LiveKomm’s commentary on the government’s draft federal budget for 2027

Hamburg, 14 July 2026 – LiveMusikKommission e.V. recognises that the global political situation necessitates cost-cutting measures in many areas. However, the Federal Association of Music Venues in Germany cannot accept that current budgetary policy, under the guise of the need for austerity, is enforcing and cementing structural inequality.

The figures speak for themselves: in the draft budget,the Festival Support Fund has once again been reduced by the Federal Ministry of Culture (BKM) from 4 million euros to 2 million euros and can only be increased with parliamentary support. This means that the very programme which serves as a central pillar of support for many small and medium-sized festivals is being halved.

This makes it all the more difficult to understand why, at the same time, funding appears to be increasing elsewhere: Bayreuther Festspiele GmbH is set to receive 5.2 million euros from the federal government in future, up from the previous 4.2 million euros. This imbalance is not an isolated case: on a national average, music venues in Germany finance over 90 per cent of their operations from their own resources, with public subsidies accounting for just 9.8 per cent of their revenue structure – whereas for established high-culture institutions, the ratio is almost the reverse.

Particularly at a time when the Federal Ministry of Finance is emphasising the need for savings in almost all areas, the question arises: why are cuts being made to the Festival Support Fund of all things, even though there is demonstrably a great need here and many independent festivals rely on what are, in some cases, the only remaining sources of federal funding?

Since 2023, 1,838 applications have been submitted to the Festival Support Fund – which was introduced as the first structural federal funding scheme for popular music festivals – of which 411 festival projects across Germany have received funding. Demand for the programme remains high to this day; in 2025 alone, it was oversubscribed by 353 per cent.

The music festivals funded to date are, for the most part, not large-scale commercial events and are primarily supported and organised by voluntary structures. They constitute a temporary socio-cultural infrastructure, particularly in rural and structurally disadvantaged areas, and make a very significant contribution to democratic cohesion in our country.

Christian Ordon, Managing Director of LiveMusikKommission e.V.:
“The repeated halving of the festival funding scheme is not a cultural policy shift; it is a mistake that is bound to meet with strong opposition. LiveKomm has warned on several occasions in the past against pitting high culture against pop and subculture. This appeal still stands – as an expectation that politicians should finally recognise social realities and the challenges they present. The large, institutionally secure cultural beacons alone do not guarantee democratic participation. However, the many small festivals – which operate with great voluntary commitment, minimal resources and often on the brink of financial collapse – make a significant contribution. They need reliable support, particularly in rural and structurally disadvantaged areas.”

The LiveMusikKommission calls on the coalition government and parliament to ensure the permanent continuation of the festival funding scheme at a level of at least 4 million euros. Furthermore, the association is pressing for a reform of Germany’s funding structures at local, state and federal levels. Specifically, we advocate for a‘democratisation’ of the allocation of state support – in other words, cultural funding that reflects the social mainstream rather than cementing historical privileges.

About LiveKomm:

LiveMusikKommission e.V. (LiveKomm for short) is the national association of music venues in Germany and represents more than 730 music clubs and festivals in over 100 towns and municipalities. Its members are among the largest providers of local cultural events, urban tourism and the promotion of German and international talent, and it forms part of the European music venue network LiveDMA.