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Culture and art

Germany is a nation with a thriving cultural life. Its rich cultural and artistic sector is constantly developing and moving forward.

Gemälde
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Zoe Wees

Vibrant Nation of Culture

Germany’s reputation as a great European cultural nation is based on famous names, its very vibrant art scene, and cosmopolitan diversity.
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Insight

Well-known names and new voices

Germany is known for its famous “Dichter und Denker”, its poets and thinkers. In its openness to the outside world, too, German art can look back over a long tradition.

Berlinale
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Beacons and defining influences

Germany’s reputation as a major cultural nation within Europe is founded on well-known names and formats of international importance.

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Handschriften restaurieren
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Intercultural Dialogue

The foreign cultural relations and education policy is a central component of comprehensive foreign policy.

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Theater Migranten
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Culture and integration

The development of art and culture in Germany is definitively shaped by diversity and openness to the outside world.

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Facts and figures

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Orchester
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130 professional orchestras
Around a quarter of all professional orchestras worldwide are based in Germany.
140 city and state theatres
Alongside the publicly-run institutions, there are also independent private theatres.
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Museumssaal
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7,200 museums and galleries
Even outside of the big cities, Germany boasts a diverse museum landscape.
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alte Handschriften Timbuktu
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3,000 cultural preservation projects
Since 1981 the Federal Foreign Office has been supporting the preservation of historical cultural assets in 144 countries.
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Unterhaltung
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130 million native speakers of German
German is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the EU.
15.5 million German language-learners
Worldwide, there are 140 German schools abroad and 2,000 schools with a strong focus on German language teaching.
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Goethe-Institut
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157 Goethe-Instituts in 98 countries
The Goethe-Institut is the internationally active cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Innovative Kreativwirtschaft

Successful creative industries

The creative industry is a growth sector with great potential. For self-employed people in particular, it offers ample scope and opportunities for development.
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Steady growth: companies in the cultural and creative sectors

Source: BMWi
Background

Culture and democracy

Independence and diversity in art are valued and encouraged in Germany.

Maler im Atelier
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Artistic and cultural freedom

The autonomy of creative work is afforded a high priority in Germany. For this reason, the state provides funding for cultural institutions and working artists.

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Orchester
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Cultural sovereignty of the federal states

German federalism is also reflected in culture: It is funded regionally and therefore boasts unparalleled diversity.

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Jahr der deutschen Sprache in Russland
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Attractive Language

German is the most widely spoken native language in the EU. Interest in learning German is rising rapidly in many countries.

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