Vienna's Cultural Year 2024: Successes, challenges and more access!

Vienna's Cultural Year 2024: Successes, challenges and more access!

On June 23, 2025, the Vienna City Council discussed the 2024 financial statements, which reflect the positive development of cultural policy in the city. GR Thomas Weber from NEOS emphasized how art functions as a central component of democracy and cannot be considered a mere luxury. He emphasized the values ​​of freedom, responsibility and diversity in cultural policy, while authoritarian systems perceive art as a threat because it raises critical questions. In this context, he called for vigilance to prevent art from being misused as a tool for identity politics.

The financial statements also document the successes that the city has achieved in recent years. Projects such as the new Vienna Museum, which attracted 650,000 visitors and offers free entry to the permanent exhibition, illustrate the efforts to improve access to art and culture for the population. Anchor centers in the city provide low-threshold offerings, such as the “Young Theater Vienna” project, which creates special theater offerings for young people and families in the outskirts.

Support and challenges

The level of support for youth and club culture was also addressed. A new sound system for the Arena Vienna is intended to further promote this sector. At the same time, the importance of spaces for queer culture of remembrance was underlined. Last year, MA 7 processed an impressive 6,870 funding applications and over 82,000 business items, which proves the high demand for cultural support.

The discussion also included various perspectives on future cultural policy. GR Ursula Berner from the GREENS criticized the existing financing and called for more transparency and a fairer distribution of funding. She pointed out the 57.5 million euros that were made available for the United Theaters in Vienna. Their call for strengthening local infrastructure and fair working conditions for cultural workers was supported by various speakers.

In a critical remark, GR Lukas Brucker from the FPÖ questioned the current tendency towards political agitation in art. Also GR Dr. Michael Gorlitzer from the ÖVP expressed concerns about research funding and called for more transparency when inviting controversial figures to cultural events.

Cultural dimension at EU level

When discussing cultural policy, it is important to take into account the importance of the European interface. At EU level, the European Commission has identified six policy priorities in the field of culture between 2019 and 2024, including promoting cultural participation and strengthening the cultural and creative sectors. These political guidelines emphasize the essential role of culture in society and its contribution to social justice issues and to safeguarding Europe's cultural heritage.

With initiatives such as the Creative Europe program, the EU aims to support the arts and creative industries and create new international perspectives. These measures not only strengthen the local cultural sector, but also promote jobs and economic growth in Europe.

The measures set out in the new Work Plan for Culture 2023-2026 aim to actively shape Europe's cultural future. Through cultural cooperation in the areas of education, research and social policies, Europe's common cultural heritage is preserved and at the same time cooperation in an international context is consolidated.