotely extravagant, grotesquely curious and boasting a quirky line-up of outstanding musicians from various branches of the Thuringian art scene, MIET + wants to share, enrich, develop and investigate the modern music scene on a large scale. Their musical events integrate media applications that enable listeners to be addressed and challenged on multiple sensory levels simultaneously. These include video recordings, graphics-led music-making, live electronics and the playing and integration of visual content.