Kiel's cultural scene in danger: Massive cuts for Gaarden decided!

Kiel's cultural scene in danger: Massive cuts for Gaarden decided!

Kiel. The city administration brings plans to reduce funding for the art and creative industries in the Gaarden district. This is done as part of a report on the “Gaarden Hoch 10” project, which many citizens were looking forward to, but the concern for the future of cultural funding is now in the foreground.

The city of Kiel is forced by the local authority due to a warning shot to realize drastic savings in the coming financial year 2025. Renate Treutel, the city's cultural director, said on Wednesday evening that these cuts would include many areas: "All policy fields are affected," she emphasizes and confesses that this is an unpleasant task for the administration.

Cuts by almost 50 percent in view

In 2024, the culture in Kiel was supported with around 350,000 euros. Around 100,000 euros of these means alone were for creative projects in Gaarden, such as an action in which broken glass was processed into mosaics in Vinetaplatz. However, massive cuts are now imminent; In total, only around 120,000 euros are to be made available, which means considerable cuts for the creatively working people in the district. On average, the initiatives in Gaarden have so far received 55,000 euros from various sources of support.

thilo Pfennig from the cultural initiative Gaarden expresses serious concerns. He sees the livelihood of many artists and creative creators at risk. "The affected funds are an essential part of the total funding," said Pfennig. Barbara Geist, who works in the Gaarden Cultural and Creative Council, emphasizes that art and culture are particularly important in an area regarded as a “problem city part”. "Culture offers a decisive positive counterpoint to the problems that exist in the society of this district," it continues.

The cultural scene in Gaarden is horrified by the announced cuts. The Head of Treuel assures that the districts in the household negotiations should not be played against each other. "There are many problems in Mettenhof and in other parts of the city, and I cannot show prejudices or advantages over a certain district," she explains. The final decision on the funding will be made in the upcoming council meeting on Thursday.

This development has led to a large outcry in the local art scene, and the affected actors are already involved in discussions in order to find possible solutions. Another report on the topic deals with the exact effects of cutting on the creative projects in Gaarden, which are of great importance for the citizens and the cultural identity of the district. For detailed information on the upcoming decisions, see the comprehensive article on www.kn-online.de .

The situation remains tense, while the artists and cultural workers are waiting for the decisions of the council meeting. The cuts could have far -reaching consequences for the cultural landscape of Kiel and especially for the Gaarden district, whose creative initiatives are often seen as the heart of the quarter.