Patrons: Detlef Diedrich, Karin Gundlach, Gabriele Heenemann, Lutz Peters, Peter Schüler, André Stoye, Elke Stoye
Commission: Across Europe, coastal fishing is in crisis, heading towards extinction. As fishermen lose their livelihoods or their profession changes, memories fade, and valuable knowledge is lost. That is why we, the New Patrons of Ummanz, want to commission a production that, with confidence and humor, acknowledges the achievements of coastal fishermen and their families—making them accessible to everyone. After all, the fish may be silent, but the fisherman is not!
Mediator: Susanne Burmester
Period: 2025 ongoing
Partner: Kulturstiftung des Bundes
Program: Citizen-Commissioned Dance and Performance
The island of Ummanz, west of Rügen, was a center of local coastal fishing for centuries. But now, like in many other places across Europe, this tradition is on the verge of disappearing. Industrial large-scale fishing, agriculture, and climate change are disrupting the ecological balance, catch quotas are declining, and the economic foundation of many independent fishermen is crumbling.
The traditional craft of small-scale coastal fishing, with its sustainable fishing methods, barely provides a livelihood for fishermen and their families anymore. Yet coastal fishing is more than just an economic sector—it is a centuries-old cultural heritage that has profoundly shaped the island and its people—their language, daily life, and traditions.
The New Patrons of Ummanz want to bring coastal fishing into focus—with an artistic production that makes its history, knowledge, and transformation tangible.
Coastal fishermen share a deep understanding of ecological interconnections and natural cycles, as well as craftsmanship and entrepreneurial intuition. As fishing declines, the knowledge passed down through generations is at risk of disappearing. A striking symbol of the end of an era stands where the harbor once was—now an apartment building—and two decommissioned fishing boats are being turned into museum ships, relics of a fading tradition.
Through an artwork, the coastal fishermen and their families will be honored for their contributions, making their significance visible and accessible to all.
The patrons ask: How does a region change when coastal fishing disappears? How can we preserve its intangible heritage, which stories need to be told, and which images should be kept? How can sustainable ways of working be maintained and further developed? And what new perspectives emerge for our future? They seek an artistic response to these questions—one that endures. For the dance or performance piece they are commissioning, it is important to them that it can be performed repeatedly.
The artistic work should engage long-time residents, newcomers, and visitors alike, while also speaking to future generations. It should incorporate humor and optimism. In the next step, together with mediator Susanne Burmester, they will seek the right artistic personality for the project.
