Culture needs adequate funding, especially for the preservation of non-profit cultural institutions. After the town hall cooperation presented the proposals for the city's draft budget on October 21, some concerns - such as the threat of further cuts to project funding - have now been alleviated. After all, a third of the sum recommended by the jury, namely €235,000, was added to the institutional grants. It was also announced that all grants would be increased in line with the rate of inflation. The specific amount for this has not yet been determined. This represents another important step towards implementing Wiesbaden's cultural development plan. However, according to the Cultural Advisory Council, the subsidies will still not be adequate with the planned decisions on the cultural budget.

The share of cultural expenditure in the total volume of the municipal budget has been falling continuously and alarmingly for some time, from 3.6 percent (2023) to 3.19 percent (2024) and then to 2.99 percent (2025). With the current draft budget, this percentage is falling again. And with it, the relevance of culture, which would actually need a counter-trend in order to have a realistic chance of sustainable existence in times of financial crisis, is declining.

This Wiesbaden trend ranks unfavorably in a comparison of major Hessian cities and their cultural expenditure: Wiesbaden is "second to last" in terms of spending on culture per inhabitant. "We have a nominally increasing budget and rising income in the city," says Dr. Helmut Müller, Chairman of the Cultural Advisory Board. "People always like to praise culture. But there is a much simpler way to express appreciation: More money. You can see the good will in the cultural budget proposals, but the increases are not enough to cover the needs after massive cost increases in recent years. And the bottom has not yet been reached."

The free project funds are to rise to €200,000, which experience has shown is not enough for the entire city. Although the increase in funding for cultural development planning to €75,000 avoids the feared standstill, it is far from adequate for the project. The increase in funding for the adult education center by one million euros is absolutely necessary, otherwise it would be inconceivable to operate it at the planned new location.

The uncertain future of the independent theater "kuenstlerhaus43" is paradigmatic of the crisis in urban culture. An alternative currently being discussed for the foreseeably abandoned theater is subject to the release of an additional subsidy for the theater, otherwise the rent cannot be financed. However, this is not included in the planned budget resolutions. "At the moment, the debate about the future of inner-city culture is dominated by unpromising visions," interjects Dr. Müller. "The kuenstlerhaus43 is very real in the here and now and its future is only dependent on a decision. While high planning costs are being invested in fantasy projects and cloud-pushing, this is an example of the extent to which cultural players can actually rely on the city's promises."