The cuts announced on November 19 are a shock for the whole of Berlin. The cultural sector has been hit particularly hard. The second smallest budget - with only 2.1% of Berlin's total budget - is experiencing disproportionately harsh cuts of €136 million, which go well beyond the announced cuts of 10%. Many institutions and programs are even to be completely abolished with 100% cuts within a few weeks. Others are threatened with such massive cuts that they are also facing closure. Places in the already precarious independent scene and programs and institutions that work on diversity and inclusion are particularly affected. Initiatives that focus on cultural education and artistic research in decentralized neighbourhoods have been hit just as hard. In times of legal pressure, threats to democracy and increasing isolation, this poses a major threat to the cohesion of society throughout the city. You don't create a sustainable city by tearing down structures that have grown over many years for a diverse, fairer society that is oriented towards the common good!
We are protesting against this! In front of the Berlin House of Representatives, during the meeting of the Culture Committee Where: Berlin House of Representatives, Niederkirchnerstraße 5 |
In the coalition agreement “The Best for Berlin” (2023-2026), the governing parties CDU and SPD made a binding commitment to diversity and inclusion and pledged to maintain the Diversity Fund, for example. The Senate has decided to continuously dismantle barriers for people with disabilities in order to do justice to the diversity of Berlin's urban society. The massive cuts show that this was obviously just lip service: IMPACT, Berlin Mondiale and the Foundation for Continuing Cultural Education and Cultural Consulting are being completely abolished - and with them the Diversity Arts Culture project office for diversity development. The massive cuts threaten other cultural venues, cultural education work that is critical of discrimination and funding formats such as the Berlin Project Fund for Cultural Education or the Berlin Artistic Research Program. In addition, those who have been promoting topics such as diversity, anti-discrimination and colonial reappraisal for years with their programs and their commitment with and in civil society in already voluntary and precarious structures, such as Sinema Transtopia, SAVVY Contemporary and Each One Teach One (EOTO) e. V..
These drastic cuts will not only result in the loss of thousands of jobs and contracts for Berlin entrepreneurs. They are also tearing massive gaps in an accessible and anti-discriminatory cultural program, eliminating important advisory and training centers and erasing knowledge and structures that have grown over decades in one fell swoop. The cuts are not only slowing down Berlin's future viability, they are setting back the city's development by decades.
The planned cuts are an attack on social cohesion that could not be more disastrous in times of the strengthening of right-wing forces and the erosion of democracy! While the coalition discussed “further opportunities for accessibility in culture” in the Culture Committee on Monday, the following day it effectively abolished inclusion and diversity with the budget cuts.
The lack of transparency and communication regarding the upcoming cuts is irresponsible and undemocratic. Contrary to claims that Culture Senator Joe Chialo had spoken to the affected stakeholders, hardly any preparatory discussions took place. On the contrary: many institutions and programs were given a sense of security when they asked the cultural administration themselves. They were told that they would only be affected by cuts of 10% at most, if at all. It was not the administration but the press that informed the institutions and projects of the cuts that threatened their very existence. Announcing such massive cost-cutting measures on January 1, 2025 at such short notice makes rescheduling impossible. This will not be possible, especially for the larger institutions, and will lead to further enormous financial burdens.
Instead of worrying about the city's future viability, as the governing mayor Kai Wegner claims, he is destroying the foundations for it. For months, stakeholders from the cultural sector have been offering their expertise in order to jointly develop strategies on how savings can be implemented in a responsible and legally secure manner. Without involving them professionally, the Senate has now decided on far-reaching cuts single-handedly. Even Senator for Culture Joe Chialo admits this.
We call on the state government to adjust the upcoming budget cuts in the cultural budget and to immediately withdraw the impending liquidation of institutions and programs!
We demand this in solidarity with the social institutions and youth work initiatives that are also disproportionately affected by cuts.
The “best for Berlin” is a solidary, responsible and democracy-preserving coexistence. The creators and workers of Berlin's cultural landscape deserve a cultural senator who stands up for them and these values.
Ver.di, Rat für die Künste, Berlinklusion and Migrationsrat Berlin e.V.
Press contact: Ed Greve, Referent für Antidiskriminierung, Migrationsrat Berlin
017699114943, ed.grevenoSpam@migrationsrat.de
ver.di, Rat für die Künste, Berlinklusion & Migrationsrat Berlin e.V.
It affects us all:
Karneval der Kulturen
Urbane Praxis e.V.
SAVVY Contemporary e.V.
Berlin Mondiale
ZK/U - Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik
Sinema Transtopia
VTheA. – Verband der Theaterautor:innen