Features
Clubcommission Berlin: Future Of Germany’s Clubs In Jeopardy
There’s hardly a place in the world, where underground club culture is still celebrated with as much enthusiasm, and kept alive with as much dedication, as in the German capital of Berlin. Now, the country’s Clubcommission, by its own admission the world’s largest association of club owners, operators and promoters, has published some sobering statistics on the scene’s health, which is quickly deteriorating – just like in the UK, for example, where the grassroots venue and club scene is also struggling with the post-pandemic reality, particularly, the post-pandemic economy.
According to the Clubcommission, Berlin’s club culture is under enormous pressure from falling visitor numbers, rising costs, and a lack of state support, which, in combination, were “threatening the future of the scene.” Based on feedback from its more than 350 members, over 40% of clubs are barely able to maintain their operations without funding, and almost half are considering closing down in the near future. Clubcommission, and other cultural actors in Berlin like LiveKomm have therefore called for a protest against the planned cuts to the cultural budget today, Nov. 13, at the Berlin landmark Brandenburg Gate.
Berlin’s club culture is at a critical turning point. According to a press release from the Clubcommission, the club closures of recent months are just the beginning of a development that is threatening the cultural heart of the city. “The Clubcommission is therefore calling for clear support from the state of Berlin and an immediate halt to the planned cuts in the cultural budget,” the release states, adding “without state support and consistent promotion of the night-time economy, Berlin’s club culture threatens to sink into irrelevance.”
The association published findings from its most recent member survey, making it clear that clubs are under enormous economic pressure. More than half (52%) of clubs reported a decline in visitor numbers compared to the previous year; 55% of Berlin clubs reported declining sales, with small venues hit particularly hard. On average, sales declined around 9%; almost two-thirds (61%) of clubs state that their profits have fallen considerably – in some cases more drastically than sales. The average drop in profits was 19%, while smaller venues with a capacity of up to 200 people reported a drop of around 35%; more than 40% of clubs stated that they would need more government support in the future.
Another concerning feedback from club operators and promoters is that specialist programs, or stages for young talent were “on the brink of extinction. As many as 76% of those surveyed are already adapting their program,” the survey findings state. The economic challenges are vast, ranging from rising fees (47%) to lower demand (43%) to high operating costs (87%). Around 46% of the clubs surveyed are thinking about closing in the next 12 months, a number that has doubled compared to Clubcommission’s last survey in spring.
The situation across the country isn’t any better. The federal organization LiveKomm has published similarly alarming figures in a nationwide survey using the same questions. The responses show that more than 55% of the music venues surveyed in Germany will require state support in the coming months in order to maintain their operations. As always, small and medium-sized music clubs are particularly affected, the pressures can be felt most by those venues offering performance opportunities to up-and-coming artists. 63% of the clubs surveyed see themselves in a worse positiion than a year ago, and 16% are thinking of shutting down in the next twelve months.
As the alliance behind the Nov. 12 protests pointed out, Berlin thrives on culture. “It is our heavy industry,” they write, “every euro invested in culture is an investment in the future of the city.” Marcel Weber, first chairman of the Clubcommission, commented, “Our club culture is a valuable asset that has an impact far beyond the city limits and makes Berlin unique worldwide. The planned cuts to the cultural budget hit us right in the heart. Every euro that is now invested in culture comes back to the city many times over and is an investment in the future of Berlin.”
Emiko Gejic, second chairwoman of the Clubcommission, added, “The situation is serious: more and more clubs are facing financial extinction. State support is urgently needed to safeguard Berlin’s cultural heritage and continue to enable a diverse and inclusive nightlife.”