Dear Chairman of the Group,

The coronavirus pandemic is only just over. In this historic crisis situation, the central importance of culture was emphasized across party lines and, in a joint effort by all levels of government, Wiesbaden has succeeded in preserving most of its cultural institutions.

This makes what we are now experiencing all the more frightening: The cultural workers and the institutions they support are exposed to a downward slide that is taking them from support to absolute hardship.

The key points of the cultural development plan, unanimously adopted by the STVV in 2022, were subsequently not implemented: a dynamization of institutional subsidies in line with the rate of inflation and long-term prospects through a multi-year funding commitment by the city. Independent project funding has fallen from an annual budget of €500,000 in 2023 to a budget of €120,000 in the current draft budget for 2025.

Independent culture is of central importance because the institutions and projects supported by civil society commitment will not be resurrected once they have been forced to give up. In addition, new expectations are being placed on culture from almost all areas. For example, there is no current urban development congress at which the special importance of culture is not emphasized.

With this letter, we would like to refer once again to our appeal of September 3, 2025, in which we listed key priorities for the consultations. These are

1. to increase the institutional grants by € 608,950 for 2025 in accordance with the recommendations of the expert commission appointed by the municipal council (see submission: 23-V-41-0011 Institutional funding for culture budget 2024-25)
2. to increase the free project funds of the Cultural Office by the shortfall to the amount actually planned in the 2022/2023 double budget, i.e. by € 380,000 for 2025.
3. To make the maintenance funds in the amount of € 750,000 available again for the cultural sector in 2025

However, it is also inconceivable for the Wiesbaden Cultural Advisory Council that the "further requirements" listed in the consultation documents for the cultural budget will not be financed. These include, for example

• funding for the World Design Capital 2026 - a project that is causing a worldwide sensation. The participation of the state capital of Wiesbaden in the funding program for the entire Rhine-Main region requires a financial contribution from the city, but has not yet been budgeted for.
• Equipping the Kunsthaus with the necessary funds to be able to hold exhibitions and events in the rooms that will be available again after almost 10 years of renovation.
• Funds for the purchase of books for the city libraries, which has been stagnating for years. Funds for the Wiesbaden Music and Art School to enable children to learn to play an instrument.
• A cultural development plan adopted by all parliamentary groups, which expresses everyone's desire to strengthen Wiesbaden as a city of culture. It is of little value if it cannot be updated and implemented.

The current development threatens to worsen from budget to budget. We all know that the cultural life of a city today has many tasks that cannot be described only in narrow categories. We would therefore like to encourage you to look for new ways of support.

New and high expectations are being placed on culture: From economic development (keyword: inner city development), the strategists of district development, the marketing forces to boost tourism, the start-ups that need cultural life as a stimulus potential for the creative industries, the providers of social integration of people into urban society and, last but not least, the classic instances of cultural education for the next generation (city library, music and art school, etc.) How is it to meet this demand if we fix the cultural budget and do not prioritize it?

We are not ignoring the budget situation. New challenges require new solutions. The public debate shows us that a lot is expected of culture. As the Cultural Advisory Board, we see that those working in the cultural sector are prepared to accept this demand - if the conditions are created.