Culture is what Berlin thrives upon. It is the driving force behind our city’s economy, our own form of heavy industry. Every euro invested in culture is an investment in the future of this city. We urgently appeal to Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, Senator for Finance Stefan Evers, Senator for Culture Joe Chialo, Parliamentary Party Leader Dirk Stettner, Parliamentary Party Leader Raed Saleh, and all Berlin’s parliamentary representatives: avert the planned cuts to the cultural sector!
Berlin is facing a drastic change of direction: the threatened slashing of the city’s culture budget by 10 % in 2025 and 2026 would be a massive step backwards. Making up only 2.1 % of Berlin’s overall public budget, culture is the smallest sector – yet cutting it by up to € 140 million per annum would have grave consequences. Alongside a major drop in income and the resulting threat to the city’s economy, the jobs of the 8.2 % of Berliners who work in the culture sector are under threat.
Berlin thrives on its cultural diversity, which ensures social cohesion and quality of life here, and is part of its appeal abroad. More than 50 % of tourists come to the city for its unique range of arts and culture. Sectors like hospitality and retail depend on us to keep Berlin attractive for visitors.
Culture provides a wide range of social spaces for encounters and dialogue. On stages, in galleries, in libraries and project spaces, on the street or in clubs: this diversity is what makes Berlin a vibrant and open city, a hub of cultural sites for its many communities, a magnet for the international arts scene and a unique place to live. The work of the independent arts community, established cultural institutions across the board, amateur practitioners, Berliners and international guests is in constant dialogue, and interwoven in myriad ways. The result is the unique attraction of our cultural landscape.
We stand together in solidarity. We refuse to be pitted against each other for funding! Let’s take a stand for continued investment in culture because we understand: Berlin’s culture is not a “nice to have” – it is the beating heart of our city.
Experience Berlin´s art and cultural community in all its diversity and join us in a demonstration outside the city’s parliament building on Niederkirchnerstrasse 5, 10117 Berlin, from 10 AM to 1 PM on 13 November 2024.
Further information and regular updates can be found at: berlinistkultur.de as well as on Facebook and Instagram. For general questions, please contact us at: info@berlinistkultur.de For press inquiries, please contact: presse@berlinistkultur.de