Annual Report 2020 Editorial

Cultural Promotion without Cultural Projects

In hindsight, readers of this annual report might be puzzled by a striking discrepancy. The review boasts long lists of sponsored projects and ever-consistent amounts of pro- motion grants – but also a noticeable lack of photos and texts to document the spon- sored concerts, performances and exhibitions. In early 2020, we were still closing grant agreements with a large number of cultural institutions, independent artists and free en- sembles and orchestras. But along came March and the first lockdown of the coronavirus pandemic. The first cultural institutions were immediately affected and forced to make swift decisions: What should they do with their scheduled projects? Postpone them? Re-design them to comply with sanitary regulations? Or cancel them altogether? Other entities remained rather calm, hoping to go back to normal in summer or autumn. Little did we know that these exceptional circumstances would linger long into 2021 – even up to the publishing of this report. Nobody could have imagined that practically all cultural institutions and events would be shut down for so long. All of this will amount to a sea- son of bitter experiences for a cultural sector left to question its appreciation in society, with countless institutions lacking perspective or flat-out fearing for their existence.

The comprehensive shutdown imposed in March 2020 severely affected independent artists and cultural institutions. It has affected art school students and young artistic talents struggling to establish themselves. It has also affected all those usually working “behind the scenes”, from directors to set designers, musicians and composers; from writers and playwrights to technicians and promoters. And it widened the existing gap between fully-employed and freelance cultural workers. Naturally, all of this had a strong impact on our work as an operative foundation that actively supports cultural projects. Around 40 of our promotion projects could not be realised as planned – which amounts to almost half of our designated resources for the entire year. So from early on, we made it clear to our beneficiaries that we saw it as our obligation to support them as fast and directly as possible, even if their projects could not be realised as planned. This approach meant that we had to assess each case individually, find sensible solutions and make tailor-made amendments to the original grant agreements. Partners whose projects had been cancelled entirely were facing significant losses from missing revenue or cancellation costs. Independent partners were particularly dependent on our efforts to convert promised grants into non-project-specific institutional support. We also felt the need to clearly communicate our strategy to the public, to provide orientation and transparency for everyone. Eventually, most of the projects will – hopefully – be realised throughout 2021, albeit not in their original form.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 2 editorial

One of the more positive experiences of this memorable year was the fact that culture recovered from its initial shock; that it mustered up the courage and creativity to re- spond to the crisis by finding and paving ways to work and reach its audiences, mostly through innovative digital formats. These formats can hardly replace the genuine cultur- al experience, but they do bear the potential to reach new target groups.

Eventually, these innovations came as an unexpected confirmation to some of our own promotional concepts. After all, our sponsorship series “experimente#digital”, “kul- turMut” and “Klangwert” proved to be perfect matches to the unprecedented needs that the crisis had brought upon cultural institutions. For years, our series “experi- mente#digital” has been supporting the development and experimentation of all those digital formats that were now in desperate demand. The online platform “kulturMut” merges crowdfunding and foundational promotion – a funding strategy that was now increasingly used by free and independent institutions. And our new sponsorship series “Klangwert” focuses on free orchestras and ensembles that have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. For them, our “Klangwert” series provided means for additional project support. So for now, all we can do is hope that the next annu- al report will once again feature plenty of photos and texts about successful cultural promotions.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 3 Key Points 2020

In 2020, the Aventis Foundation supported a total of 63 cultural projects, 10 science and research projects and 8 projects from other fields. To support these projects, the Founda- tion donated a total of € 1.54 million in funds.

Visual Arts and Culture

The Aventis Foundation focuses on promoting its sponsorship series “Klangwert”, “experimente#digital” and “kulturMut”, and on providing financial support to artis- tically ambitious projects or concepts developed by professional cultural institutions and independent artists. All projects selected for sponsorship work at high professional and artistic levels, and strive to explore new and experimental forms of representation, mediation and talent development.

· In 2019, the Aventis Foundation initiated its new sponsorship series “Klangwert” to promote professional independent musical ensembles and classical music orchestras. In early 2020, the first 13 projects were granted a total of € 315,000, covering a wide range of genres from baroque orchestra to composer slam.

· For the 2020 term of its cultural initiative “experimente#digital”, the Foundation granted a total of € 205,000 to six innovative digital projects working in the fields of theatre, opera, museum, art education, augmented reality, gaming and real-time avatar animation.

· In 2018, the Foundation re-developed its crowdfunding initiative “kulturMut” into a permanent crowdfunding platform for cultural projects in the Rhine-Main area. In 2020, the Kulturfonds RheinMain and the Aventis Foundation started operating the platform as a matching funds programme. Throughout this first year of service, a total of 30 cultural projects were accepted by the jury to be sponsored through the crowdfunding programme.

· The Aventis Foundation renewed its commitment with the Schauspielhaus Frankfurt by sponsoring the third season of the monodrama series “Voices of a City” (“Stimmen einer Stadt”), as well as the “Studiojahr Schauspiel”, which provides students of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts with academic education and hands-on theatrical experience.

· 2020 marked the fifth anniversary of the “Tanzfestival Rhein-Main”. The successful celebration went by the title “Fragile Balances” and was supported through a joint effort of the Aventis Foundation and an alliance of other foundations.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 4 key points 2020

· The and Fliegende Volksbühne jointly inaugurated the new theatre venue of the Volksbühne Frankfurt by premiering a rescored version of the legendary “Struwwelpeter” (known in English as “Shockheaded Peter”), originally written by Frankfurt-born physician and author Heinrich Hoffmann. The compositional work of the Ensemble Modern was supported by the Aventis Foundation.

· The Aventis Foundation supports the city of Frankfurt‘s cultural department in creating and publishing their overview brochure “Kinder Kultur Frankfurt”. 2020 marked the first time that the brochure was also published as a digital e-paper. It offers concise information on child-friendly visits to more than 80 cultural institutions all over the city.

· The celebrated the interpretation of Henrik Ibsen‘s famous play “Ghosts” at the iconic theater at Schiffbauer Damm. The performance was supported by the Aventis Foundation as part of its ongoing commitment as main sponsor for the house‘s premieres and first performances.

· The Musikfest presented a comprehensive portrait of composer Rebecca Saunders, featuring 16 works and 5 first performances. The Aventis Foundation provided dedicated funds to support the festival‘s thematic focus.

· The VolkswagenStiftung and the Aventis Foundation jointly promoted the musical research project “Experimental Concert Research”. The project started with three test concerts at Berlin‘s Radialsystem V, to measure how individual attendants perceived the concert experience.

Education and Science

The Aventis Foundation promotes education and science projects, focusing on the disci- plines of chemistry and biology and their respective links to medicine.

· In 2019, the Foundation created its new “Life Sciences Bridge Award” for young talents in natural sciences research. Each award is endowed with € 100,000. In its second run, the award was given to Dr. Dominik Niopek of TU Darmstadt, as well as to Dr. Stefan Pfeffer and Dr. Philipp Vollmuth who both work at the University of Heidelberg. The awards were presented during a festive celebration in Frankfurt in October 2020.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 5 key points 2020

· Since the winter semester of 2015/16, the Aventis Foundation has been funding the Goethe University of Frankfurt’s language training programme “Start ins Deutsche”, which trains university students to teach free German classes to refugees. Given the pandemic circumstances in 2020, these classes were mostly held as online courses.

· For the academic year of 2020/2021, the Aventis Foundation financed five federal “Deutschlandstipendium” scholarships at the Provadis School of International Management and Technology in Frankfurt to support talented and high achieving students.

· The Aventis Foundation is one of the sponsors of the Robert Koch Foundation in Bonn and once again contributed to the funding of academic awards and scholarships in 2020.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 6 SPONSORSHIP SERIES klangwert, experimente#digital & kulturMut

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 7 sponsorship series – klangwert

Klangwert – Musical Ensemble Promotion by the Aventis Foundation

Promoting Diversity

In 2019, the Aventis Foundation created its new “Klangwert” sponsorship series for professional and independent ensembles and classical music orchestras. Applications opened for the first time ever in October 2019. Out of the numerous applications re- ceived until the end of the year, the Foundation selected 13 projects. Among them were: a concert series merging chamber music and hip hop poetry; a digitally-enhanced concert performance including scenic, visual and acoustic elements; a composer slam introducing composers from all over Europe; a Beethoven programme performed on original instruments; as well as a project uniting students from all over for a joint staging of Mozart‘s “Le nozze di Figaro”. Altogether, the projects were granted a total of € 315,000.

“Klangwert” was designed as an annual sponsorship programme. Its main goal is to provide targeted support for professional independent ensembles and classical music orchestras in Germany, whose artistic quality, versatility and flexibility are all indispen- sable for a first-class musical offer.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 8 sponsorship series – klangwert

Klangwert – Musical Ensemble Promotion by the Aventis Foundation

Long-awaited Performances

The Mahler Chamber Orchestra opened its season at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg with three concerts and two programmes, all of which were supported through the Foundation‘s “Klangwert” sponsorship series. The event on 7 September was particular- ly long-awaited, as those were the independent orchestra‘s first performances since the lockdown in March 2020.

The main protagonist of the two concerts was a close artistic partner of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra: British composer and director Sir George Benjamin, who also cele- brated his 60th birthday during the season. His duet for piano and orchestra, created in 2008, was played by French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and performed for the first time ever in Hamburg. The programme also featured orchestra works by Leoš Janáček and Maurice Ravel.

The event was followed by a concert with soprano singer on 9 Septem- ber. This programme also featured a piece composed by George Benjamin, along with works by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Pierre Boulez.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 9 sponsorship series – klangwert

Klangwert – Musical Ensemble Promotion by the Aventis Foundation

New Repertoire for Piano Trio

The Neue Klaviertrio Dresden, composed of violin, violoncello and piano, takes new and innovative approaches to music-making. The three musicians combine existing piano trio repertoire with extraordinary compositions from the second half of the 20th century. They also inspire and foster entirely new compositions, expanding the classical canon of piano trio.

In 2020 – thanks to funding from the Foundation‘s “Klangwert“ programme – the trio initiated a series of focus concerts. A focus concert concentrates on one thematic and musical topic, while portraying a contemporary composer who has written at least two piano trios. The concerts, performed in Dresden and Leipzig in July 2020, focused on Berlin-based composer Stefan Streich. In 2008, Streich created a sonically and emotion- ally extensive work for the elole-Klaviertrio, titled “Vier Bagatellen”. In 2012, he start- ed working on a cycle called “Clouds”. The cycle comprises a sound installation and arrangements for live instruments ranging from solo to ensemble. For the concert of the Neue Klaviertrio Dresden, the composer created a special version of “Clouds” suited for piano trio.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 10 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Sustainable Promotion for Digital Cultural Projects

In 2020, the Aventis Foundation supported six innovative projects through its cultural initiative “experimente#digital”, granting a total of € 205,000. The Foundation had ini- tiated the new cultural sponsorship series in October 2016 to celebrate its 20th anniver- sary. In the first four seasons of the programme, the Foundation has been able to grant a total funding amount of € 860,000 to a total of 25 projects in cultural production and art education.

Each year, “experimente#digital” promotes cultural institutions that develop and realise unique digital projects to constructively engage with the challenges of an increasingly networked world, to use this output in their work with their respective target groups and to inspire the cultural interest of younger audiences. The programme accepts and encourages applications from professional cultural institutions like museums, galleries, theater and music theater houses, music ensembles and orchestras, houses of literature, dance collectives and companies, art and music colleges as well as free artistic groups and initiatives. All participating projects document their progress on our blog https:// experimente.aventis-foundation.org. The blog also serves as an internal communication platform for all participating projects. It features recent and practice-oriented examples of experimental digital approaches in culture that are open for analysis and comments.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 11 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Digital Upload of an Entire Life – A Film Opera

Cologne‘s joined forces with composer Michel van der Aa to create a music theater production that explores the topics of identity and artificial intelli- gence in relation to contemporary and future technologies. The innovative opera project tells the story of a man in his fifties, who wants to save his mental life from death by uploading his consciousness to a digital storage space.

The resulting parallel dimensions are illustrated through cutting-edge audio and video technology. They connect acting and singing through virtual avatars driven by real-time motion capture technology, and immerse the audience in the performance by using 3D-film projection on several video walls. All of this requires the help of engineers who become an active and visible part of the performance. The live music contributed by the Ensemble Musikfabrik merges with a score of previously recorded noises and sounds, which are then manipulated in real-time and played back in surround sound. This per- formance challenges the classical concept of opera while offering a new form of experi- ence in music theater.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 12 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Hard Feelings – An Encounter with An Avatar

A theatre performance staged at studioNAXOS in Frankfurt dealt with the relationship of man, animal and machine. During the performance, a giant avatar appeared on a screen to face the audience. The ensemble used state-of-the-art tracking technology to capture the real-life-movements of a human actor and transpose them on the synthetic creature, which could alter its appearance between animal, human and robot. This way, man became animal which again became human.

Referencing Franz Kafka‘s famous short story “A Report to an Academy”, the avatar talks about his humanoid resemblance. Its monologue raises profound questions: What must an artificial consciousness do for us humans to see ourselves reflected in it? After all, is this not what we humans do: project cute little faces into everything we see, as if all things wanted to wave at us to express their consent with our species? But nobody ever has any authority or mandate, and humankind sends no delegates. We only ever exist, like everything else around us. The performance, supported through the experi- mente#digital programme, found a playful way to integrate the latest motion capture technology in dealing with nothing less than the essentials of existence.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 13 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Eco Future Lab – Creative Ideas for Ecologic Change

The “NODE Forum for Digital Arts 2020” international festival featured a format called “Eco Future Lab” that explored the following questions: In promoting ecologic change, how can people contribute if they work in the creative, art or design industries? How can they positively use their influence on the appearance and usage of digital informa- tion technology? The laboratory was hosted for seven days at Mousonturm Frankfurt and its stimulating content work was at the center of the festival programme.

With its installations and simulations, a field test laboratory and a design workshop, the lab provided a base for experts and interested non-professionals to work together and come up with promising ideas for a sustainable future. The results were then presented to the festival community as well as to the general public. Through this format, the fes- tival wanted to go beyond dystopian scenarios of the future, to encourage people to get creative and develop ideas for a more constructive and respectful relationship between man and nature.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 14 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Schirn Shortcuts – Short Films for Art Education

The Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt has developed a new cinematographic format called “Schirn Shortcuts” to promote art education by catering to a larger online audience and merging digital narratives with moving images. The “Shortcuts” reference specific exhibitions or works to explore the question of how artistic phenomena and styles are formed. The results of these investigations are presented as visually ambitious stories. Each Shortcut is about two minutes long and provides a short and direct way to boost artistic knowledge.

The Shortcuts that have already been realised deal with topics like “wilderness” or “machine art”, and creative styles like concept art or abstract expressionism. Visually, the shorts rely on some of art history‘s most essential works, using narrative, animation or moving images to combine them with motives familiar to contemporary spectators. Their visual imagery and tone often play on humorous elements to intensify the audi- ence‘s aha experiences. Each shortcut can be seen as an independent art form, but they are also supposed to complement each other in sequence, which is why certain canoni- cal works were consciously referenced in several clips. The recurrence of these classical pieces enhances the recognition and awareness for important moments in 20th century art history.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 15 sponsorship series – experimente#digital

experimente#digital – A Cultural Initiative of the Aventis Foundation

Walkable Music Scores in Virtual Space

In late September 2020, the digital exhibition at Konzerthaus Berlin saw the inaugura- tion of an experimental space in the vestibule of the concert hall. The experience used virtual reality technology to create an entirely new and uniquely individual access to music creation. Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Konzerthaus in the 2020/21 season, the work titled “Umwelten” (“Environments”) was conceived as a collaborative project and commissioned to a composer, a visual artist and an engineer from Berlin‘s University of Applied Sciences (HTW).

“Umwelten” is a walkable music score that allows visitors to create vivid compositions. Equipped with cutting edge VR glasses, users find themselves amidst exotic garden landscapes. They hear noises and sounds emanating entirely from the virtual plants around them. Users can roam this strange cosmos at will, listen contemplatively and marvel – or become an active part of the composition. For instance, they can create and modify sounds by touching or connecting the virtual objects. The sound recordings for this sonic experience were made in cooperation with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. The musicians used familiar and purposefully modified sounds from violins, cellos, flutes and trumpets to create a broad spectrum of spheric, raw and disembodies sounds.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 16 sponsorship series – kulturmut

kulturMut – A Crowdfunding Platform for the Rhine-Main Area

Gaining Further Momentum with kulturMut

In mid-January 2020, the “kulturMut” platform returned with new regulations to provide more flexible, effective and exciting crowdfunding for cultural projects in the Rhine-Main area. From now on, the Aventis Foundation and the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain will jointly donate an additional 50 cents for every euro given by support- ers of the soliciting projects. The incoming crowd funds and complementary matching grants will fill up the crowdfunding accounts of the starters, who are now able to apply their projects at any time, instead of having to adhere to specific deadlines. The jury of the Aventis Foundation and the Kulturfonds RheinMain will then swiftly decide on which projects will join the “kulturMut” community.

Applications may be filed by cultural institutions, free creative workers, students and graduates from Frankfurt and the entire Rhine-Main area. They are expected to work on a highly professional level and solicit crowd funds for projects in the fields of music, visual and performing arts, literature or film. The “kulturMut” platform is managed in a joint effort by the Aventis Foundation and the Kulturfonds RheinMain. It shall serve as an additional and accessible source of funding for the region‘s free and independent art scene.

Ever since the crowdfunding initiative was first created in 2013, a total of 160 cultural projects were supported with a total subsidy amount of € 1.2 million.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 17 sponsorship series – kulturmut

kulturMut – A Crowdfunding Platform for the Rhine-Main Area

A Hybrid Film Festival

In early May 2020, the German Film Institute in Wiesbaden (DIF) celebrated the “goEast” festival for Central and East European film. In a creative response to the re- strictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the festival was celebrated as a hybrid format between online screenings and live events. The complementary cinema screen- ings of the movies featured in the competition, as well as the audience award ceremony, were supported through funds provided by the “kulturMut” platform.

The festival‘s 20th run featured 107 films from 40 countries, of which 21 were shown as German premieres. All of this proved the organizers‘ tremendous effort to make Cen- tral and East European cinema come alive in Germany despite the ongoing crisis. The virtual community even managed to create a somewhat festival atmosphere. The open- ing vernissage for an exhibition on Slavic culture could be seen via live broadcast. The grand hall of the Caligari FilmBühne staged computer-simulated virtual reality projects. And all throughout the festival week, young cinematographers from East and Central Europe convened in a diverse range of online formats, using video conferences for net- working, debates, master classes and workshops.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 18 sponsorship series – kulturmut

kulturMut – A Crowdfunding Platform for the Rhine-Main Area

Romie on Vinyl

In mid-October 2020, Frankfurt-based songwriter duo “Romie” released its first album titled “Trust in the You of now”. The musical outfit is comprised of two free and in- dependent artists, both of them graduates from Frankfurt‘s University for Music and Performing Arts. After producing their songs in a recording studio in Ireland and collab- orating with local musicians, the duo set out in search for ways to release their music on CD, vinyl and digital platforms. Via Startnext, they applied for the “kulturMut” crowd- funding platform and were selected for promotion. Through a successful campaign in Summer 2019, Romie was able to afford the production costs using the funds provided by their supporters and the prize money granted by the Aventis Foundation and the Kulturfonds RheinMain.

In their music, Romie combine perfect vocal harmonies, a broad spectrum of dynamic rhythm and style, gentle and catchy melodies, varied and experimental arrangements as well as sincere and authentic songwriting.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 19 sponsorship series – kulturmut

kulturMut – A Crowdfunding Platform for the Rhine-Main Area

Bridges – Chamber Orchestra on CD

In late 2020, the chamber orchestra of the transcultural music initiative “Bridges – Musik verbindet“ (“Bridges – Music Connects”), produced its first CD. The ensemble is com- prised of 26 musicians from Orient, Occident, Latin America and Asia. Their instrumen- tal skills and diverse musical education have made them experts for European, Arabic and Persian classical music, jazz, folklore and contemporary. Among them are 12 com- posers from 7 countries who have created signature works for this unique ensemble. The recordings were made in a coproduction with German public radio service “hr2-kultur” and supported by the Cultural Foundation of , the city of Frankfurt‘s Department for Multicultural Affairs as well as the Aventis Foundation‘s “kulturMut” crowdfunding platform.

“Bridges” connects musicians with different backgrounds, including experiences of migration and political refuge. The initiative advocates a musical dialogue that amplifies the huge potential of social and cultural diversity. It creates a community space for both professional and semi-professional musicians, providing them with a network for artis- tic exchange. All in all, the “Bridges” family connects a large community of more then 150 professional and semi-professional musicians and vocalists from all over the world. Since its beginnings in 2016, this family has been making rich and powerful contribu- tions to the cultural landscape of the Rhine-Main area.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 20 project summary 2020 – klangwert, experimente#digital & kulturmut

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Akademie für lebendige Composer Slam European Championship Klangwert Hannover www.treppenhausorchester.de Musik e.V.

ensemble mosaik / Berliner KEYS ONLY Klangwert Berlin www.ensemble-mosaik.de Gesellschaft für e.V.

Ensemble Resonanz gGmbH Two new and groundbreaking concert Klangwert Hamburg www.ensembleresonanz.com projects as part of the concert series urban string

Gesellschaft der Freunde Jupiter ! Klangwert Freiburg www.barockorchester.de/ und Förderer des Freiburger freunde/ Barockorchesters e.V.

Junge Deutsche RAUMZEIT – spring tour 2020 Klangwert Frankfurt/ www.jdph.de/de/ Philharmonie e.V. Main

junge norddeutsche Detect Classic Festival 2020 & Detect Klangwert Berlin www.junge-norddeutsche.de philharmonie e.V. Ensemble

Mahler Chamber Orchestra Premieres in 2020 – The Mahler Klangwert Berlin www.mahlerchamber.com gGmbH Chamber Orchestra in Berlin & Hamburg

Musik der Jahrhunderte Voice Affairs Klangwert Stuttgart www.mdjstuttgart.de/mdj- Stuttgart e.V. aktuell.html

Musikfabrik - STROM #2 Klangwert Köln www.musikfabrik.eu Landesensemble NRW e.V.

Neues Klaviertrio Dresden Focus Concert 1 - Stefan Streich Klangwert Dresden www.klaviertrio.net e.V.

operationderkuenste / Le nozze di Figaro Klangwert Berlin www.operationderkuenste.de studiosi cantandi Berlin e.V.

Solistenensemble Back to the F(S)uture I & II Klangwert Berlin www.kaleidoskopmusik.de Kaleidoskop e.V.

Musikfabrik - UPLOAD – A new film opera by Michel experimente#digital Köln www.musikfabrik.eu Landesensemble NRW e.V. van der Aa

NODE Verein zur Förderung EcoFutures Lab experimente#digital Frankfurt/ www.nodeforum.org Digitaler Kultur Main

Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt Explainity film series (2019-2020) experimente#digital Frankfurt/ www.schirn.de Main

Städel Playable Städel (2019-2021) experimente#digital Frankfurt/ www.staedelmuseum.de/de Main

Städelschule Architecture Breaking Glass III - Virtual Space experimente#digital Frankfurt/ www.sac.staedelschule.de Class - Hochschule Main für Bildende Künste - Städelschule

studioNAXOS A Report to an Academy experimente#digital Frankfurt/ www.studionaxos.de Main

Alexander Hainbach Anomalia kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/anoma Main lia-film

Alexander Wenz Die Dinners – gemeinsam zum ersten kulturMut platform Hanau www.startnext.com/diedinners Album

Alina Gallardo Leon A Little (Love) Story kulturMut platform Mainz www.startnext.com/ a-little-love-story

Andreas Peters Christmas Crossover CD New Spirit kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/ Wiesbaden Gospel Choir christmas-crossover-cd

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 21 project summary 2020 – klangwert, experimente#digital & kulturmut

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Bernhard Heck Coolanova - CD and music videos kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/coolanova Main

Bridges – Musik verbindet Bridges Chamber Orchestra CD kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ gGmbH Main bridges-kammerorchester

Bridges – Musik verbindet Bridges in search for transition funds kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ gGmbH Main bridges-sucht

Christina Hetzel Debut CD and live concerts kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/de- Main buet-cd-und-liveauftritte/ projektwidget

Eva Leupold Glanz auf dem Vulkan kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/glanz-auf- dem-vulkan

Felicitas Leah Rudolph Brad Mehldau Edition – music kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/brad- transformed into images mehldau-edition-musik-tra

Felicitas Mietz FEE – Nächste Platte mit deiner Patte kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/fee Main

Harald Kuntze 300 years of music, 75 in Wiesbaden kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/300-jahre- fuer-die-musik-75-da/projekt- widget

Jan Peschel goEast 2020 kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/ goeast-2020

Julian Gerchow Der Spatz und der Rabe kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/der-spatz- und-der-rabe

Karin Berkemann Das gelobte Land der Moderne kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ Main das-gelobte-land-der-moderne

Maja Bresink Motschekiebchen kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/ motschekiebchen

Marcel Bergmann Wo die Sonne auch nachts scheint – kulturMut platform Wiesbaden www.startnext.com/ book project wo-die-sonne

Maria Kristin Gerstenberg Die Hagebutte und der Bär kulturMut platform Bad König www.startnext.com/ diehagebutte

Marijke Jährling Kurt und Gut kulturMut platform Darmstadt www.startnext.com/kurt-und- gut-kurt-tucholsky-un/ projektwidget

Markus Förster Album “Orange” – “Soundstation” Choir kulturMut platform Neu- www.startnext.com/ from Neu-Isenburg Isenburg soundsation-cd/projektwidget

Michael Ehret Corona funds for the Barrelhouse jazz kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ band Main barrelhousejazzband

Mila Quirin Bauchflüstern – Liebe und andere kulturMut platform Rödermark www.startnext.com/ Komplikationen bauchfluestern-liebe-und-ander

Nippon Connection e.V. Nippon Connection – 20th Japanese kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/nippon- Film Festival Main connection20/blog

Patrick Büchting Weil ich Leo bin kulturMut platform Darmstadt www.startnext.com/ weilichleobin

Peter Wöste Die Kunst braucht DICH kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/die-kunst- Main braucht-dich

Sonja Doniat Christmas CD – Humperdinck kulturMut platform Mainz www.startnext.com/ weihnachts-cd-humperdinck

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 22 project summary 2020 – klangwert, experimente#digital & kulturmut

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Sophie Dobrigkeit Mme Perreq – Das Buch kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ Main mme-perreq-das-buch

Thomas Schmitt Snow White Blood kulturMut platform Groß- www.startnext.com/snowwhi Zimmern teblood-album-2020

Tobias Jäger FFG Dachs Tapes kulturMut platform Frankfurt/ www.startnext.com/ Main ffg-dachstapes

Vanessa Wang Parking Garage Concerts kulturMut platform Berlin / www.startnext.com/ Frankfurt parkhauskonzerte am Main

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 23 SELECTED PROJECTS 2020 Arts & Culture

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 24 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Schauspiel Frankfurt

Nine Frankfurt City Tales

There are three new voices in the the urban kaleidoscope of the theatre project “Voices of a City” created at . The third season of the monodrama series was premiered at the Kammerspiele in mid-September 2020. Every year since 2018, three au- thors each write a play inspired by a real Frankfurt biography, which is then performed at the Schauspiel Frankfurt. The cooperation project between the Literaturhaus Frank- furt and the Schauspiel Frankfurt is supported through a sustainable partnership be- tween the theatre houses and the Aventis Foundation. In 2020, the prestigious publish- ing house Fischerverlag compiled all nine of these monologues into one book release.

The project stayed true to its approach of selecting three renowned book writers and inviting them to author their first-ever theatre play. Büchner Prize awardee Martin Mosebach portrayed an aging actress and the difficult relationships that marked her life. Twisting and turning between the pompous pillows of a brass bed in a shabby attic loft, the protagonist reminisces melancholic memories and longings. Lars Brandt imagines the daily life of a Frankfurt local politician in times of great social unrest. Surrounded by card boxes in a transitional office, the character reflects on social change and self-alien- ation. Last but not least, multiple literature award-winner Zsuzsa Bánk writes about a man who accompanies the recently deceased in their final passage. Standing in the wait- ing room of those who dig the graves and bear the coffins, he explains how his work has given him great joy and profound peace. The performances were visually supported by video artist Philip Bußmann and staged by artistic director Anselm Weber.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 25 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Ensemble Modern

Popular Theatre Meets Contemporary Music

In late January 2020, the Ensemble Modern joined forces with the Fliegende Volksbühne, led by actor and director Michael Quast, for a fresh take on a world-famous and high- ly controversial classic originally created in Frankfurt: a new and re-scored version of legendary children‘s book “Der Struwwelpeter”, known in English as “Shockheaded Peter”. Its premiere inaugurated the new theatre venue of the Volksbühne Frankfurt located at Großer Hirschgraben. The collaborative project between the two Frank- furt-based institutions and the Ensemble Modern‘s compositional work were supported by the Aventis Foundation. In taking on this interdisciplinary theatre project, the Ensem- ble Modern ventured into uncharted artistic territory, all while connecting and commu- nicating with the traditions of Frankfurt popular theatre, which is consequently chal- lenged and expanded by director Michael Quast. The production related to modern life and critically situated itself against the literary source. Sabine Fischmann (vocals) and Michael Quast (performance) delivered their interpretation of the material with a strong sense of humor amidst the 16 musicians of the ensemble. The stage music was written by composers and instrumentalists Uwe Dierksen, Christian Hommel and Hermann Kretzschmar, who are all part of the Ensemble Modern. Inspired by their profound knowledge of instrumental techniques and the ensemble‘s broad stylistic range, the three composers referenced a plethora of musical idioms and genres to consciously sur- pass the traditional separation of classical and popular music. The spectrum of musical genres ranged from contemporary music, jazz, heavy metal and rap to quotes by Cho- pin, blending into a vivid and virtuous stylistic conglomerate that enthralled audiences with completely different musical preferences.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 26 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Culture in the Rhine-Main Area

Fragile Balances

Choreographers and dancers know how to create images and experimental spaces for the fragile balances that we are currently experiencing because of the pandemic – as individuals, and cultural institutions, and as society as a whole. Which is exactly why the concept of “Fragile Balances” was chosen as the motto for this year‘s fifth-anniver- sary edition of the Tanzfestival Rhein-Main, inaugurated in late October 2020 in the great house of Darmstadt state theatre. The festival and its initiator, the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main, are supported through a sustainable and perennial partnership between the Aventis Foundation and other foundations based in Frankfurt. In November 2020, the festival was able to present a series of outstanding contemporary choreographies in Darmstadt, Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. For instance, the production “New Ocean Sea Cy- cle” made us picture world climate as a system threatening to lose balance. The success- ful production, created by Cologne-based US-star choreographer Richard Siegal and his “Ballet of Difference” ensemble, reminds us that there are other and even more demand- ing crises besides the ongoing pandemic. With the help of lighting designer Matthias Singer, Siegal focused on the increasingly critical condition of our planet.

The dance festival spans a bridge between local dancers and international choreog- raphers, professional dancers and amateur dance enthusiasts. It is organised by the Tanzplattform Rhein-Main, wich itself is supported by Mousonturm Frankfurt and Hessisches Staatsballett. The Tanzplattform is a well-respected authority on contempo- rary dance and choreography, dance education, academic dance instruction and artistic research. It plays an important role in fostering the visibility and reach of dance in the Rhine-Main region.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 27 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Culture in the Rhine-Main area

Cultural Spaces for Kids

In mid-October 2020, the city of Frankfurt‘s cultural department published the third edition of its info brochure “Kinder Kultur Frankfurt”, which, for the first time, could also be offered for download as a digital e-paper. The brochure offers a concise overview of child-friendly visits to more than 80 cultural institutions all over the city, providing practical information like opening hours, directions, wheelchair accessibility, age rec- ommendations, thematic focus and special offers. The Aventis Foundation supported all three editions.

Art and culture are relevant for children. Being able to experience and learn from cul- tural offerings provides them with multi-faceted experiences. It helps them to actively engage with the world around them and develop their own creativity and phantasy. For that purpose, the city of Frankfurt boasts a broad range of cultural spaces with peda- gogical programmes for younger audiences, all of which are thoroughly compiled and portrayed in this brochure. With this edition, the document has seen its first-ever digital e-paper version, catering to the changing habits of its target group. By downloading the digital version to their end devices, users can access the information in a practical and resource-friendly manner, and follow the included links to the respective websites. All in all, the brochure provides comprehensive information and stimulating suggestions for parents, educators and everyone working or living with children – and of course for children and adolescents themselves.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 28 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Culture in Berlin

A Labyrinthine Space of Lifelong Lies

The Berliner Ensemble opened its 2020/21 theatre season at the Große Haus with a play that focused on society‘s double standards and the resulting lies in life. For the interpre- tation of Henrik Ibsen‘s “Ghosts”, stage designer Raimund Orfeo Voigt created a laby- rinthine space that seemed to have no escape. By succumbing to society‘s hypocritical double standards, the protagonists became increasingly lost in a ghost-like solitude that only worsened their isolation, transforming their lies into haunting spirits. The audience could see the truth of delicate family secrets transforming into phantasmagoric taboos, which lead to the repetition of trauma and catastrophic consequences for the following generation. The audience could also feel the timeless and universal relevance of all that happened. This dramatic maze of emotions was staged by Slovenian theatre and opera director Mateja Koležnik, who had already staged and directed for other plays by Ibsen.

Ever since the 2017/18 theatre season, the Aventis Foundation has been supporting the Berliner Ensemble‘s premieres and first performances through a sustainable three-year- programme. The goal was to enable the theatre to revive its tradition as a writer‘s theat- er in the spirit of , as well as to make the Berliner Ensemble a renowned theater for contemporary drama.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 29 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Experimental Concert Research

Measuring Individual Concert Experience

On three late-summer nights in mid-September, Berlin‘s Radialsystem V presented string quintets composed by the likes of , Brett Dean and Jo- hannes Brahms. The concerts were both experiments and previews to the upcoming research project “Experimental Concert Research”, which aims to measure individual concert experience. Before attending the performance, spectators turned into test sub- jects. They were equipped with sensors that measure physical signals as indicators to emotional arousal. They were also filmed during the entire concert to monitor their facial expressions and motion energy. After the performance, both spectators and musicians were interviewed in detail. The experiment was part of a European research project that started three years ago. Its aim is to develop psychological and sociological instruments to measure the aesthetic experience of music under varying concert con- ditions. In 2022, the Radialsystem V will host a multi-day conference at the prestigious Pierre-Boulez-Saal concert hall, were the proper study will be conducted. The Aventis Foundation sponsors the concerts as part of the project‘s artistic component.

The experiment will have the following setup: On three separate nights, the same musi- cians will perform the exact same musical programme. However, each of these concerts will vary in formal and artistic aspects, ranging from presentation, lighting control, setting and alternate musical dramaturgy to complex performances, all of which com- bine the music with video art and other associative contexts. Comparing the results from these individual nights will help identify the emotional aspects of a concert and deter- mine their impact on the quality of music experience.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 30 selected projects 2020 – arts & culture

Culture in Berlin

Soundscapes by Rebecca Saunders

In early September 2020, the Musikfest Berlin presented a comprehensive portrait of Berlin-based British composer Rebecca Saunders, featuring no less than 16 of heir works and five first performances. The works were interpreted by some of the great ensembles of contemporary music – the Klangforum Wien and Neue Vokalsolisten Stuttgart, the Ensemble Modern and Ensemble Musikfabrik as well as the soloists and orchestra of the Lucerne Festival Alumni. The programme focus of this year‘s festival edition was supported by the Aventis Foundation.

Through her unique tonal language, Rebecca Saunders has established herself as one of the leading international composers of her generation. Born in London in 1967, she stud- ied composition with Nigel Osborne at University of Edinburgh, and with at University of Karlsruhe. She has a strong interest in the plastic and dimensional qualities of organised sounds and manages to create spacious and complex collages carried by extensive rhythm. She collaborates with other artists to develop a repertoire of new techniques. For instance, her long-term sound research project with exceptional percussion talents Christian Dierstein and Dirk Rothbrust has allowed her to create a completely new and proper sonic vocabulary for drums, which was presented in a new and expansive version in two special concert performances.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 31 project summary 2020 – arts & culture

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Berliner Ensemble GmbH Premieres and first performances at Art & Culture Berlin www.berliner-ensemble.de Berliner Ensemble

Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin 2020 – Rebecca Art & Culture Berlin www.berlinerfestspiele.de Musikfest Berlin Saunders

Deutsche Ensemble Chair 2020 Art & Culture Frankfurt/ www.deutsche-ensemble- Akademie e.V. Main akademie.de

Deutsche Stiftung Institutional promotion 2020 Art & Culture Hamburg www.deutsche-stiftung- Musikleben musikleben.de

Festspiele Mecklenburg- 2 x Hören – Zeit zum Zuhören Art & Culture Schwerin www.festspiele-mv.de Vorpommern gGmbH

Freie Ensembles und Institutional promotion 2020 Art & Culture Berlin www.freo.online Orchester in Deutschland e.V.

Gesellschaft der Freunde der Membership fees for 2020 Art & Culture Berlin www.adk.de/freundeskreis/ Akademie der Künste e.V.

Karajan-Akademie der Institutional promotion 2020 Art & Culture Berlin www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/ Berliner Philharmoniker e.V. akademie

Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Tanzplattform Rhein-Main 2019-2022 Art & Culture Frankfurt/ www.mousonturm.de Main

Radial Stiftung betterconcert.org Art & Culture Berlin www.radialstiftung.de

Schauspiel Frankfurt Studiojahr – academic exchange Art & Culture Frankfurt/ www.schauspielfrankfurt.de programme 2020/22021 Main

Stiftung der Berliner Residency Berlin: Chamber Orchestra Art & Culture Berlin www.berliner-philharmoniker.de Philharmoniker of Europe

Stiftung Polytechnische Jazz and improvised music at schools Art & Culture Frankfurt/ www.sptg.de Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main Main

Zeppelin Universität Experimental Concert Research Art & Culture Friedrichs- www.zu.de/lehrstuehle/wuerth/ hafen index.php

Zeppelin Universität Corona Module: The Digital Concert Art & Culture Friedrichs- www.zu.de/lehrstuehle/wuerth/ Experience (DCE) hafen index.php

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 32 selected projects 2020 Education & Science

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 33 selected projects 2020 – education & science

Life Sciences Bridge Award – Aventis Foundation Postdoctoral Award

Round Two for New Innovative Research Projects

After a successful pilot phase in 2019, the Aventis Foundation was able to grant its second round of research awards for young researchers in Life Sciences. So in October 2020, the jury of the Aventis Foundation, chaired by Board of Trustees member Prof. Dr. Werner Müller-Esterl, celebrated a festive award ceremony in Frankfurt am Main to honour the following outstanding research talents: Dr. Dominik Niopek, Dr. Stefan Pfef- fer and Dr. Philipp Vollmuth. Once again, each of these Aventis Foundation Postdoctoral Awards was endowed with a subsidy amount of € 100,000.

The award is granted in cooperation with specific universities and higher education institutions. In 2020, the Foundation partnered with Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Technical University Darmstadt and the Uni- versity of Heidelberg. Accordingly, applications were only accepted from candidates conducting their research at one of these partner universities.

The Aventis Foundation aims to provide individual support to talented researchers, to enable them to conduct their own independent research at the earliest possible stage and encourage them to pursue bold and unconventional ideas. The annual awards are given to academics with a doctorate or habilitation, who aim for an academic career but do not yet hold full and permanent professorship. By granting these highly-endowed research awards, the Aventis Foundation has managed to restructure and concentrate its scientific promotion efforts.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 34 selected projects 2020 – education & science

Dr. Dominik Niopek studied Molecular Biology and conducts his research at Technical University Darmstadt. He works in a cutting-edge field of research that uses ontogenetic methods, CRISPR-Cas technology and viral transfection to create designer proteins with new qualities.

Dr. Stefan Pfeffer studied Biochemistry in Tübingen and, ever since 2018, has been leading his own research group at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg Uni- versity. His research focus is to analyse the structure of macromolecular complexes by using cryo-EM imaging.

Dr. Philipp Vollmuth studied Medicine in Innsbruck and wrote his doctoral thesis on the diagnosis and therapy of rare types of brain tumors. Since 2013, he has been working at Heidelberg University Hospital as director of the department of Computational Neuro- imaging. He specialises on the use of artificial intelligence in brain tumor analysis.

The jury was comprised of: Prof. Dr. Werner Müller-Esterl (Chairman), Prof. Dr. Rudi Balling, Prof. Dr. Annette Beck-Sickinger, Prof. Dr. Reinhard Jahn, Prof. Dr. Walter Rosenthal and Prof. Dr. Günther Wess.

For more information on the award winners and their research projects please visit our blog at https://bridge.aventis-foundation.org

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 35 selected projects 2020 – education & science

Provadis School

Promoting Scholarship Culture

Just like any other academic institution, the Provadis School of International Manage- ment and Technology at Industriepark Höchst had to come up with flexible responses to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic: Courses and exams were mostly realised in virtual online formats and, if necessary and possible, complemented by in-class activ- ities. Consequently, this year‘s award ceremony for the Deutschlandstipendium schol- arship had to be replaced by a virtual celebration. So in mid-December 2020, the award winners were honoured in a digital ceremony joined by representatives of the Provadis School and the sponsors. As one of the programme‘s long-term partners, the Aventis Foundation renewed its commitment to finance five scholarships per academic year.

The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship programme was created by the German gov- ernment in 2011 to support high-achieving university students with a strong sense of personal and social commitment. The Aventis Foundation supports the talents selected by the Provadis School, so that they can fully concentrate on their academic education. The selection process does of course consider talent and outstanding academic achieve- ments, but also rewards a strong social and political commitment.

The scholarship was created to honour outstanding academic achievements and foster a new scholarship culture at the intersection of civic social activism and government support. The programme encourages alumni, businesses and foundations to support students by providing for half of their monthly scholarship costs, the other half being borne by the German state. The scholarships provide substantial support, appreciation and motivation to young researchers from all over the world during their time at their respective university in Germany.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 36 selected projects 2020 – education & science

Goethe University Frankfurt

Virtual German Classes for Refugees

In January 2016, the Goethe University Frankfurt hosted its first round of intensive training courses for students who want to participate in the “Starting German” (“Start ins Deutsche”) project to teach German to refugees on a voluntary basis. The students are trained in language teaching and intercultural competence to help refugees improve their language skills as one of the central keys to successful integration. Usually, the courses are offered in refugee accommodations all throughout the Frankfurt city area, and the real-life student-refugee-interactions are considered a main factor of the pro- ject‘s huge success. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, most of the summer semester had to be organised in virtual form, with all in-class activities being cancelled. So, given the importance of intercultural exchange, the project had to create alternative online for- mats. The project ended up developing and testing online classes for small groups and language partnerships via chat or video calls. The students offered scheduled digital group lessons for learners at different language levels. The project team supported the student teachers with a guide and links to class material for online instruction.

The Aventis Foundation has been supporting the programme and other measures de- signed to integrate refugees into the curricula at Goethe University since winter semes- ter 2015/16, in an effort to make a sustainable contribution to the integration process. The great effort and commitment of both the University and its students help to make efficient use of the Foundation funds, and to invest them to the direct benefit of the refugees.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 37 project summery 2020 – education & science

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Center for Molecular Biology Life Sciences Bridge Awards 2020 Science and Research Heidelberg www.uni-heidelberg.de/de of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) / Stefan Pfeffer

Goethe University Frankfurt Corona Funds Science and Research Frankfurt/ www.uni-frankfurt.de Main

Goethe University Frankfurt Molecular mechanisms in bacterial Science and Research Frankfurt/ www.uni-frankfurt.de potassium homeostasis Main

Goethe University Frankfurt Start ins Deutsche Science and Research Frankfurt/ www.uni-frankfurt.de Main

Heidelberg University Life Sciences Bridge Awards 2020 Science and Research Heidelberg www.uni-heidelberg.de/de Hospital Dep. of Neuroradiology / Philipp Vollmuth

Marburger Universitätsbund 500 years of research, teaching and Science and Research Marburg www.uni-marburg.de/uni-bund e.V. education. The University of Marburg past and present.

Provadis Management Funding for 5 Deutschlandstipendium Science and Research Frankfurt/ www.provadis-hochschule.de School scholarships in 2020/2021 Main

TU Darmstadt/Dominik Life Sciences Bridge Awards 2020 Science and Research Darmstadt www.tu-darmstadt.de/ Niopek

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 38 Further Sponsorships

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 39 project summary 2020 – sponsorship series 5*5000

sponsoring partner project sponsoring focus place homepage

Deutsche Kinder- und Promoting youth welfare 5*5000 Berlin www.dkjs.de Jugendstiftung

Förderkreis des Klinikums Promoting public health care 5*5000 Frankfurt/ www.klinikumfrankfurt.de/ Frankfurt Hoechst e.V. Main ueber-uns/foerderkreis- des-klinikums-frankfurt- hoechst-ev.html

Förderverein der Deutschen Promoting environmental protection 5*5000 Kelkheim www.waldjugend-kelkheim.de Waldjugend Kelkheim e.V.

Förderverein FamilienStadt Promoting child and youth welfare 5*5000 Eltville/ www.eltville.de/stadtleben/ Eltville am Rhein e.V. services Rhein generationen/familienstadt/

GC Hof Hausen vor der Sonne Promoting sports 5*5000 Hofheim/ www.hofhausengolf.de Hofheim e.V Taunus

Hospiz Lebensbrücke gGmbH Promoting social welfare services 5*5000 Flörsheim/ www.hospizverein- Main lebensbruecke.de

Hospiz-Verein-Kelkheim e.V. Promoting social welfare services 5*5000 Kelkheim www.hospiz-verein-kelkheim.de

Sportgemeinschaft 01 Promoting sports 5*5000 Frankfurt/ www.sg01hoechst.de HOECHST e.V. Main

TSG Münster e.V. 1883 Promoting sports 5*5000 Kelkheim www.tsg-muenster.de

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 40 Annual Accounts – Facts and Figures 2020

In 2020, the Aventis Foundation spent approximately € 1.57 million on expenditures in accordance with its statute. This includes future sponsoring amounts for which the foundation has made binding commitments in 2020.

Payments to project partners amounted to € 1.54 million in 2020, excluding € 167,000 worth of indirect expenses for funding projects. The costs for the administration of the foundation, including costs for asset management, amounted to € 514,000 in 2020 (€ 497,000 in 2019). At the end of 2020, project liabilities amounted to € 0.61 million (€ 0.78 million in 2019), mostly for perennial project sponsorship agreements in arts and culture.

Funding Aventis Foundation In € millions

Spending on activities conforming to the Articles of Association Administration

  

In the time between its foundation in October 1996 to the end of 2020, the Aventis Foun- dation has spent € 44.8 million on statutory expenditures. The average spending was approx. € 1.9 million per year. Factoring in the TB Free health programme, this amounts to a total sponsorship volume of € 59.3 million. The administration costs during the cor- responding period amounted to an average of € 430,000 per year.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 41 annual accounts – facts and figures 2020

An independent, actively sponsoring foundation The Aventis Foundation is a sponsoring foundation financed through the proceeds of its foundation capital. In 2020, the Aventis Foundation held basic assets worth € 53.5 mil- lion, including the special assets of the Rolf Sammet Fund. The annual accounts for 2020 show total assets of € 69.3 million (€ 70 million in 2019).

Balance Sheet in € 2019 2020

Assets 8,353 3 1 , 1 1 0 Intangible fixed assets Property, plant and equipment 27,281 22,095 Financial assets 66,335,634 61,937,012 Receivables and other capital assets 322,937 365,127 Bank balances 3,325,026 6,962,555 Accruals and deferrals 9,433 1,785 Total 70,028,664 69,319,684 Liabilities Foundation capital (incl. reserves) 68,933,097 68,499,298 Provisions 281,655 184,248 Liabilities (incl. Project funding commitments) 813,912 636,138 Total 70,028,664 69,319,684

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 42 annual accounts – facts and figures 2020

On the accounting date at the end of 2020, the Aventis Foundation had at its disposal financial assets and credits with banks of € 68.9 million (€ 69.6 million in 2019). The mar- ket value of the assets and credits amounted to € 78.6 million (€ 78.0 million in 2019) on the accounting day. 41.8 % of the assets consisted of bonds, bond certificates, fixed-inter- est loans and real estate shares. Another 49.3 % is made up of shares, equity funds and a special funds. Liquidity amounted to 8.9 %.

Allocation of assets according to categories As of December 31, 2020

Liquidity 8,9 % Loans and registered bonds 20,6 %

Real estate funds 21,2 %

Equity funds, special equity funds 49,3 %

Audit The FALK GmbH & Co KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Heidelberg, was appointed auditor for the year 2020. The auditor carried out the audit of annual accounts according to § 317 HGB and § 12 para. 3 StifG Hessen, as well as accord- ing to the German guidelines for correct annual accounts by the Institute of Audi- tors (Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer). No objection to the annual accounts has been raised.

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 43 committees

Board of Trustees The Bord of Trustees advises and monitors the actions of the Foundation, decides on sponsorship focuses and sets the guidelines for asset investment.

After their respective terms of office had expired, board members Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Klaus Pohle and Dr. Heinz-Werner Meier did not run for reelection and left the board effective 1 December 2020. Both had been members of the Board of Trustees since 2005 and have been making valuable contributions to the Foundation‘s work through all these years. In addition, Prof. Pohle has also served as Chairman of the Foundation‘s investment com- mittee for many years, contributing substantially to the excellent financial performance of the foundation capital. As his successor and new Chairwoman of the investment committee, the Board of Trustees elected fellow board member Dr. Gertrud Traud, bank manager and head economist of the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen.

Effective 1 July 2020, the Board of Trustees appointed Prof. Dr. Christiane Langer, art his- torian and director of the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, as new member of the board. The board also appointed Prof. Dr. Hartmut Leser, CEO of Aberdeen Standard Investments Germa- ny. His term of office started on 1 December 2020. All members of the Board of Trustees have honorary positions, meaning they support the Foundation on a voluntary basis. A regular term of office is five years. In 2020, the members of the Board of Trustees were:

Prof. Dr. Günther Wess (Chairman) Prof. Dr. Rudi Balling Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Uwe Bicker Dr. Hariolf Kottmann Prof. Dr. Christiane Lange (as of 1 July 2020) Prof. Dr. Hartmut Leser (as of 1 December 2020) Dr. Heinz-Werner Meier (until 30 November 2020) Prof. Dr. Werner Müller-Esterl Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Klaus Pohle (until 30 November 2020) Dr. Gertrud R. Traud

Board of Management The Board of Management is responsible for the operative management of the Aventis Foundation. The members of the Board of Management are:

RA Joachim Schwind (Chairman) Eugen Müller (Executive Director)

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 44 contact

Frankfurt Office Aventis Foundation Industriepark Höchst D-65926 Frankfurt/Main phone: +49 69 305 7256 email: [email protected]

Berlin Office Aventis Foundation Rungestraße 17 D-10179 Berlin phone: +49 30 556 282 77 email: [email protected]

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 45 pictures

S. 9 Mahler Chamber Orchestra – Daniel Dittus S. 10 Neues Klaviertrio Dresden – Neues Klaviertrio Dresden S. 12 Ensemble Musikfabrik – Double A Foundation S. 13 Studio Naxos – Engel und Stange S. 14 Node Forum – Freunde von Freunden – Robert Rieger S. 15 Schirn Kunsthalle – The Museum of Modern Art, New York S. 16 Konzerthaus Berlin – Markus Werner S. 17 kulturMut – Aventis Foundation S. 18 Andrzej Waida – goEast Filmfestival S. 19 Romie – Jonas Mohr S. 20 Bridges Kammerorchester – Theresa Rundell S. 25 Schauspiel Frankfurt – Robert Schittko S. 26 Ensemble Modern Volksbühne – Nico Neuwirth S. 27 Tanzfestival Rhein-Main – New Ocean Sea Cycles S. 28 Kinder Kultur Frankfurt – Paul Englert S. 29 Berliner Ensemble – Matthias Horn S. 30 Experimental Concert Research – Phil Dera S. 31 Berliner Festspiele – Monika Karczmarkzyk S. 34 Aventis Foundation – Uwe Dettmer S. 36 Deutschlandstipendien – Provadis Hochschule S. 37 Goethe-Universität Frankfurt – Ilsa Jacobsen

AVENTIS FOUNDATION | ANNUAL REPORT 2020 46 Aventis Foundation Industriepark Höchst 65926 Frankfurt/Main www.aventis-foundation.org