Thursday, 14 November
Thousands rally against Berlin’s culture sector austerity plans
On Wednesday morning, thousands gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to protest anticipated cuts to Berlin’s cultural budget. Organisers reported about 3,000 attendees, while police estimated about 1,000. The rally included representatives from Berlin’s theaters and clubs, as well as actors Katharina Thalbach, Lars Eidinger and Alexander Scheer.
The demonstration was led by a coalition of cultural institutions, including the Staatsoper and the Volksbühne, with performances from choirs and dancers. Thalbach quoted former President Richard von Weizsäcker, reminding the crowd that culture is not a luxury, and the Grips Theatre performed a song from the Berlin musical Linie 1.
The city’s black-red coalition is planning extensive citywide budget cuts for 2025, and cultural organisations fear that they may face up to a 10 percent reduction in funding. At 2.1 percent, the cultural budget is already the smallest in Berlin’s overall allocations. Such cuts, they argue, would lead to a loss of almost 10 percent of jobs in the cultural sector. Demonstrators expressed, “Every euro that is invested in culture is an investment in the future of the city.”
Berlin’s club culture, however, is under immediate threat as the austerity plans tighten their grip on the already oppressive situation, according to the Club Commission, which represents over 100 clubs. A recent survey revealed that 46 percent of clubs are considering closure within the next year – a figure that has doubled since February. A steady decline in visitor attendance, rising costs, and a lack of state support are squeezing these venues, with 61 percent of clubs reporting significant losses. High-profile closures of clubs like Renate and Watergate underscore the financial pressures faced by the sector, with over 87 percent of clubs reporting substantial operating costs.
