Michael M. Thoss, new head of the Allianz Cultural Foundation
Allianz Cultural Foundation , Munich, 7th October, 2004
On 11th October, 2004, four years after the establishment and successful development of the Allianz Cultural Foundation, Michael M. Thoss, an graduate in cultural sciences and former director of the Forum Goethe Institute in Munich takes over the running of the foundation.
Since it was set up in summer 2000 the Allianz Cultural Foundation has already provided financial support amounting to approximately 5.7 million euros for around 300 projects throughout Europe. The foundation sees the promotion of culture and education as a means of promoting European integration especially with regard to young people in Europe.
The foundation's programme which was endowed with a capital of around 51 million euros includes:
- the "Allianz Summer Academy" with European student groups working on a European manifesto
- international seminars for young conductors and composers
- the two big European exhibitions "berlin biennale" and "Manifesta"
- a youth social project with the OSCE in the countries of former Yugoslavia and
- der Wiederaufbau der Anna Amalia Bibliothek in Weimar, mit 1,4 Millionen the rebuilding of the Anna Amalia Library in Weimar, with a donation of 1.4 million euros which is financially the biggest commitment made by the young foundation (more about the projects: http://www.allianz-kulturstiftung.de)
Michael Thoss also wants the Foundation to continue to hold the banner for this differentiated and interdisciplinary range of projects in Europe and link the arts, education and sciences closer together in dialogue by evolving key topics and periodically focusing on central themes. "Contemporary arts are a unique seismograph for the transformation processes which we are now experiencing throughout Europe. We should integrate them more strongly in our debates within the society and not just put them aside in the realm of event and festival culture."
The Foundation's alumni model shows that it is worth investing in the youth of Europe, putting trust in them and giving them room to develop their ideas: "Numerous young artists, creative artists and scientists, who have maintained contact with the foundation following their participation in previous projects, are now advancing into more responsible posts.Through their commitments they will remain faithful to the spirit promoted by the Allianz Cultural Foundation by building bridges for the youth and peoples of Europe", explains Henning Schulte-Noelle, Chairman of the Board of the Allianz Cultural Foundation and the Supervisory Board of the Allianz AG.
On 1st October, 2004 Thoss' predecessor, Ludger Hünnekens, was appointed rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart.
Career:
Michael M. Thoss, who was born in 1955 in Reichenbach/Vogtland, studied cultural sciences in Bonn, Barcelona, Paris and graduated with a master's degree and diplomas in literature and theatre studies at the Sorbonne as well as passing the state examination in Romance language and literature, Hispanic studies and philosophy at the Friedrich-Wilhelms University in Bonn. Up until September 2004 he was director of the Forum Goethe Institute which brings outstanding projects to Germany which are organised by the Goethe Institute and its partners worldwide.
Prior to that Michael Thoss was responsible for the sectors fine arts, film and new media at the Berlin House of World Cultures. During this time he organised numerous international exhibitions and film retrospectives as well as the MEXartes Festival, in which more than a hundred artists, writers, musicians and actors from Mexico took part. Between 1992 and 1998 he was responsible for the cultural progamme at the Goethe Institutes in France. In the 1980s he worked as a radio journalist, translator and university tutor at the Sorbonne.
On 1st September 2004 the photo exhibition of which he was the curator 'Black gods in exile' was opened in Berlin by Christina Weiß, the German Minister of State for Culture and Gilberto Gil, the Brazilian Minister for Culture.
