Lucerne Requests 1.84 Million Franc Credit for Kleintheater Venue

The municipal government of Lucerne has requested a special credit of 1.84 million Swiss francs from the city parliament to support the interior construction of the Kleintheater Luzern in a replacement building. The grant forms part of an eight million Swiss franc total funding requirement needed to secure the future of the venue, which faced potential closure in early 2024.

The dispute over the location arose when the owner of the property, the Lucerne Pension Fund (LUPK), announced plans to demolish the structure built in the 1960s. LUPK Board President Urban Sager stated that the fund's mandate was to secure pensions for public employees, such as teachers and police officers, rendering commercial leasing options financially preferable to maintaining moderate rents for the cultural institution founded by cabaret artist Emil Steinberger in 1967.

Under the newly negotiated lease agreement, the stage will receive space in the planned replacement structure starting in 2033. Theater director Janine Bürkli expects rental costs to triple compared to current rates. To maintain the project, the pension fund requires financial guarantees in advance, including one million francs by the summer of 2027 and a further four million francs in 2028.

Despite the projected cost increases, venue management intends to maintain its existing funding model, which draws equally from ticket sales, public subsidies, and private contributions. Theater director Bürkli stated that the venue aims to avoid ticket price hikes and will retain its standard programming mix of cabaret, live music, literary readings, and family performances.

In its submission to lawmakers, the executive body wrote that with this step, the city of Lucerne fulfills its cultural policy responsibility and creates an essential condition for further project planning. The Lucerne city parliament is scheduled to debate the 1.84 million franc credit proposal in mid-December, while the theater seeks to raise the remaining required capital through private foundations.

Written by Thorben Thiede thorben.thiede@alpineweekly.com