Cultural crisis in Berlin: artists' fees endangered by fund cuts!

Cultural crisis in Berlin: artists' fees endangered by fund cuts!

Berlin's municipal galleries are facing a profound upheaval as the fund for exhibition fees for visual artists (Fabik) will be canceled from 2026. This fund, which has been financed with 650,000 euros annually since 2016, has enabled galleries to pay artists fees for their work. The upcoming cuts lead to uncertainty for artists and exhibition venues who rely on this financial support, as [rbb24] reports.

The 37 municipal galleries in Berlin, most of which are free and aimed at all age groups, have established themselves as important institutions for cultural education and participation. They not only offer exhibitions in various artistic disciplines, but also educational opportunities and studio spaces. Birgit Cauer from the Professional Association of Visual Artists Berlin (BBK) explains that the loss of this fee fund represents a serious cut in the earning potential of many artists.

Impact of the cut in the Fabik fund

With the cancellation of the Fabik Fund, it will be difficult for many artists to meet the requirements of the Artists' Social Fund (KSK), which requires a minimum annual working income. Artists currently receive 2,500 euros from the fund for solo exhibitions and 400 to 800 euros for group exhibitions, which usually only cover material and production costs.

Stéphane Bauer, the director of the Bethanien art space, expresses concerns that the cuts will lead to a reduction in the number of exhibitions and artists. Despite an increase in the budget for district galleries by 300,000 euros by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, it remains uncertain how these funds will be used in the future, as there is no direct connection to fees.

Criticism of Berlin's cultural policy

The decision to cancel the fund is seen by many as a loss for the art scene in Berlin. Birgit Cauer criticizes the cuts in Berlin's cultural funding and the resulting precarious living situation for artists. It remains to be seen to what extent Stéphane Bauer will continue to pay compensation in order to avoid loss of quality in the exhibitions.

The exhibition fee fund was introduced in 2016 and enabled artists who exhibit in Berlin's municipal galleries to receive fair remuneration for their creative work. Until 2018, these fees were reserved exclusively for artists residing in Berlin, but since then all artists have benefited from them, regardless of their place of residence, which underlines the reach and importance of the fund. The BBK Berlin was intensively involved in the development of this model, which is based on individual fee contracts.

In the past, the Senate's cultural administration has also supported Berlin's cultural landscape with around 600 million euros per year. Around 95% of the budget goes to over 70 permanently institutionally supported cultural institutions. Nevertheless, project funding, which only makes up around 5% of the budget, remains crucial for supporting individual and project initiatives in the independent scene, as explained in more detail on berlin.de.