‘We will stabilise the financing of the Federal Cultural Foundation and all eight federal cultural funds.’ This is a clear statement in the coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD for the 21st legislative period of the German Bundestag from 2025 to 2028. However, this agreement has not been honoured in the case of the Fonds Soziokultur. It is the only federal cultural fund whose funding will be cut in 2026.
On 30 July 2025, Minister of State for Culture Weimer announced an increase in his budget in the government's draft federal budget for 2026 of around 10 per cent, or an additional 225 million euros, compared to the current year. The clear winners of this increase were the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and, in particular, film funding, whose budget was almost doubled to 250 million euros. The corresponding press release went on to say: "The federal cultural promotion funds will be stabilised in accordance with the agreement in the coalition agreement, which will benefit not only the six federal cultural promotion funds but also the amateur music fund and the festival promotion fund. In total, the eight funds will receive a budget of €28 million in 2026." This sounded good and seemed to be in line with the coalition's promise for the funding funds.
However, the draft budget of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) did not deliver on this promise:
The estimated individual budgets for the sectoral funds showed considerable unequal treatment of the funds. Five of the six sectoral funds experienced a significant increase of between 26 and 35 per cent compared to 2025 (e.g. Performing Arts Fund €7.6 million, Art Fund and Music Fund €3.9 million each). Only the Fonds Soziokultur was excluded from this positive development with €2.9 million.
What appeared to be stabilisation at first glance meant a targeted and massive reduction in funding for the Socio-Cultural Fund compared to previous years, thereby limiting its scope for action. Apparently, the reasoning given in the BKM press release for increasing the fund's funding did not apply to it: ‘This will strengthen the vibrant independent scene, which has a strong impact across the board. The cultural promotion funds are an important pillar of diversity and open up spaces for local discourse.’ This was an accurate description of the core competencies of the Socio-Cultural Fund. The German government's draft budget for 2026 has counteracted these achievements.
The work of the fund has been valued and supported by all previous commissioners for culture and media, regardless of their party affiliation. Its work is publicly recognised and transparent. Representatives of the BKM are involved in funding decisions. The funding cuts and unequal treatment of the Fund for Social and Cultural Affairs are incomprehensible and clearly a political decision by the Minister of State for Culture. The board, management and members of the fund have not received any justification for this decision.
The range of programmes for cultural participation is enormous: the fund has reliably administered the coronavirus aid provided by the BKM programme ‘Neustart Kultur’ (Restart Culture) in line with needs. The ‘Cultural Bridge’ programme, jointly supported by the fund, the Arts Councils in Great Britain, the British Council and the Goethe-Institut, is considered groundbreaking for bilateral cultural exchange. With its ‘Profil Soziokultur’ funding pillar, the fund supports the necessary transformation processes in institutions and organisations. The Berlin Museum Association is a cooperation partner for participation-oriented strategies for opening up museums. Together with the German Space Agency, the fund has launched a programme for technology transfer for artistic and cultural projects and institutions. The fund focuses in particular on developing young artists and appealing to a young audience. With its broad funding portfolio, the Fund for Socio-Culture mobilises additional own and third-party funds and contributes to stability and growth in the independent cultural scene.
The committees of Fonds Soziokultur have also raised the issue of the imbalance with other federal cultural funds in the 2026 draft budget with those responsible for cultural policy in the coalition factions of the Bundestag and pressed for a correction.
Although the fund's work is consistently valued, the outcome was sobering: the last chance to change the draft budget evaporated at the budget committee's so-called ‘reconciliation meeting’. While the other five federal cultural funds, which were already better endowed in the draft budget, were even granted additional funding of €2.5 million, Fonds Soziokultur once again came last in the parliamentary deliberations. Instead of the expected equal treatment with the other funds, which would have meant an increase of at least €1 million on the basis of the draft budget, only €378,000 was subsequently approved – a consolation prize. This means that the Fonds Soziokultur will have a total of €3.278 million at its disposal for 2026. Compared to 2024, this is a de facto reduction of almost half. While the other funds can look forward to some considerable increases compared to 2025, only Fonds Soziokultur has to accept a reduction in funding – and this despite the federal government's cultural budget having been expanded once again compared to the draft.
The extent to which the Culture Department will be able to open up further financial leeway within the framework of budget implementation is currently still open.
This situation leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the ‘stabilisation promise’ in the coalition agreement for the Fonds Soziokultur not being kept and is instead being reversed? Why, given the significant increases in funding in the Minister of State for Culture's budget, is it not possible to allocate a relatively modest sum to bring it into line with other funding programmes? What are the reasons for such blatant discrimination against the Fonds Soziokultur? Does sociocultural activity – for example, in sociocultural centres, youth art schools or media workshops – enjoy a lower cultural policy priority than other art forms and institutions? What signal is intended to be sent and what does this mean for this field of action?
One thing is clear: in 2026, the Fonds Soziokultur will have to severely restrict or even abandon its funding programmes. The victims will be the initiatives, projects and institutions that serve as models for an open society, for future generations, for active participation in the community, for democratic structures and for artistic and cultural participation, even in places and regions that are not reached by established cultural institutions.
‘Justice’ is one of the two guiding principles for the 2026 federal budget. We therefore urge the federal government to stabilise the Fonds Soziokultur in accordance with the provisions of the coalition agreement and not to treat it differently from other funds. Equal status applies to financial resources, but it is also an expression of appreciation in terms of content. It secures the fund's established work and sends a clear message: cultural participation, promoting young talent and social cohesion remain central concerns of the federal government's cultural policy.
Kurt Eichler
Chairman of the Fonds Soziokultur e.V.