The City of Cologne, the REWE Group, and the Kölner Kulturrat e. V. are creating the Cologne Cultural Fund, a new funding instrument for the independent cultural scene. Many federal and European Union programs require applicants to contribute 10 to 40 percent of the project costs. This is precisely where the Cologne Culture Fund comes in: It provides the necessary matching funds, thereby enabling cultural professionals to apply for federal and EU grants. If the requested grant is approved and the total funding is secured, the fund pays out the promised matching contribution. The REWE Group lays the financial foundation with a contribution of 100,000 euros.
For many cultural professionals and smaller cultural organizations, the required co-financing has thus far been a major hurdle. Even if a project is compelling in substance, has the potential to drive social change, or can generate international impact, it is often not even submitted for funding in the first place because the required matching funds are lacking. The Cologne Cultural Fund closes this funding gap: This way, every euro invested can mobilize many times that amount in additional funding.
Culture is an important factor in Cologne’s appeal as a city. It makes our city a great place to live, brings people and ideas together, and contributes significantly to Cologne’s appeal. The fact that the REWE Group, as a Cologne-based company, is committed to culture in our city and is thereby opening up additional funding opportunities is a strong sign of corporate responsibility,
says Torsten Burmester, Mayor of the City of Cologne.
The idea for the Cologne Culture Fund arose from a specific need within the independent arts scene. Time and again, we’ve seen that ambitious projects couldn’t be submitted because the required matching funds were missing. The fact that we’ve now created a solution for this together with the REWE Group and the Cologne Cultural Council is an important step. The fund makes it possible to secure additional funding for Cologne and opens up new opportunities for our cultural actors,
says Stefan Charles, Deputy Mayor for Art and Culture.
Culture fosters connection and makes Cologne vibrant and diverse. As a company with deep roots in Cologne, we want to help ensure this strength of our city is preserved for the long term. With the Cologne Cultural Fund, we’re closing an important funding gap and laying the groundwork for additional funding to flow to Cologne. In this way, we aim to make more cultural projects possible. At the same time, this is an invitation to other companies to join us in supporting Cologne as a cultural hub. Because the more partners who take on responsibility, the more we can achieve for the cultural diversity and future of our city,
says Lionel Souque, CEO of the REWE Group.
