We were lucky to catch up with Bianca Waechter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Bianca, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? And what do you think it takes to be happy as an Artist? 

The creative life is a life of many Ups and Downs. I thought about changing professions many times. But I keep discovering that I am not much good at anything else. I lack the passion. It would be naïve to say that only the creative fields require a lot of stamina. Every field does. And without passion I would not have the stamina that it takes. So, Acting it is.

However, what makes the artistic lifestyle especially difficult, is the lack of stability. I graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in 2019. My year in New York after graduation was filled with desperation and pressure. I was floating from project to project, mainly creating my own projects because it seemed impossible to get an audition or agent. I was lucky enough that my parents continued to support me. So, it seemed like a waste of time to get a day job like waitering or bartending. I wanted to focus all my energy on my Art. But since I felt like I was not making great Art and not really earning money, I felt like a total failure.

But I held onto the dream of staying in New York, a dream that became more and more desperate each day because of the added stress of applying for the Artist Visa. Finally, two events gave me the final push to leave New York. One: The police had broken into our East Village apartment because my roommate had another suicide attempt. Two: I had dream about my dog. After my roommates’ second suicide attempt I got scared of her and decided I had to move out anyway when the lease ends. In my dream my dog was dying, and that gave me the final push. I saw it as a sign to go back to Europe. Back to Austria.

A decision that was not easy to follow through. Despite all the pressure, New York was my city. I grew up in that city, had my best friends in that city, learned so much, met so many crazy people. It was the city where I saw my creative life in.

And then I was back home in Vienna suddenly. In my heart I knew it was the right decision, but I felt like I had just given up on my dream. I felt like a failure.

Skipping ahead to the initial question: Am I happy as an Artist? I am finally getting there. Being happy as an Artist has a lot to do with self-worth. For very long I had no faith in my artistic abilities. Back in Europe I first had to get my American Acting degree verified as equally good to the German state education. Otherwise I would not be able to audition because I would not count as a trained actor. I auditioned for the state agency. Four years of Acting training put into three monologues. Very daunting. The final judgement: Am I an actor or not? Turns out, slightly to my surprise, I was. They approved me. That was a first step in feeling like I am a real actor. After 2 years of getting to know the German acting market and, once again, floating around from project to project with many Ups and Downs in my mental health, I now am finally employed at a theatre. In Germany there is a wonderful thing called “Festengagement”, when you are permanently part of the ensemble of a theatre. That means no more floating around. A real job. At least as real of a job as you could have as an Artist.

I am actually… wait for it… a working actor. For now.

What does being an Artist mean to you?

Being an Artist to me means staying curious, playing, growing. It can be the best job in the world, if you don’t let the pressure get to you. You get to live your inner child every day, if you want. And to stay happy as an artist what you need is self-worth. To know your worth and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Bianca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Always on the Move. That is my motto. I feel stuck quickly. Which is probably one of the reasons I chose to be an Actor. Another reason is to connect with people. From all over the world. Through theatre you don’t even need language. Even in High School I always felt connected to my fellow classmates through theatre.

I am from Austria, Vienna originally. I grew up in Austria and then went to study Acting at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Before that I did a gap year and went to Peru to work at a social project. Within my Acting degree I did a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. For the past 3 years I have lived in Berlin and now I am employed at a theatre in Germany, Singen, called “Die Faerbe”.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

A book that significantly impacted me is The Alchemist by Paolo Cuelho. The book sort of found me. I saw it lying on a park bench in Berlin and it spoke to me. A day later I saw it in a little bookstore that I passed. So I bought it. And it sort of became my bible. It’s a biblical story about a young shepherd going on his journey to find a treasure. Whenever I feel lost in my path, I pick this book to give me strength in my own journey.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Art to me is Courage. The Courage to get to know myself and share it with others. To show my dark sides openly and proud and through them connect to the audience. From soul to soul.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bianca-waechter.com
• Instagram: biancawae
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChi_W-41gadIEAs-o6JiCxQ

Image Credits
Annemone Taake