Hamburg provides additional funding to independent cultural sector

An additional 680,000 euros are being made available by the Ministry of Culture and Media

Hamburg’s Ministry of Culture and Media has announced that it will be providing an additional 680,000 euros to support the city’s independent culture sector which has been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Independent artists – a key pillar of Hamburg’s identity

Officials in the city believe that independent artists are among the greatest contributors to Hamburg’s cultural sector, thus they are entitled to support during these difficult times.

As explained by Dr. Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media "The independent scene makes an indispensable contribution to multi-faceted cultural, artistic coexistence in this city. The past few months have shown how much we need the impetus and innovative power of this unmistakably diverse scene. This also includes strengthening artists across the independent scene, who have together formed the Off-Theatre Association."

As explained by Senator Brosda, the city will be working closely with Hamburg’s Off-Theatre Association - the Dachverband freie darstellende Künste., which will be providing a part of the funding allocated to the sector (200,000 euros) to independent artists under the slogan “Producing in the Corona Ear”. The financing can be used to cover both pandemic-related expenses as well as the costs of ongoing projects and events.

Additionally, several other sectors will receive additional funding as part of the Culture Ministry’s latest spending spree:

• funding for research in independent performing for freelance artists and project has been increased from 200,000 euros to 300,000
• project support as part of the Elbe culture fund has been bolstered by 500,000 euros going all the way up to a total of 750,000
• funding for guest performers will also be doubled from 30,000 euros to 60,000 euros

The latest increase in emergency funding for culture provided by Hamburg’s local authorities is yet another step taken by authorities meant to safeguard the sector and protect those who have been heavily impacted by the pandemic and have been unable to work for months.