As an artist or artistic director, you are aware of the importance of creativity and know-how. In order to allow you to realise your artistic work in the best possible way, I propose tailor-made solutions for all management aspects of your project.

My consultancy is based on a broad knowledge in management and finances, many years of practical experience in the international arts sector and a profound understanding of production processes of artistic projects. Through my experience as managing director of several international festivals, I have a large European network and knowledge of national and international funding structures and grant-regulations.

I am pleased to offer this experience and knowledge to facilitate exciting artistic projects.

News

Great news: the 2nd edition of the project Dance On, Pass On, Dream On has been selected for funding by the EU in the frame of Creative Europe as a larger scale cooperation project. I have supported the project leader Diehl+Ritter in the preparation of the budget and the conception of the project.

The new edition of the project will start in September. As for the first edition, I will be in charge of the financial management of the project.

Since January, I work, together with Bettina Wagner-Bergelt as artistic director, as managing director of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

The organisation just passed a difficult period: The contract with the artistic director was ended last June after just one year, and the managing director also quit his function some weeks ago. Therefore, our first aim is to make the organisation workable again and finish the programming of the next seasons.

Since the passing away of Pina Bausch in 2009, we are the fifth direction of the organisation. We will therefore also try to help the organisation to find a long term structural solution for the artistic and managing directors.



Currently, you can visit the first edition of the Ruhrtriennale under the direction of Stefanie Carp (more information here). Since May, I am supporting Stefanie and her team in the development of the projects of 2019 and 2020. An exciting and interesting job!

Last May, I gave two seminars for producers in the performing art: One at Kampnagel in the frame of the academy for producers of the German production houses about financial management, and one in Brussels in the frame of kunstenfestivaldesarts about Strategies for an international production (the presentation can be found here). I had fun!

In the last weeks, I was much interested in the theme of alternative ways of management. Please find here an introduction (only in German). Feel free to share and comment.

This week, I will start a training of 18 months of Systemic Organizational Consultancy at Artop – Institut of the Humboldt-Universität Berlin. My aim is to add to my practical experience of administrator of cultural organisations some scientific foundation, tools and instruments of the systemic consultancy. I am extremely looking forward to this new experience.

Last year, I developed together with my partner Thomas Kulke and the company Mobidev a software to facilitate the financial management of cooperation projects in the frame of Creative Europe. In the meantime, the software has been introduced at four larger scale cooperation projects started in 2017. That means that more than 100 cultural organisations all over Europe currently work with the tool to ensure a high quality financial management of their Creative Europe project. More information about the software can be found here.

Quesion of the founders of tak THEATER AUFBAU KREUZBERG: “How can we instaure a structure that allows bringing in our different languages, our different talents, and in the same time allows managing a complex theatre?” My attempt of an answer for the opening:

Die Künstlerinnen und Künstler, die das neue TAK gründen, werden nicht nur interkulturelle und transnationale Theaterarbeit zeigen. Sie möchten auch, ich zitiere, „ein kollektives, von mehreren Gruppen gleichberechtigt getragenes Leitungsmodell für ein (Freies) Theaterhaus konzipieren.“

Eine solche Ansage lässt in der deutschen Theaterlandschaft immer noch aufhorchen, so sehr ist das klassische Intendantenmodell im Stadttheater, aber auch in den Häusern der freien Szene verankert. Wieso möchte das TAK dazu eine Alternative aufzeigen? Und wie könnte eine solche Alternative aussehen? Dazu möchte ich Ihnen, als fünfter und ich verspreche Ihnen, letzter Redner heute Abend einige Antwortversuche geben.

Wenn vier Künstlergruppen gemeinsam ein Theater leiten möchten, dann ist es zunächst mal naheliegend, dass sie NICHT auf das Modell EINES EINZELNEN künstlerischen Leiters zurückgreifen.

Doch die Frage, die mir die Gründerinnen und Gründer des TAK vor einigen Monaten bei unserem ersten Gespräch gestellt haben, ging weiter: Wie können wir ein Leitungsmodell entwickeln, das einerseits unsere verschiedenen Stimmen, unsere verschiedenen Ausdrucksformen, unsere unterschiedlichen Talente berücksichtigt, gleichzeitig aber die komplexe Theaterarbeit ermöglicht?

Mit dieser Frage stehen die Gründer des TAK nicht alleine. In den letzten dreißig Jahren haben zahlreiche Firmen auf der ganzen Welt neue Formen der Leitung von Organisationen implementiert. Mich hat das Buch Reinventing Organisations von Frederic Laloux zu diesem Thema nachhaltig beeindruckt. So unterschiedlich die in diesem Buch vorgestellten Führungsmodelle auch sind, sie können alle in einem Schlagwort zusammengefasst werden: es sind kollegial geführte Unternehmen.

Ausgangspunkt ist dabei folgende Überlegung: Ein System kann mit einer komplexen und dynamischen Umgebung umso besser umgehen, je mehr eigene innere Komplexität es nutzen kann. Und innere Komplexität entsteht durch Vernetzung. Es geht um erhöhte Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit im Umgang mit unerwarteten Situationen. Es geht um erhöhte Anpassungsgeschwindigkeit von Strukturen und Prozessen. Es geht darum, spontane Kooperation zu erlauben statt Probleme zu verwalten. Es geht um die Nutzung aller kreativer Ressourcen einer Organisation.

Anstelle von zentralisierter Führung durch einige exklusive Führungskräfte ist die kollegiale Führung die auf viele Kollegen und Kolleginnen dynamisch und dezentral verteilte Führungsarbeit. Ziel ist demnach nicht die Abwesenheit von Hierarchien (die gibt es auch in kollegialen Unternehmen), und auch nicht die Basisdemokratie oder die kollektive Leitung. Sondern, die Führungsarbeit auf möglichst alle Mitarbeiter zu verteilen und die Verantwortung für Entscheidungen dort anzusiedeln, wo die Arbeit effektiv anfällt – nicht Alle entscheiden alles, sondern jeder Mitarbeiter entscheidet in seinem / ihren Arbeitsbereich. Eine Konsequenz davon, und das ist vielleicht der größte Kulturwechsel, ist die Abkehr an den Glauben des einen heroischen Leiters der Organisation, der letztendlich alle Entscheidungen trifft.

Wir haben in den letzten Wochen begonnen, für das TAK eine solche kollegiale Führung auszuarbeiten. Wir haben Verantwortungskreise und Rollen definiert und festgehalten, wo welche Entscheidungen wie getroffen werden. Wie die gesamte künstlerische Arbeit ist auch dieser organisatorische / strukturelle Aspekt des Theaters under construction. Und es wird sich herausstellen müssen, ob die kollegiale Führung des TAK Modellcharakter für andere Kulturorganisationen haben kann.

Zum Abschluss noch eine persönliche Anmerkung: Der oben erwähnte Frederic Laloux spricht bei kollegialer Führung auch von „sinnstiftenden Formen der Zusammenarbeit“. Und er stellt fest, dass die von ihm untersuchten Unternehmen nie über Konkurrenz sprechen. Seine Erklärung ist verblüffend einfach: „Wenn eine Organisation wirklich für ihren Sinn lebt, dann gibt es keine Konkurrenz. Jeder, der dabei helfen kann, diesen Sinn zu verwirklichen, ist ein Verbündeter.“ Auch hier könnte das TAK in der Berliner Kulturlandschaft eine Vorreiterrolle spielen.

We are ready: Our software for the financial management of cooperation projects in the frame of Creative Europe is ready for use. Have a look at our video below to see what it does or go directly to c-e-r-s.eu

Video

In May, Chris Dercon and Marietta Piekenbrock will present the program of the first season of the new Volksbühne. I worked as an advisor for financial questions for the preparation team and could follow the debates about what is probably the most controversial change in the last years in German theatre from a privileged position. I am curious to see soon the artistic results!

Expertise

As regards the financing of cultural projects, my consultancy is focussed on grant-applications to the European Union and international foundations. It includes conceiving projects, writing applications, researching international cooperation partners as well as the administrative and financial follow-up of awarded projects.

The focus of my consultancy for directors of cultural organisations is set on developing, improving and implementing management instruments and on supporting in case of reorientation and change of directorship: Developing mid- and long-term strategies, implementing financial and controlling instruments, improving working structures and procedures, personnel management and leadership abilities. Consultancy can be offered either on a short-term basis or for a longer period, i.e. as interim-manager within the organisation.

The focus of my consultancy for developing new projects is set on cohesion between artistic content, organisation and management. I advise you in defining the project aims, developing and implementing working structures and procedures, on budgeting and identifying sources of funding, as well as on the recruitment and training of collaborators and all other managing aspects of your project – either on a short-term basis or for the entire duration of the project.

Examples

During my work as managing director of kunstenfestivaldesarts, I initiated the project nxtstp that received a five-year grant from the Culture-2007-programme of the European Union. The project consists of a network of European festivals for the co-production and presentation of new artistic works from a new generation of artists. Members of the network are steirischerherbst from Austria, Alkantara from Lisbon, Helsinki Festival, RotterdamseSchouwburg, Baltoscandal and the Théâtre National from Bordeaux.

I developed the concept of the project, wrote and submitted the application and coordinated the implementation of the project during the first three years. In the meantime, nxtstp was awarded for a new period of five years by the European Union.

Dampfzentrale Bern presents contemporary music, dance and theatre performances from Swiss and international artists. The venue is also an active co-producer of new artistic works and organiser of the annual festival Tanz in Bern.

In the frame of a new directorship I advised the new director on different aspects of the management of the house, including financial management, working structures, personnel management and definition of strategic guidelines. I also implemented a controlling system and several working tools for the team-members and advised on the restructuring the administration of the organisation.

One of the most important stage directors from South Africa, Brett Bailey, realised a new interpretation of Verdi’s opera Macbeth. Set in Central Africa within the context of roving rebel armies, foreign mercenaries, horrific brutality and the plundering of natural resources by multinationals, this work is an anarchic deconstruction of the original opera.

I prepared an application for the strand 3rd countries of the European Union for the production and the presentation of this new work. The EU selected this project together with seven others. The application was submitted by the festival Theaterformen in Hanover/Germany; co-organisers of the project are Wiener Festwochen in Vienna/Austria, KVS in Brussels/Belgium, Barbican in London/UK and Ferme du Buisson associated with Festival d’Automne in Paris/France. The piece was premiered in May 2014 and is presented worldwide since then.

The European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) is an active network bringing together many of the major concert halls in Europe in order to promote professional exchange, shared reflection and the initiation of joint initiatives.The network is co-financed by the European Union.

I developed and implemented for ECHO a tailor-made financial reporting system which allows the different partners of the EU-project an accurate and easy registration of their expenditures and a real-time comparison between the budget and the actual costs. Also, the system simplifies the financial reporting of the project coordinator to the European Union.

The city of Guangju in the south-western part of South Korea has developed one of the most important cultural projects in Asia, including the Asian Arts Theatre as a contemporary presentation and production house. The theatre opened its doors in September 2015.

Together with Frie Leysen, Max-Philip Aschenbrenner and Kim Seong-Hee, I developed a masterplan for the performing arts programme as part of the cultural centre. The plan included strategic guidelines, suggestions on positioning the theatre in a national and international context, a detailed budget for the initial years and a time schedule. Also, I advised the director of AAT and her team in management questions until the opening of the theatre.

Together with two database-specialists, I developed a project-management application for the Berlin theatre HAU – Hebbel am Ufer. Since beginning of 2015, the application supports the team of HAU in the preparation and realisation of all projects. The application is based on FileMaker 13 and covers all aspects of cultural projects: Information management, budgeting and scheduling.

We are currently developing the application for other cultural institutions.

I accompanied Bettina Masuch and the team of tanzhaus nrw as an external adviser for several months. We prepared a report on the current state and the future evolution of the house and operated some changes in the structure of the organisation and the working process.

Together with Madeline Ritter, I conceived and formulated the successful application Dance On, Pass On, Dream On as a larger scale cooperation project in the frame of the Creative Europe program. Today and until the end of the project in 2018, I am in charge of the financial management of the project and contact for all financial questions for the partners of the project.

Since August 2017, Chris Dercon is the new director of Volksbühne Berlin. I advised the preparation team during the last two years in human resources planning, financing, strategic planning.

Together with Thomas Kulke and mobidev, I developed a software for the financial management of cooperation projects in the frame of Creative Europe. The software facilitates the collection of expenditures from the partners, gives real-time financial overviews and produces with a single click the report for the EU. More information about this project can be found here.

Testimonials

„I strongly recommend Roger Christmann for supervision, monitoring and advice in arts management. The entire conception and implementation of the festival Theater der Welt 2010 has been realised on the highest level of professionalism. Based on his financial and organisational knowledge and his understanding of the artistic needs of the project, Roger Christmann proved himself to be the perfect mediator between the economic and the artistic worlds.“

„Roger Christmann has assumed the responsibility of managing director of Theater der Welt 2010 with both economic knowledge and artistic understanding, combined with diplomatic skills. The cooperation with Mr. Christmann in the Board of Directors was excellent. I strongly recommend Roger Christmann as an outstanding arts manager.“

„Roger Christmann is the perfect companion for artistic directors, houses and projects. With a big heart for the arts, the artists and their works. And at the same time with a permanent overview of the financial situation and a rigorous financial planning. Moreover, he is a perfect organizer, and a wonderful creator of administrative tools that make budgets and accounts transparent and workable for the whole team. I had the pleasure to work with him at kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels and at Theater der Welt in Essen and Mülheim. And I miss him now every day.”„Roger Christmann is the perfect companion for artistic directors, houses and projects. With a big heart for the arts, the artists and their works.And at the same time with a permanent overview of the financial situation and a rigorous fiscal planning. Moreover, he is a perfect organiser, and a wonderful creator of administrative tools that make budgets and accounts transparent and workable for the whole team. I had the pleasure to work with him at kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels and at Theater der Welt in Essen and Mülheim. And I miss him now every day.”

“Roger Christmann was an incredibly valuable support in the financial management of our EU funded project. Roger prepared an activity-based financial overview and developed tools to facilitate the financial reporting of all partners. These tools allowed us to have a clear, reliable and real-time overview of the financial situation of what was a largescale and complex project. Roger’s broad sector experience, efficiency and proactive character make him a real pleasure to work with.”“Roger Christmann was an incredibly valuable support in the financial management of our EU funded project. Roger prepared an activity-based financial overview and developed tools to facilitate the financial reporting of all partners. These tools allowed us to have a clear, reliable and real-time overview of the financial situation of what was a largescale and complex project. Roger’s broad sector experience, efficiency and proactive character make him a real pleasure to work with.”

“The support of Roger in the preparation of the opening of the AAT was extremely valuable for me and my collaborators. His in-depth know-how stretching from structure building, financial management, processes of contracting and even marketing and communication were most helpful, especially for a newly established organization like AAT.  Also, his input was not limited to practical advises but also psychological support that meant a lot to me and my team. It was a very enjoyable and fruitful working relationship with Roger.”“The support of Roger in the preparation of the opening of the AAT was extremely valuable for me and my collaborators. His in-depth know-how stretching from structure building, financial management, processes of contracting and even marketing and communication were most helpful, especially for a newly established organization like AAT.  Also, his input was not limited to practical advises but also psychological support that meant a lot to me and my team. It was a very enjoyable and fruitful working relationship with Roger.”

Biography

Roger Business

1993: Masters in Finance and Economics at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales in Liège
1993–1998: Credit analyst and coordinator of a credit unit at Générale de Banque (today BNP Paribas)
1998–2001: Collaborator for Brussels, European Cultural Capital 2000, first as assistant to the General Manager, later as coordinator of finances, administration and HR
2001–2008: Administrator of kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels, development and implementation of NXTSTP as part of the EU Culture Programme
2008–2010: Managing director of the German festival Theater der Welt 2010 in Mülheim an der Ruhr and Essen.
2011: Managing director of Radialsystem V in Berlin.
Since 2012: Independent Consultant

Contact

Senefelderstraße 28
10437 Berlin

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T +49 (0) 30 86 457 962

M +49 (0) 176 44 520 693

mail@rogerchristmann.eu