Karlsruhe in danger: Cultural diversity threatened by budget cuts!

Karlsruhe in danger: Cultural diversity threatened by budget cuts!

The cultural scene in Karlsruhe is facing a serious challenge. On July 14, 2025, the city will draw attention to itself with planned budget cuts, and this will not only affect the cultural landscape, but also arouse the protest of the KSC ultras. Under the hashtag#it'sstillkarlsruheThey criticize the intended cuts, which could threaten ten of the city's 21 cultural institutions. These facilities are indispensable for diversity and democracy in Karlsruhe and contribute significantly to the city's attractiveness. The KSC and its supporters are pushing forward the petition to preserve these vibrant cultural niches, because the loss would not only have a serious impact on culture, but also on society as a whole.

The banner campaign by the KSC-Ultras in front of the Wildpark Stadium illustrates the plight: "For the preservation of a diverse cultural scene in Karlsruhe! #goesstillkarlsruhe". The banner has been hanging since July 12, 2025 and refers to the existential threat posed by a possible 10% cut in the city's cultural budget. “Such a cut would cost us 160,000 euros less for the independent scene and could put almost a third of the institutions in existential distress,” warns a representative of the cultural scene. Current figures show that only 3.8% of the city's total cultural budget of 63.1 million euros goes to the independent scene.

The voice of cultural institutions

A look at the affected institutions such as KOHI, Sau e.V., Sandkorn and tanzareal makes the dimensions of the cuts clear. Around 400,000 people visit these cultural institutions every year, and the loss of at least ten of them would not only be a financial blow, but also a cultural blow. “We appeal to the local council to reconsider the planned cuts and instead support the cultural ring with 1.3 million euros more,” is the call from the cultural workers. They are determined to further mobilize support for their campaign to secure culture.

But the situation is not limited to urban cuts alone. The future of culture is also being hotly debated at the federal level. The planned federal budget for 2025 provides for an increase in the budget for the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, while at the same time there is a threat of massive cuts to the federal cultural funds. These financial cuts particularly affect the independent scene and could lead to a loss of around 10 million euros in the performing arts sector Deutschlandfunk culture reported.

The Minister of State for Culture, Claudia Roth, is accused of making a dangerous shift in priorities in this area. Resistance to these cuts in the cultural scene is increasing; A petition, initiated by director Heinrich Horwitz, has collected over 36,000 signatures and shows that cultural funding - despite the increases in other cultural areas propagated by the federal government - is perceived as inadequate in the independent scene.

So Karlsruhe is not alone in its fight for cultural survival. The city emphasizes the importance of its cultural institutions, which shape the social fabric and cultural identity of the region. “We are in dialogue here and we will not give up” is the unmistakable credo of the committed cultural workers.