<nettime> Lease Termination Notice to Public Netbase... the Austrian Way

[Marie Ringler <marie@t0.or.at>]

<sorry for cross-posting, please spread the word>

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Below you will find our comments on the termination of the Public Netbase
lease in Vienna's Museumsquartier.

We would like to thank you for your many declarations of solidarity and
support, and we ask you to continue showing your encouragement.  We cannot
accept - and still do not believe - that the new government and its policies
can dictate that contemporary innovative art practice should be banished
from the Viennese Museumsquartier, the self-described "Emerging Central
Venue for Contemporary Art and Culture".

We do believe that - especially now under the current political situation,
more than ever - free and independent media, art and its infrastructures are
extrememly important.  
Therefore, we will maintain our function as an internet access provider as
well as our work in the Museumsquartier, from where we serve as a platform
that interweeves art, technology, science and politics, as long as possible.

That is why your support is so very important - both symbolically as well as
literally. To support our cause we ask you to send an email or letter/fax to
the addresses I have included below. Nice letterheads and elegant wording
do impress these people (some of which are our supporters, others who are
not) and it certainly helps to show the international support to have Netbase
stay in the museumsquartier and possibly get more space to offer even better
services to the public.

For the Public Netbase Team,


Marie Ringler



_____PRESS RELEASE April 11, 2000_____

Lease Termination Notice Served to Public Netbase in the Museumsquartier.


Public Netbase has been notified that the lease for its premesis in the
Museumsquartier will be terminated. This action threatens to bring an end to
the internationally successful achievements of one of Europe's most
respected media-culture institutions.

That is because, in Austria, the clock ticks with a different beat.  In
Europe, development and expertise in the field of new media receives a broad
base of support.  But here in Austria, Public Netbase - a successful model of
expertise, skill and mediation  - is nearly at its end after years of
successful work and achievement;  after serving as a internet service
provider in 1, 200 important art and cultural projects.

The step taken by the Museumsquartier Errichtungs- und Betriebsges.m.b.H (the
organization responsible for building and maintenance of the Museumsquartier)
threatens any further development of an important, innovative cultural center
in Vienna.  Moreover, it confirms all of the fears and criticism that have
been expressed about the Museumsquartier since its own beginning.

Austrian cultural policy and administration obviously has no interest in
creating or securing conditions for free and active cultural activities and
development.  Despite - or perhaps even because of ? - the indisputable
international, and even national, recognition of Public Netbase, the
existence of all organisations like ours is under serious threat.


_____FACTS REGARDING THE NOTIFICATION OF TERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC NETBASE
LEASE_____

Service-Discourse-Mediation in the Museumsquartier.

Since 1994, Public Netbase in the Museumsquartier has developed from a
small, active cultural project into one of Europe's most respected
media-culture institutions.

Embedded in a tight Austrian and European network, Public Netbase focuses on
work that lies on the cutting edge of technology and art. This is shown
through our successful activities, projects and events in the
Museumsquartier as well as throughout Europe - such as the New Media
Projects of the cultural capital Brussels 2000.

HISTORY

Through several years of discussions with the Museumsquartier Errichtungs-
und Betriebsgesm.b.H., Public Netbase was planned as an essential and
integral part of the new Museumsquartier. After extensive negotiations, not
only was the presence of Public Netbase secured, but so was the substantial
expansion and development of new media.

In the summer of 1999, we had to accept with great regret that even though
it already had been financed, our Media-Space in the Museumquartier's Oval
Hall H would be replaced by the presentation of a model of the
Museumsquartier. Our efforts to find a new solution were not successful -
and have so far resulted in material damages totalling 450.000 Euros.

Despite substantial proposals made by Public Netbase to the
Museumsquartier - based on the skill and expertise of Public Netbase - no
productive solution could been be reached so far.

ENDANGERING THE FUTURE

On April 5, 2000, the existence of Public Netbase in the Museumsquartier was
thrown into chaos with the serving of the lease termination notice.  We
learned from the notice that the Prekarium (lease) would be cancelled as of
April 2001.  In addition to this, renovations inside the Museumsquartier
would begin in the summer of 2000 - meaning that Public Netbase work would
be severely disrupted long before our lease ended.

Because the notice of termination does not propose any substitute premesis
for Public Netbase, nor a date for returning to the original one, we must
believe that through the pretext of "necessary renovations", one of the most
successful and valued cultural institutions will lose the base of its
existence.


_____EMAIL ADRESSES and FAX NUMBERS of our political contacts_____

please do send us a cc to office@t0.or.at so we know who received what

Museumsquartier Errichtungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft mbH 
Geschäftsführer Dr. Wolfgang Waldner 
office@museumsquartier.at 
Museumsquartier
Museumsplatz 1
A-1070 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-523 58 86

Bundeskanzleramt .kunst
Staatssekretär Franz Morak
franz.morak@bka.gv.at
Ballhausplatz 1
A-1014 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-53115 2869

Bundesministerin für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur
Elisabeth Gehrer 
elisabeth.gehrer@bmuk.gv.at
Minoritenplatz 5
A-1014 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-533 77 97 

Bürgermeister der Stadt Wien
Dr. Michael Häupl
buergermeister@magwien.gv.at
Rathaus
A-1082 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-4000 99 81115

Stadtrat für Planung und Zukunft Vizebürgermeister Dr. Bernhard Görg
bernhard.goerg@gpz.magwien.gv.at
Rathaus
A-1082 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-4000 99 81400

Stadtrat für Kultur Dr. Peter Marboe
peter.marboe@gku.magwien.gv.at
Friedrich-Schmidt Platz 5
A-1082 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-4000 99 81160

Stadträtin für Finanzen, Wirtschaftspolitik und Wiener Stadtwerke
Mag. Brigitte Ederer
brigitte.ederer@gfw.magwien.gv.at
Rathaus
A-1082 Wien
Fax: ++43-1-4000 99 81200



###
marie ringler
public netbase media~space! 
institute for new culture technologies/t0
museumsquartier
museumsplatz 1
a-1070 vienna, austria
fon: +43 1 522 18 34 
fax: +43 1 522 50 58
mobile: +43 664 424 01 73 
http://www.t0.or.at
marie@t0.or.at
###

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