The urbanism festival “SOUP Shaping Our Urban Phuture”, planned for September and funded by the city with a quarter of a million euros, has met with criticism in social networks and with the Left Party because of the entrance fees and the programming.
On Twitter, users criticize that many citizens could not afford prices of 300 to 500 euros.
A user asks on Twitter: "If someone can lend me 500 bags, I would like to see Roland Koch give a lecture on urbanism."
Rainer Schulze
Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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Numerous advertisers and representatives of the real estate industry will take part in the event, which is to take place from 9 to 11 September in the former sports arena building at the Hauptwache and aims to develop ideas for the “city of tomorrow” Architects and urban planners tend to be underrepresented. A VIP ticket costs 500 euros, a normal festival pass 300 euros, students pay 100 euros. A day ticket is available for 160 euros. However, part of the event should be free of charge.
Michael Müller, chairman of the Left Party in the Römer, describes the festival as a “glossy event with little depth”.
“Not much is left there.” Many people would also be excluded because of the high admission prices.
In terms of content, the entire range of topics relevant to Frankfurt is not represented either.
Müller misses, for example, ecological aspects, civil society actors and also small retailers who are affected by the redevelopment of the inner city.
"As a partner that supports the festival financially, the city should influence the program and the pricing and ensure that it is inclusive," the city councilor demands.