Bravo! Berlin ups opera subsidy by 10 percent
mainThe Senate of Berlin has voted to increase public subsidy to the city’s opera house by 14.5 million Euros, to a total 135.3 million for the years 2015 to 2018.
The reason, it said, was to keep them internationally competitive.
The money is divided between the Deutsche Oper (43.8m), the Staatsoper (47.4m), the Komische Oper (34.3m) and the state ballet (8.5m).
Much of the increase will be swallowed up by high social costs on an payroll of 1,900 personnel.
…. and that while Berlin struggles with a restricted budget. Apparently they see this as an important investment which will give worthwhile returns in the future (visitors) and which will enhance the city’s reputation in terms of culture.
An example for other cities with classical music on offer.
as you said, most of it is to cover the increase of income for the costs of personell what was a must, so it is not an increase of the artistic budget
Remarkable though, as many German states and cities do no longer cover the salary increases but expect the theatres to cover them by cost-cutting elsewhere.
If the grant now is 135.3 and the increase is 14.5, then the grant previously was 120.8, which means this is a 12% increase, not a 10% one.