Artists and cultural workers donned costumes as they participated in a rally to protest budget cuts in the culture sector, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday. REUTERS
Berlin's creative sector workers staged a vibrant protest on Wednesday against proposed cuts to cultural funding, fearing it would undermine the city's renowned clubs, theatres, and orchestras. Several hundred activists, including one dressed as a plucked turkey, gathered under overcast skies outside the German capital's iconic Brandenburg Gate. They cautioned against a "radical" 10-percent reduction in arts support starting next year in the city-state of Berlin, where venues are already grappling with escalating rental costs. Berlin's Club Commission, which represents the city's famous techno party hubs, reported that nearly half of all clubs are contemplating closure within the next 12 months due to rising rents and declining visitor numbers.
Artists and cultural workers wore masks as they attended a rally to protest budget cuts in the culture sector, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Wednesday. REUTERS
The group called for an "immediate halt to the planned cuts in the cultural budget" to preserve the scene. Classical musicians and theatre professionals have also joined the movement. In a letter signed by conductors Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle, and Joana Mallwitz, among others, the artists urged the city not to "undermine" the cultural sector. They argued that even a "minimal investment" in the arts yields a "maximum benefit" for the city's image. Cuts to project funding would spell "the death of Berlin culture," according to Muriel Nestler, 56, from Berlin's Costume Collective, who spoke to AFP at the demonstration. Nestler, dressed in a turkey costume typically used on theatre stages, warned that "infrastructure for the independent cultural scene" could be lost. For Patricia Roncoroni, 50, further cuts could lead to arts education for children in the city almost "disappearing." The planned savings are "totally unacceptable," said Roncoroni, a member of the parent-teacher association for Berlin's music schools.
Berlin State Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion Joe Chialo speaks on stage as artists and cultural workers attend a rally to protest against budget cuts in the culture sector, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, on Wednesday. REUTERS
Addressing the rally, Berlin's culture minister Joe Chialo referred to the cultural sector as Berlin's "heavy industry" but acknowledged that cuts were necessary to balance the budget. The conservative CDU party minister's speech was met with scattered boos from the crowd. Chialo stated that the savings needed to be "distributed fairly" across departments but emphasized that he wanted the cuts to be "manageable for everyone."
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