Government budget allocations for cultural activities continue to progressively rise
New and Improved Cultural Spending Data
Germany shelled out a whopping 11.4 billion euros on culture in 2017, and that's some serious dough, folks! That's a 6.3 percent hike from 2016, giving our cultural endeavors a 700 million euros boost, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
Since 2010, public cultural spending in Germany has surged by a jaw-dropping 22.3 percent, with 2017 being no exception. The German government, states, and municipalities spent a jaw-dropping 138 euros per capita on culture that year, amounting to 0.35 percent of the nation's GDP.
Now, let's dive into the pie chart of cultural spending:
- Theater and music (34 percent): Our theater and music scene got a substantial chunk of the funding pie in 2017, setting the stage for impressive performances and concerts.
- Museums, collections, and exhibitions (19 percent): Paintings, sculptures, and ancient artifacts were not left out in the cold, receiving a generous slice of the funding cake.
- Libraries (14 percent): Don't underestimate the power of books! Libraries were a key recipient of cultural budgets in 2017.
The remaining third (32 percent) of the pie was divided among cultural affairs abroad, public art schools, monument preservation, other cultural preservation, and the administration of cultural affairs.
The municipalities held the purse strings tight with a hefty 44 percent of the funds, followed by the states with 39 percent and the federal government with a more modest 17 percent. Federal funds primarily reached cultural affairs abroad (35 percent), helping to fund the Goethe-Institut, among other projects.
Now, let's crunch some more numbers. Preliminary calculations projected that federal and state spending on culture would surge by a whopping 10.4 percent, from 6.4 billion euros in 2017 to 7.0 billion euros by 2019. Unfortunately, no preliminary results were available for the municipalities in 2019.
Better take out your wallets, folks, cause cultural spending in Germany's showing no signs of slowing down! 🎭🎶
Higher education institutions could potentially receive a portion of the increased government funding, as they offer programs in the arts and humanities which contribute to cultural development.
Investing in cultural sectors, such as theater, music, museums, and libraries, might lead to a positive impact on business and industry, as these sectors play an essential role in shaping local and national identities and fostering creativity, reflecting the nation's finance and economic health.
