When public money benefits far-left collectives

The «Fair lesen» event in German-speaking Switzerland aims to highlight the role of women in the literary world. The symposium, which receives substantial public funding, calls for the introduction of quotas.

The 2019 women’s strike gave rise, among other initiatives, to a literary symposium. Organized by the association Autrices et Auteurs de Suisse (A*dS) and RAUF, a Zurich-based collective of women writers, this initiative is called «Fair lesen,» meaning «reading fairly.» Its goal is to «highlight the importance of diversity among creators and express concern about neoliberal dynamics (consolidation of publishing houses, shorter deadlines, normative requirements, automation, etc.).».

Canceled in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the health crisis, the first edition of this event took place in June 2022 at the Paul Klee Center in Bern. More than 120 authors, organizers, and experts from the media, publishing, and theater sectors took part. The event received funding from various foundations, as well as from the Federal Office of Culture (FOC), the City of Bern, and the Canton of Bern. The budget totaled approximately 70,000 Swiss francs.

The first day of the symposium consisted of an assessment of the current state of the literary world. The next day, participants «developed concrete tools and a list of demands to address the lack of recognition for women’s* literary work,» as stated on the Fair Lesen website. This long list of demands is very clear. In particular, the symposium «demands» quotas of at least 50% for women and LGBTQIA+ individuals on literary committees, commissions, and juries in Switzerland. Another demand is the institutionalization of awareness-raising efforts for everyone in schools and universities regarding power dynamics and abuse of power.

Uncertainty Regarding Public Funding

The next edition, scheduled for June 2024, is set to take place in Basel. Its description online is clear: «Together, we will seek to…” (sic) »to map out the oppressive power dynamics that still shape the literary landscape in Switzerland, in order to shift the status quo, further open up the literary sphere, and make literature a space of freedom.".

In preparation for these exchanges, the organizers issued a call for proposals. The call, which closed on June 30, was a success, says Philine Erni, who serves as project director. «We received many interesting project proposals—far more than we can actually implement,» she explains. Two central questions will be the focus of the symposium: «How do sexism and cisheteronormativity continue to weigh on the Swiss literary scene? Who are the invisible and the unwanted in literature?»

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The budget for the 2024 edition has not yet been fully finalized, and funding applications are currently being processed. The next six months will be devoted to fundraising, as well as to finalizing the event’s program. «We are once again seeking funding at the federal level, but also at the local level, from public authorities and foundations, etc., that are dedicated to networking and the promotion of literature,» explains the director.

However, the symposium will no longer be eligible for funding from the OFC. «The promotion of literature was, in fact, reorganized in 2020,» explains Philine Erni. It should be noted that public support for political initiatives is prohibited in all cases—unless, of course, the state-funded project is in the public interest. It remains to be seen whether cantonal and local government agencies will once again get involved.

Write to the author: max.frei@leregardlibre.com

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