The Akademie der Künste (Academy of Arts)
The Akademie der Künste is an international community of artists with 414 current members.
About the Akademie
A Place to Come Together
The Akademie der Künste is a legal entity under public law in the Federal Republic of Germany serving diverse functions and objectives. It supports the arts and represents related causes in society, maintains and preserves cultural heritage and advises the federal government in matters of art and culture.
With its six Sections and impressive Archives, the Akademie is, above all, a location where artists and those interested in art and culture can meet, providing places to consider and debate public issues and concerns, and actively influence cultural and social trends.
Not only do works of art develop their effect and impact in the public arena, but artists themselves can make direct intervention one of their aims – and this basic principle, informed by Enlightenment thought, shapes all of the Akademie’s other activities – exhibitions, concerts, readings, screenings, publications, and so on. These are based on the firm belief that freedom of the arts is not a luxury but an unerring benchmark of the liberality of the society that facilitates it.
The Akademie’s event programme presents contemporary artistic approaches to the public and is dedicated to safeguarding cultural heritage. At its two permanent locations in the centre of Berlin – Pariser Platz in the Berlin-Mitte district and the Hanseatenweg venue in Tiergarten – the Akademie shows exhibitions, organises concerts, debates, readings, award ceremonies, as well as film, theatre, and dance performances.
Structure and Tasks
The Akademie der Künste has the statutory remit of “promoting the arts and representing the affairs of the arts in society. [...] From Germany’s capital city of Berlin, it intends to influence the international stage and, as a leading national institution, dedicate itself to cultural development and the preservation of cultural heritage.”
In addition to the six Art Sections and the Archives, the JUNGE AKADEMIE fellowship programme, the KUNSTWELTEN cultural education programme, and the Studio for Electroacoustic Music are among the different sectors of the Akademie that plan and carry out artistic projects, exhibitions, and events.
History
The Akademie der Künste was founded in 1696 by the Elector Frederick III, later King Frederick I in Prussia, and is one of the oldest cultural institutions in Europe. As an artistic community with representative and advisory tasks, it was modelled on the academies in Rome and Paris and, in the course of the 18th century, helped set the precedent for a series of further artist academies from St. Petersburg to London and Madrid.
Prizes, Fellowships and Foundation
The Akademie der Künste awards a series of prizes to honour outstanding artistic achievements. The most important prizes include the Berlin Art Prize – Jubilee Endowment 1848/1948, awarded on behalf of the Federal State of Berlin in all six Art Sections.
Other significant prizes are the Käthe Kollwitz Prize, the Heinrich Mann Prize, and the Konrad Wolf Prize. The Akademie also awards prizes established by members, such as the Busoni Composition Prize, endowed by Aribert Reimann, and the Alfred Döblin Prize, endowed by Günter Grass.
The JUNGE AKADEMIE supports international artists from all disciplines with residencies and work fellowships such as the Berlin Fellowship and the Villa Serpentara Fellowship.
Publications
The Akademie der Künste issues publications to accompany exhibitions, events, and the Archives’ new acquisitions. Such publications include exhibition catalogues, monographs on individual artists and books about particular themes and issues.
Every two months, it publishes the journal SINN UND FORM, one of the most prestigious literary periodicals internationally.
Moreover, publications on cultural policy topics, audio and video releases, and music CDs from the Studio for Electroacoustic Music are available in the media library.
European Alliance of Academies
The European Alliance of Academies is an association comprising nearly 70 art academies and cultural institutions across Europe. They stand together in solidarity, determined to resist the nationalist hijacking of art and culture and to champion the freedom of art. Since its founding, the alliance has advocated for its causes by organising events, hosting conferences, holding talks with political actors, and submitting declarations and petitions to draw attention to shortcomings in cultural policy.