“Tiny Window Concerts”: Place of Cultural Encounters

Even if many artists and those involved in culture suffered greatly under the pandemic, it also sparked the development of new cultural venues and formats, such as the Tiny Window Concerts at the KULTUR KIOSK (culture kiosk). This cultural location was opened in Stuttgart in the midst of the pandemic in August 2020.

The premises had previously been a kiosk and petrol station shop, while today exhibitions, concerts, readings, workshops and talks take place there. Throughout the pandemic, many different formats were hosted at the KULTUR KIOSK, whether live, hybrid or purely digital – there was a lot of experimentation in order to continue to make art and culture visible and to enter into dialogue with others.

The Tiny Window Concerts developed from a classical concert series. The concerts, that had actually been planned with spectators, could in part be transferred into a digital format. They were recorded and the finished little video clips were published one by one on YouTube and projected outside on the façade of the kiosk. In the beginning passers-by were not allowed to linger at the kiosk, but pedestrians could watch in passing.

In spring 2021 the guests were able to experience the video premieres live again. The musicians were either directly present on site or were tuned into live via Instagram for a brief discussion. As a result, a conventional became a hybrid format which visitors could participate in through a variety of interfaces. The series developed into a crowd favourite and is being continued in 2022 thanks to funding by MWK as part of the “Perspektive Pop”.