Stage Association Criticizes Berlin's Cultural Austerity Plans

In an open letter to Berlin's governing mayor, Kai Wegner, and senators Joe Chialo (culture) and Stefan Evers (finance), the Berlin Stage Association (Berliner Bühnenverein) has opposed austerity plans for the capital's cultural budget. Cuts of around 91 to 125 million pounds in each of the years 2025 and 2026 would amount to a clean sweep for culture in Berlin, the letter, sent on Wednesday to the three CDU politicians, stated. "The savings achieved in the city's smallest departmental budget are in blatant disproportion to the immense damage for which a high price will still be paid for decades to come."

If the austerity measures are implemented, opera, concert, and theatre houses would have to cut back their already planned and contractually agreed productions as much as possible. Houses organized under private law would even face insolvency. Cuts in project-related funding would hit the most vulnerable areas of the independent scene, as well as the performing arts, literature, visual arts, dance, and cultural education.

The stage association emphasized that the cuts would likely lead to widespread layoffs. Currently, 8.2 percent of the working population in Berlin is employed in the cultural sector. Economic sectors associated with culture, such as the hotel and restaurant industry, tourism, local transport, and retail, would also suffer severe losses.

Artists such as Daniel Barenboim, Annette Dasch, Lars Eidinger, Ulrich Matthes, Caroline Peters, and Sasha Waltz have endorsed the open letter. A petition can be signed online.