Prominent German Art Foundation Accuses Top Culture Official of ‘Attempted Intimidation’
Jurors for Germany’s Kunstfonds Foundation, which funds contemporary art projects, accused Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer of “attempted intimidation” after he requested the names of the jury’s current members in March 2025. In a statement reported by Der Spiegel, the jurors said the request amounted to political interference that could threaten artistic freedom, noting that independent committees traditionally select recipients of federal cultural funding overseen by Weimer. They also questioned Weimer’s nonpartisanship by citing reports that he contacted Germany’s domestic intelligence agency to exclude three allegedly left-wing bookstores from the German Booksellers’ Award process; a spokeswoman said confidentiality required referring to the Interior Ministry. The jurors said fear of political interference has already reduced application numbers and invoked Article 5(3) of Germany’s Basic Law, warning of growing political pressure on freedom of expression and artistic practice.
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This story was covered in Museum Power Plays, Digital Dreams Collapse