Culture war in Berlin: How Vienna is becoming the new cultural power!

Culture war in Berlin: How Vienna is becoming the new cultural power!

The Berlin Cultural Senate is planning drastic cuts in the cultural budget of 130 million euros for the coming year, which could lead to an unexpected cultural decline in the German capital. This decision was criticized by Monika Grütters, the former Minister of State for Culture, as “heartless and mindless” and represents an alarming development. In an appeal to politicians, Burg actress Caroline Peters describes Berlin as a city on the way to becoming a “Prussian military training area without any appeal”. These basement tones increase concerns about the future of culture in Berlin, in contrast to Vienna, where the promotion of art is flourishing. In Vienna, 23 percent more was made available for culture in the 2024/25 double budget, including special programs and new venues that bring a breath of fresh air.

Berlin's austerity measures not only provoked resistance, but also led to a public mourning rally in which people marched through the city with grave candles to mourn the "death" of Berlin culture. The main people responsible for this alleged cultural murder are the governing mayor Kai Wegner and his culture senator Joe Chialo from the CDU, who have to justify the budget cuts while the previous red-red-green coalition is attacked for their financial problems. Given that Berlin still maintains a cultural budget of almost one billion euros, the question remains: How will this crisis affect the city's cultural diversity?
In Vienna, on the other hand, the New State Opera recently opened and plans are being made to build a new musical theater at the Prater, which is considered one of the most important venues in Austria. Over €137 million is being invested in the theaters and residents of the city are regularly offered opportunities to visit the cultural institutions free of charge, revitalizing cultural life. How WORLD reported, the strategies in Vienna to rethink art with public and private funding seem more promising than the current Berlin efforts to shrink culture and demand personal responsibility.
Also t online highlights that Berlin stands on a cultural foundation that is largely supported by national projects and funding, while local cuts have the potential to limit the city's cultural experience in the long term. Numerous theaters in Berlin are currently suspending theaters and the reviews could become fewer, which is likely to have a serious impact on the visibility of the art scene.