On September 2, 2026, the City of Cologne will publish its new draft budget. The panel discussion will use this as an opportunity for an initial assessment: What consequences will the planned expenditures and budget cuts have for Cologne’s cultural landscape? And is the allocation of public funds still appropriate for today’s times?
A significant portion of the municipal culture budget has traditionally gone to the city’s cultural institutions and orchestras. At the same time, independent ensembles, initiatives, festivals, clubs, and performance venues operate on significantly smaller budgets and often under precarious conditions. The long-running renovation of the Cologne Opera and its substantial cost overruns are further intensifying the debate over priorities and societal acceptance of public funding for the arts.
The panel will discuss what a sustainable cultural budget might look like: How can large institutions be secured while at the same time providing fairer and more reliable support for independent organizations? What lessons have been learned from the delays in the 2025/2026 biennial budget? And how can cultural policy be more strongly oriented toward participation, cultural diversity, and new public spheres, without evaluating art solely based on attendance figures, popularity, or market logic?
Kathrin Pechlof – Moderation
Sonja Tewinkel – Kulturdezernentin der Bezirksregierung Köln,
Maria Helmis-Arendt – kulturpolitische Sprecherin der SPD-Fraktion und Bürgermeisterin der Stadt Köln,
Brigitta von Bülow – kulturpolitische Sprecherin der Grünen-Fraktion und Bürgermeisterin der Stadt Köln,
Dr. Juana von Stein – Leiterin des Kulturamtes der Stadt Köln,
Camille Buscot – Geschäftsführerin der Deutschen Jazzunion.