Dance and parenting: New strategies for fair care work in Munich

Dance and parenting: New strategies for fair care work in Munich

Last weekend a particularly insightful symposium entitled “Dance and Parenthood – Strategies for Fair Care Work in Culture” took place in Munich. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Munich Dance Office, experts and interested parties gathered in the Labor Ateliers of the Munich Creative Quarter to discuss a highly topical topic: the challenges of parents, especially in the dance and cultural scene. The event opened with a captivating keynote speech by Daniela Rippl, head of the Munich Cultural Department, and a performance by Christina D’Alberto.

The two-day conference offered a platform for international exchange and presentations of best practice examples. Choreographer Emi Myoshi and dancer Anna Kempin shared their personal experiences about the hurdles they faced during their pregnancy. These range from layoffs to a feeling of lack of prospects. Such stories contrast with the demands voiced by support organizations such as the Shubui Collective in Freiburg, which offers creative solutions to the needs of artists and parents. The event was also supported by actress Emilia de Fries and director Elisa Müller, who presented recommendations for parent-friendly cultural production.

Challenges and solutions at a glance

One of the central topics of the symposium was the unequal distribution of care work and the associated financial losses for parents. Recent studies show that parents lose an average of £7,000 (around €8,000) in income each year, while 88% of parents turn down job offers because of their commitments. Particularly shocking: 49% give up their job completely. These alarming numbers were underlined by Nicole Fiedler and Jana Grünewald from the Tanz Deutschland umbrella organization in their comments on supporting artists during the corona pandemic.

Another exciting aspect of the symposium was the discussion about the problems that dance creators experience with children during residencies and festival trips. These barriers can seriously reduce the chances of success and thus give rise to the desire for multifunctional spaces for cultural work and for structural support for care work. A new funding model was also announced for Munich, which is aimed at the specific needs of parents.

Gender Care Gap – A challenge for society as a whole

The Gender Care Gap, a central theme of the symposium, describes the difference in the distribution of unpaid care work between men and women. According to current data, women in heterosexual relationships take on the majority of these tasks. In same-sex relationships, research shows that men in gay relationships spend more time on care work, while women in lesbian relationships tend to spend less time on these tasks, primarily because of higher rates of childlessness. These inequalities are part of a complex social structure that reflects historical role models and social norms, as the Federal Foundation for Equality emphasizes.

The gender care gap is not only a problem in family structures, but also affects the professional world, as the time use survey data shows. Unpaid work such as housekeeping, childcare and volunteer work are taken into account here. The research concludes that historical inequalities affecting the division of this work prevail not only in heterosexual relationships, but also in same-sex relationships.

The symposium aimed to bring these topics into the public sphere in order to promote the implementation of ideas and support in precarious times. With a clear focus on equality and supporting parents in the dance scene, an important step in the right direction has been taken to address the challenges associated with care work and work to overcome them.