Club-Euro launches as a nationwide pilot scheme

The background to this is a recent report by the Research Service of the German Bundestag: it classifies the crisis in the club and young talent scene as structural rather than cyclical, and confirms the federal government’s legislative authority to impose a levy on the live music sector – similar to the film promotion levy. A Berlin-based study by the Clubcommission also shows that it is not demand that is collapsing, but economic viability. Only 61 per cent of the clubs surveyed are still breaking even.

“If venues in Berlin itself can no longer sustain themselves, even at peak demand, then the problem does not lie with the audience. It means that the funding model for live culture is no longer viable,” says Felix Grädler, board member of the LiveKultur Federal Foundation and initiator of the Live Music Fund.

How the Club Euro works

Participating clubs charge an extra euro per ticket sold and pay this into a shared pot. The money is distributed back using a capacity-based formula: larger venues support smaller ones. The model, which has been trialled in Cologne, serves as a blueprint.

The aim of the pilot project is to test, across several metropolitan regions, the conditions under which the model is viable – including willingness to participate, incentive structures and acceptance of governance arrangements. At the same time, a communication strategy is being developed to explain the model clearly.

“We cannot wait for politicians to set the course. That is why the clubs are organising their own solidarity now – and inviting all venues to get involved,” says Grädler.

The LiveKultur Federal Foundation invites clubs, music venues and event organisers to take part in the nationwide ‘Club Euro’. The more venues that join in, the stronger the principle of solidarity becomes. Interested venues can contact Zora Brändle immediately at [email protected]