Visual Arts

Over the last 20 years, Berlin has become a protagonist for generating contemporary art, boasting the highest concentration of practicing artists in the world next to cities like New York. About 5.832 artists live - depending on definition - in the city. The 'Berufsverband für Bildende Künstler Berlin' (bbk) organizes nearly 2.000 visual artists of all disciplines and arts. Accommodating more than 200 museums and other exhibition venues, Berlin is also residence to 500 galleries with various specializations. More than 3.400 companies exist in the art market in Berlin with a total revenue of 720 million Euro (2017).

For years now, Berlin’s numerous fairs and exhibitions have attracted a diverse national and international audience. Art "made in Berlin" has a good reputation and holds weight as an important image factor for the international collector. The art fair Artforum was a focal event for the industry together with the Preview and the Berliner Kunstsalon. Since 2012, the new format of Berlin Art Week seeks to underscore the importance of the city as a centre for contemporary art with a platform that presents Berlin's artists, galleries and institutions in a unique way.

Creative City Berlin cooperates with numerous networks and initiatives like Berlinerpool or C/O Berlin, through which important information is collected and presented on the website. In our CCB Magazine we introduce the various networks and initiatives and ask about the conditions for artists who work and produce in Berlin.

Facts & Figures

	FACTS AND NUMBERS (REPORT CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IN BERLIN (2014) Publisher: P rojekt Zukunft Download: PDF
	STUDY ABOUT THE PROFESSONAL SITUATION OF BERLIN ARTISTS "STUDION BERLIN II" (2011) Publisher: IFSE Download: PDF
	BERLIN CALLING - EXHIBITIONS OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS (2007) Publisher: Projekt Zukunft Download: PDF

General Facts & Figures on Berlin´s cultural industry can be found here .

Questions & Answers

I am an artist, looking for promotional and financing possibilities, where can I find those?
- As an artist you are eligible for cultural promotion (unless it concerns commercial commissioned work, in that case the economic support can be more helpful for you).
  
  Here you can find information on specific programmes of cultural promotion:
  
  Funding programmes by the Berlin Senate
  
  Specific answers to all questions regarding funding programmes and stipends provided by the Berlin Senate
  
  Federal Cultural Promotion
  
  Programmes at EU Level
  
  Crowdfunding
  
  Use the funding database of Kreativ Kultur Berlin in order to find other programs.

Where can I find individual consultation for cultural promotion and cultural industry financing and further important sources of information for artists?
- We recommend our consulting services from Kreativ Kultur Berlin. For all non-commercial artistic projects we recommend Kulturförderberatung for individual consultations. If you are working indepently on commissioned projects Kreativwirtschaftsberatung (Creative Industries Consulting) might offer the right kind of consultation for you.
  
  We have provided an overview of all available consultation opportunities in the field of culture funding and cultural industry financing in our individual consultation section.

What is the Förderkommission Bildende Kunst ("Visual Arts Funding Commission of Berlin") and how can I apply there?
- Members of several of Berlin's contemporary art collections form the Förderkommission Bildende Kunst. The commission tours artists' studios on a regular basis in order to keep up to speed with the different artistic positions represented within Berlin's artist scene and in order to promote exchange with and among artists.

Are there any overviews for scholarships/grants for visual arts in Berlin?
- The website of Kulturförderberatung (Cultural Funding Consultation) provides an excellent overview.

Are there studio programs for artists?
- Yes, you can find those here.

Are there special tenders and competitions for artists in Berlin?
- You can find an overview of calls for proposals and competitions in our funding database.

I am looking for visual artists and companies to connect with, where can I find them?
- Within our network you can find an overview of persons, companies and institutions. Sign up and create your own profile for free so you can connect with others.

Where can I find studios, project spaces and co-working spaces for visual artists in Berlin?
- You can find studios for visual artists in Berlin here. Click for Coworking spaces and project rooms.
  
  Studios for visual artists are listed on the BBK website and on berlin-artist.info. An overview of coworking spaces can be found on Creative City Berlin itself. You will find a list of availbe project spaces here.

What kind of coaching and training opportunities are offered for visual artists in Berlin?
- Coming soon…

I am looking for jobs for visual artists, where can I find them?
- Do you know our jobs section? Here you can search for job offers or post your own – for free!

Do you have any questions?
- We will answer them directly or will forward them to competent contacts in Berlin! Ask a question.

Contacts & Networks

Berlin’s cultural affairs department | Fine arts and studio grants

Contact for galeries and the artsector at the Senate Department for Economics, Technology and Research | Tel: 030 / 9013 7404

Organizations, associations, networks

Bundesverband Bildender Künstlerinnen und Künstler e.V. (BBK) | Umbrella organisation for fine arts in Germany

Berufsverband bildender künstler*innen berlin e.V. (bbk berlin) | Professional Association of Visual Artists Berlin

Deutscher Kulturrat e.V. | Contact the policies and administration of the Federation, the Länder and the European Union in matters of cultural policy

www.projektraeume-berlin.net | Network of independent artistic project spaces

Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst | Association of 850 artist members

Neuer Berliner Kunstverein | Portal for contemporary art

Kunst-Werke Berlin | Exhibition space for contemporary art

Deutscher Künstlerbund | 'Künstlerbund' with 550 visual artists

Internationale Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst | council visual artists on the possibilities of working opportunities and grants, both in Germany and abroad

Gedok Berlin | Community of artists and cultur funding

Verein der Berliner Künstlerinnen | Association and archive for artists

Verein Berliner Künstler (VBK) | Germany’s oldest association of artists in Germany

EUNIC Berlin | The European Cultural Institutes in Berlin

Kulturstiftung des Bundes | promotes art and culture within the scope of federal competence

Contemporary Arts Alliance Berlin (CAA) | Support for contemporary art and culture in Berlin

Stiftung Kunstfonds | Support for art projects

Schering Stiftung | aims to promote science and art

ResArtis | worldwide network

Career Center UDK Berlin | workshops, advive and coaching

Verwertungsgesellschaft BILD-KUNST | Association founded of copyright-holders (artists, photographers and film authors) for the exercise of their rights

Kulturgilde e.V. | Association for the cultureal and creative industries in Germany

sculpture network | a European non-profit organisation for the support, encouragement and promotion of contemporary, three-dimensional art

Art fairs, events

www.berlinartweek.de | Berlins format to unite and strengthen art location in Berlin

Berliner Liste | contemporary art fair

www.berlinbiennale.de | Berlin Biennale for contemporary art

Art trade associations

Landesverband Berliner Galerien | professional interest group for art galleries in Berlin

Bundesverband Deutscher Galerien und Editionen | Lobby group of galleries and art dealers

Federation of European Art Galleries Associations (FEAGA) | The Federation represents the political interests of over 2000 modern and contemporary art galleries in the EU and Switzerland.