Interview with Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Spindelegger
By Manfred Keller
Q: NYC is the seat of the United Nations, but it is also the most important financial and cultural center in the USA. What is your personal connection to the city?
MS: Every time I come here I experience New York as a vibrant and dynamic city that attracts young people and inspires many creative ideas. During my first visits, I kept setting out on these long walks through Manhattan. You have to “walk” New York to be able to comprehend the city in all its rich diversity.
Q: Austria likes to view itself as a cultural superpower. Why?
MS: Culture defines Austria’s image in the world. Thanks to our artists and scientists, we are identified with a great cultural tradition. That creates positive attention and opens up international opportunities for Austrian creative artists.
Q: The ACFNY is Austria’s flagship in what may well be the most important cultural metropolis in the world. What does it do for Austria?
MS: New York is still one of the most important showcases in the world. It’s a place where new ideas are created and discussed. So we have to raise our flag there and be present with creative concepts. Our Cultural Forum in Manhattan has also become one of the City’s architectural landmarks. With its courageous and modern design, it supplies it visible proof of the high regard Austria has for innovation and progress.
Q: In the USA, Austria still tends to be viewed as the home of The Sound of Music, Mozart, and waltz heaven. By emphasizing contemporary art, the ACFNY is attempting to go beyond this image, or soften it. Does this make sense?
MS: Our objective shouldn’t be to want to change the traditional images of Austria. Instead, we should take advantage of the notoriety of these Austrian clichés to support innovative new art from Austria. An example is the ars electronic festival, or emerging architects, designers, and fashion artists.
Q: Foreign culture is an important element in Austrian foreign policy. What would you like to concentrate on in this area in the next few years?
MS: Culture and its tremendous potential for the recognition of and response to new challenges should once again become a key European topic. We have to learn to perceive Europe’s incredible cultural diversity as an asset and place more emphasis on the cultural dimension of the European project. Without a doubt, we will be focusing first and foremost on our immediate neighbors in this context: Central Europe, the Danube region, Southeastern Europe. But we should go beyond that territory as well. I’m thinking of the Black Sea region as a region of the future for Europe, but I’m also thinking of expanding in terms of content, for instance by promoting closer cultural cooperation with the USA and China.
Q: In foreign culture, Austria is increasingly appearing together with its European partners. Do you think it is conceivable that in the future there might be cultural institutions that represent the entire EU?
MS: It’s a good idea to enter into more partnerships with other European countries, especially outside of Europe. This is why we are actively involved in EUNIC, the new network of national cultural institutes of the EU member states. This partnership opens up interesting new combination potentials without diluting our unmistakable Austrian cultural flavor. But for the time being I do not see any need for separate EU cultural institutes since there is no explicit EU cultural policy.
Q: Cultural activities abroad cost a lot of money. How will Austria continue to afford its cultural activities in times like these, when funding is becoming increasingly scarce?
MS: Cultural activities abroad are good way to invest in sympathy for Austria and its creative artists. In the current global financial crisis, cultural financing is shrinking nearly everywhere, however. I’m doing everything I can to ensure that even when funding is limited, cultural activities remain one of the core focuses in my department.
Q: Many Austrian artists travel to NYC to make progress in their careers. And more and more international artists are setting in Austria. What makes Austria attractive as a cultural location?
MS: Since the fall of the Iron Curtain twenty years ago, Austria has moved from the fringe of Europe to its center. This is just one of the factors that made us become an attractive and exciting place for creative ideas again; often these ideas are from the East and Southeast. In addition, because of its long history and strong cultural life, Austria offers an attractive environment for artists.
Q: If you had to decide whether to live in Vienna or NYC, which would you chose?
MS: Vienna, even though I wish Vienna had a bit more of the strong optimism and infectious vitality of the Big Apple. Otherwise I feel most comfortable in my hometown, Hinterbrühl.
