Six years after the city council’s decision: the start of construction on the ‘House of Festivals’ is now within reach

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It is a never-ending saga that has now been occupying the city administration and the city council for a full twelve years. Back then, the Schauspiel Leipzig theatre wanted to get rid of its venue, the ‘Skala’, on Gottschedstraße. The city wanted to sell the building. And the Cinémathèque Leipzig spoke up, as it had long been searching for a building to house an attractive arthouse cinema in Leipzig. The city council put the brakes on the administration’s eagerness to sell. But then things got really tough. Now, at last, the renovation of the building is within reach, the Department of Culture has announced.

The renovation and modernisation of the building at Gottschedstraße 16 and its conversion into the ‘Haus der Festivals’ are finally taking shape, the Department of Culture reports. Once the planning permission stage is complete, detailed design work is set to begin this autumn. Construction work on the building’s conversion is scheduled to start in 2027. This is according to the Mayor’s advisory report. The City Council still has to approve the construction and funding resolution.

The ‘Haus der Festivals’

The Department of Culture explains that the ‘Haus der Festivals’ will involve a fundamental redevelopment of the centrally located and well-established cultural venue at Gottschedstraße 16. As part of this, several of the city’s flagship cultural festivals are to be provided with new premises featuring modern offices and conference rooms. The event hall will undergo extensive modernisation with a view to making it multifunctional. Jazzclub Leipzig e. V., as the main tenant, is to develop it into its new, year-round venue.

In addition, the ‘Haus der Festivals’ is set to become a base for Leipziger DOK-Filmwochen GmbH, LeipJazzig e. V., euro-scene Leipzig, the Schumann-Verein e. V. and Leipziger Literarischer Herbst GbR, as well as key players from the independent arts scene and the creative industries, and will use the event hall for their events, such as film screenings, dance and theatre performances, readings and conferences.

“Especially in times of tight budgets, it makes sense to join forces. All the more so when the federal government and the Free State of Saxony support us with substantial funding. The ‘Haus der Festivals’ strengthens Leipzig’s cultural landscape through shared infrastructure, the development of interdisciplinary networking and cooperation structures, and a vibrant and innovative venue for music and festivals. Cultural diversity is a key factor in Leipzig’s appeal as a location. Festivals, music and international exchanges contribute significantly to Leipzig’s global appeal,” says Dr Skadi Jennicke, Councillor for Culture.

“The planned project builds on the building’s long cultural tradition and, moreover, creates a new home for Leipzig’s cultural life and its diverse offerings. In doing so, we are also setting an example for sustainable cultural infrastructure. Our thanks go to all the political stakeholders who have made this project possible,” adds the acting Head of the Cultural Affairs Office, Tobias Kobe.

Construction costs currently stand at around 17.33 million euros. The Free State of Saxony is contributing 6.95 million euros and the federal government 4.95 million euros. The relevant funding approvals have been received from both funding bodies. The City of Leipzig is seeking further funding to cover the remaining contribution of approximately 5.43 million euros.

Gottschedstraße 16

The property has not yet undergone comprehensive refurbishment and repair. Although the attic was converted in 1957 and the event hall was brought up to fire safety standards in the 1980s, extensive renovation and modernisation work is required to bring the listed building up to current standards. In addition to offices and the hall, this includes accessibility improvements, as well as fire safety and soundproofing measures. A competition for ‘art in architecture’ is also planned.

The listed building at Gottschedstraße 16 was built in 1882 as part of the ‘Gründerzeit’-style perimeter block development in the so-called ‘Innere Westvorstadt’ and was known as the ‘Kammerspiele’. The ground floor of the multi-storey residential building originally housed a restaurant, whilst an adjoining auditorium with a stage was located in a side wing. From 1949 onwards, the hall was used as a venue for what later became the Schauspielhaus, which was subsequently renamed ‘Neue Szene’ and ‘Skala’.

Following the city council resolution ‘Development of the property at Gottschedstraße 16 into the “Haus der Festivals”’ of 17 June 2020, it was decided that the property would remain in the ownership of the City of Leipzig, be used for cultural purposes on a permanent basis, and undergo extensive renovation for this purpose.