Berlin senate announces €947 million culture fund towards clubs and cultural spaces
The near billion Euro fund will be distributed in 2024
Berlin’s Senator for Culture has announced an enormous culture fund for 2024, which will go toward adding 500 new cultural spaces across the city, Euronews reports.
The move is part of a working project from Joe Chialo, the State Minister for Culture and Social Cohesion, who has pledged to continue upping the culture fund with hopes for a €1 billion budget in 2025.
The project has increased this year by €13 million up to a whopping €947 million (£813 million) - more than double that of the culture fund for the entirety of England in 2024.
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The fund will go toward adding 500 cultural spaces including clubs, venues, theatres, and museums to Berlin’s current 2,000 cultural venues, with a goal to double the amount of state-owned cultural space by 2030.
Funding will also be put into the renovation and expansion of the Komische Oper, a famous opera house and theatre off Brandenburger Tor.
Senate Chialo - who was previously the frontman in a heavy metal band before heading up the culture sector in Berlin in 2023 - has pledged to continue fighting for culture fund increases “in order to continue to ensure excellence in the future”.
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Speaking to Flux FM on July 12, Chialo explained: “The crisis that we are fighting now with lots and lots of money will last for a while,” he said in reference to the cost of living crisis and inflation. “The club operators can definitely count on my support.”
The move comes just months after the city senate implemented the ‘Jungendkulkarte’, a pre-paid card loaded with €50 which could be used to cover entrance fees for participating nightclubs, as well as a range of other cultural activities such as the theatre, museums and the cinema.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter
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