It is the dream of many children and young people: To stand on stage once in their lives and show what they can do. In the Sarganserland-Werdenberg region, this is made possible by the Culture Pass, formerly known as the South Culture Pass. At the musical workshop, children and young people rehearse a musical under the direction of the internationally renowned singer and actor Patric Scott and then perform it for their families and friends.

«Patric Scott is a professional and brilliant coach!»

The group on this Tuesday afternoon consists of six girls and one boy, all in their teens. "I love musicals - dancing and singing anyway, and I'm looking forward to the performance," reveals Franziska from Liechtenstein at the musical workshop. She is there for the first time, just like Valeria from Rapperswil. "When my mother heard about the musical workshop with Patric Scott, she signed me up right away," says the 12-year-old. Valeria's mother Martina explains that she herself was taught by Patric Scott at the Voice and Music Academy in Zurich: "Patric is a professional and a brilliant coach!".

Livio from Walenstadt has been attending Patric Scott's musical workshop for about five years. He says that at the beginning he went along with his older sister and that he enjoyed it so much that he still likes to attend the workshop. Livio himself aspires to a career in music. The 16-year-old currently attends the Sargans Cantonal School with a focus on music, plays the saxophone and loves to dance. Patric is a role model for him: "I love his music, he is a very good actor and workshop leader. I can really learn a lot from him."

Discovering and promoting talent from the region

Patric Scott has been leading the musical workshops for 10 years, since the beginning of the Südkultur-Pass. He was approached by project director Betty Grob at the time. "Betty has known me since I was a little boy. As a cultural worker and member of the regional cultural promotion organisation Südkultur, she has always been an important contact point for me," says Patric Scott. When he was a child, there were no opportunities to take professional dance and acting lessons in the region. "I always had to go to Zurich, Munich and Hamburg for workshops," Patric Scott remembers, "with the musical workshop I can now make it possible for young people in this area to do what I was missing back then." The fact that his musical workshops are fully booked every year shows that the need of children and young people for dancing and singing is big.

Patric Scott still enjoys working with the children and young people: "It's so cool to see how the kids come back every year and grown into teenagers and young adults." The 35-year-old is also constantly amazed at how many hidden talents the Sarganserland-Werdenberg region has to offer. "The Culture Pass is a talent factory. In our workshops, talents are discovered and promoted." He and his family have paid a lot of dues because they didn't know their way around the artistic industry. Patric Scott is keen to support talented children and young people. For example, he discovered the singer and actress Saphira Felix at one of the musical workshops. The now 20-year-old has performed with Patric Scott at various concerts and has appeared on the stage of Lake Walensee for the musical "Titanic", among others.

From the South Culture Pass to the Culture Pass

After ten successful years, the previous project leaders Betty Grob and Niki Wieser Schwalder handed over the management of the Südkultur-Pass to Patric Scott this year. He will be assisted by Stefanie Bollhalder, a trained kindergarten teacher, actress and board member of the Old Cinema in Mels. With the change in management, the Südkulturpass is no longer a direct offer of the Südkultur association. Nevertheless, Patric Scott and Stefanie Bollhalder can continue to count on the support of the regional cultural promotion foundation Südkultur. That is why children and adults will not have to pay anything for the workshops in the future. "We very much appreciate that Südkultur retains the sponsorship," says Patric Scott.

New workshops in autumn and for adults

As always, the Culture Pass takes place in the Sarganserland-Werdenberg region during the last week of the summer holidays. In addition to the musical workshop, the Culture Pass also offers a circus workshop and an acrobatics workshop with the talented Handstand Brothers from the canton of St. Gallen. There are also craft offerings such as felting or a stone art course at Sargans Castle, which becomes an all-day event with a snack from the castle restaurant.

Due to the great demand, the craft courses will now also be held for adults in the evening. "We even have requests for musical and acting workshops for adults," Patric Scott tells us promisingly. But before the offer for adults is expanded, Patric Scott is planning to hold another Culture Pass in the autumn holidays. As in the summer, the courses will take place in the last week of the holidays. "I am curious to see how this is received and am always open to ideas and input," says Patric Scott.

Grateful for the new tasks

His new tasks at the Kulturpass come just at the right time for Patric Scott. Like all artists, he is also suffering because of the Covid 19 pandemic. All his concerts and performances in the past year and a half have been cancelled. "Fortunately, I dance at many weddings", Patric Scott tries to find a positive aspect, "Thanks to Corona, I finally had time to write my first children's book". He could not just sit around doing nothing. He therefore used the pandemic to write another musical for Circus Knie as well as new songs. The children's book "Die verrückte Reise von Pönkergüggel Tom" and his new single "Bodytalk" will be published in 2021, his new CD in February 2022. Thanks to the current relaxation of the Corona measures, Patric Scott can now give smaller concerts again. In November, for example, the traditional Musical Dinner at Sargans Castle is on the programme. The 35-year-old is also planning to go on tour again next year. Patric Scott smiles: "I can hardly wait."

All information on the new culture pass: Kulturpass

All information on the regional cultural promotion association Südkultur: Südkultur

All information on the Swiss singer, actor and lecturer Patric Scott