“Die Berliner sind unfreundlich und rücksichtslos, ruppig und rechthaberisch, Berlin ist abstoßend, laut, dreckig und grau, Baustellen und verstopfte Straßen, wo man geht und steht – aber mir tun alle Menschen leid, die nicht hier leben können!”
(Berliners are unfriendly and inconsiderate, rude and bossy, Berlin is repulsive, loud, dirty and grey, construction sites and congested streets wherever you go – but I feel sorry for all the people who can’t live here!)
— Anneliese Bödecker
When art is expression, often political, can it still thrive in Berlin’s current landscape?
There was a time when Berlin was one of the cheapest capital cities in Europe, attracting people from around the world seeking freedom and a place to express themselves. Those who weren’t artists before often discovered their creativity here.
But Berlin has changed: the city we knew is no longer. A coffee can now cost 5 euros, and chains have replaced the unique, independent cafes that once defined the city’s charm. Since Angela Merkel’s departure, billions of taxpayers’ money have been funnelled into supporting wars, while simultaneously claiming to address the climate crisis. Where questioning war narratives, preferences given to certain refugees, or limits to sanctions is often met with hostility, censorship, or the denial of a platform, where can artists find their voice?
What will Berlin look like without its art? The city has cut €130 million in cultural funding, and cancelled Gallery Sunday — does art become a culture for those who can afford its increasingly limited expression in the city? Oyoun, a cultural venue dedicated to decolonial, queer*feminist, and migrant perspectives, has closed after its funding was slashed, with its challenges beginning in late 2023, when it planned to host the activist collective Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East. Despite winning its case against the planned funding cuts in court, the venue’s closure highlights how cultural spaces critical of state politics are increasingly penalised.
As the cultural budget tightens and anything critical of the state’s political stances is punished or silenced, art risks becoming a privilege available only to those with the means to access its constricted expression. Will Berlin’s artists survive through external funding? And to what extent do the same political limitations also govern these external sources?
At the same time, the demand for housing has soared and rents have skyrocketed, with many struggling to find a flat (despite over 40,000 existing “empty flats”, not to mention those also used for holiday housing). For many, survival now demands a full-time job, leaving little time—or energy—for artistic expression.
Meanwhile, the city is pushing plans to build on Tempelhofer Feld despite citizens voting against it in 2014 and reaffirming their stance in 2024, threatening the sustainable education project Floating University also with eviction.
Thousands have protested under the banner of #BerlinIstKultur, warning that these cuts endanger the city’s vibrant arts scene and global cultural identity. Hope for reversing these decisions may rest in sustained public pressure, solidarity movements, or even a new election bringing leadership more aligned with prioritising the arts. However, with Germany heading into a recession, public funding may become even scarcer.
Can artists find subtle ways to voice their dissent without facing cancellation? The path forward is unclear, but the city’s legacy as a beacon of creativity and freedom is not entirely lost. Grassroots movements, community initiatives, and international collaborations can continue to provide spaces for creative expression, even as official channels become more restricted. Art, at its core, is imagination—it challenges the commodification of life, pushing us to view the world through a new lens and transcend boundaries.
Could alternative forms of currency, such as blockchain and NFTs, provide new avenues for financial support? As artists turn to emerging technologies like VR and AR, they explore new ways to monetise their work and engage broader audiences. While these new technologies bring opportunities, it’s important they complement, not replace, the essence of art, ensuring that the digital world doesn’t overshadow the real world or diminish the authenticity of creative expression.
But as history goes, Berlin’s artists will find ways to push back against the constraints, forging new paths to ensure their voices are never silenced. It’s not just about the physical spaces, but the collective energy and mindset of its people that keeps the city’s creative spirit alive.
Further Reading