Over 3.2 million euros for independent culture in Chemnitz

At its meeting yesterday, the Culture Committee approved institutional and project-related cultural funding totalling 3.2 million euros for 2021. Prior to this, the Cultural Advisory Board of the City of Chemnitz had dealt extensively with the applications from cultural organisations in two meetings.

A total of 106 applications for funding were submitted to the cultural organisation. This meant that the original budget available for cultural funding was oversubscribed by around 2.6 million euros. This was a challenge not only for the cultural administration and the committees, but especially for the cultural organisations. Not all measures submitted could be (sufficiently) supported and not all losses and difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic could be compensated for. The confirmation that Chemnitz will be European Capital of Culture in 2025 is linked to many hopes and a high level of motivation on the part of the independent scene. In addition, the pandemic situation and the corresponding measures are making it extremely difficult to finance the organisers. For these reasons, the Cultural Advisory Board recommended to the Cultural Committee that €175,422 be made available for cultural funding in the City of Chemnitz budget in addition to the administrative proposal for this year. This is primarily intended to support projects that could not take place without the funding.

With the approx. 3.2 million euros currently available, the Culture Committee was able to approve 95 grants for institutional and project-related cultural funding for 2021 from the total of 106 applications received. The funds for public projects by institutions, associations and for projects will flow into the areas of museum work, performing arts, music, visual and applied arts, film/media, literature, socioculture, local history and youth culture. For example, the following organisations are supported for their ongoing operations and cultural activities:

Sächsisches Eisenbahnmuseum e. V., DeutschesSPIELEmuseum e. V., the Arctic-Alpine Garden in Glösa, the Fritz Theatre, the Küchwaldbühne e. V. and Sächsische Mozart-Gesellschaft e. V. associations, Sächsisches Sinfonieorchester Chemnitz e. V., Singakademie Chemnitz e. V., Kunstverein LATERNE e. V., Neue Chemnitzer Kunsthütte e. V., Klub Solitaer e. V., Marianne-Brandt-Gesellschaft e. V., the Clubkino Siegmar (Chemnitzer Filmwerkstatt e. V.), the Sächsische Kinder- und Jugendfilmdienst e. V., the WELTECHO supporting associations (Oscar e. V. and Das Ufer e. V.), the socio-cultural organisations Kraftwerk e. V. and Arthur e. V., Bandbüro Chemnitz e. V., Heimatverein Grüna e. V. and Schnitzverein Grüna e. V. for operating the Folklorehof.

It is particularly pleasing that, in addition to the institutionally funded organisations, a total of 59 projects can be subsidised. These include, for example

• TANZ/MODERNE/TANZ
• ASA FF e. V. - new undiscovered narratives (2025)
• Theatre association FRONT e. V. - MANöVER Off Europa: Masterpieces
• Evangelical Lutheran Superintendency of Chemnitz - Church Music 2021
• Sächsischer Musikbund e. V. - Contemporary music creation in Saxony
• Kukaye Moto Culture Centre e. V. - Karl-Mixer-Mob music festival
• Begehungen e. V. - Begehungen
• Wiederbelebung kulturellen Brachlandes e. V. - EX:IN Experimental Instrumentation
• Fuego e. V. - Fuego a la isla
• Branchenverband der Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft Chemnitz u. U. e. V. - Der Hang zur Kultur 5
• Die Süder e. V. - [°REC]ked 2021
• Association "Days of Jewish Culture in Chemnitz" e. V. - 30th Days of Jewish Culture 2021

A new feature is the creation and safeguarding of a reserve fund totalling 50,000 euros, which was created on the basis of the new guidelines for cultural funding. Accordingly, applications for small project funding of up to 2,000 euros can now be submitted on the service portal of the Free State of Saxony Office 24. Applications are submitted digitally and are intended to enable quick and uncomplicated project funding. Further information can be found at www.chemnitz.de/kulturfoerderung.

With the 2021 cultural funding, the City of Chemnitz hopes to support associations, initiatives and individual artists to get through the crisis despite the massive impact of the pandemic and to once again enable a lively, colourful and exciting cultural life in all its facets.