Cultural gap: Berlin fights against the austerity measures in the theater!

Cultural gap: Berlin fights against the austerity measures in the theater!

In Berlin, cultural financing faces major challenges. The Senate cuts of almost 130 million euros in the cultural sector raise questions about how the promotion of theaters and other cultural institutions can be maintained in the future. The ruling mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) calls for more personal responsibility from the cultural institutions and a "change of mentality" to generate financial means through sponsorship and cooperation with the economy. "State Opera for everyone", a popular open-air concert supported by BMW, shows how successful such partnerships can be. But it remains questionable whether private sponsors can compensate for the massive savings in the public sector, such as rbbb24.de reported.

growing uncertainties in the cultural scene

artists: Interior and cultural workers who rely on the advisory services of "Kreativ Berlin" are increasingly struggling with existence, since for many low -threshold offers such as the free museum Sunday have been deleted from now on. Corinna Scheller from Kreativ Berlin emphasizes that the demands of trying more intensively to improve funding is perceived by the actors of the creative scene as cynical. Many cultural institutions already have structural difficulties in the acquisition of sponsors and financial means, which is reinforced by the current cuts. According to Kreativkultur.berlin not only the guidelines for funding, but also the personnel resources were missing to use them strategically.

The discussion about the need for stronger private means and sponsorship also refers to the question of what role culture plays in society and how far the commercialization can be interpreted. While smaller venues such as the Chameleon Theater are primarily dependent on private funds, larger houses such as the Hebbel on the bank generally receive less support from sponsors. It is clear that cultural promotion through private funds cannot be seen as an adequate replacement for public funds, as the experts unanimously emphasize. The future of cultural diversity in Berlin is on the brink and will largely depend on political decisions and the commitment of the economy.