Publication and presentation

The federal government’s new prospect paper "Kulturen im digitalen Wandel. Perspektiven des Bundes für Vermittlung, Vernetzung und Verständigung" was presented in the context of a live stream held by the German National Library between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on 17 August 2021. The Minister of State Professor Monika Grütters was among the participants of the event, in her role as the federal government’s culture and media representative (BKM).

Kulturen Im Digitalen Wandel 451kB, PDF - Barrier-free file (only available in German)

The prospect paper sets out the priorities for further digital transformation in the public cultural sector over the next few years. While the paper focusses on the federal government’s area of responsibility, challenges for the cultural sector as a whole are also identified.

Questions related to digital transformation as a cultural transformation, and to the values based on which cultural policy aims to actively shape this transformation, are the key issues addressed in the prospect paper. The overarching goal of the drawn up priorities and measures is to facilitate multidisciplinary publicly subsidised cultural activities in the digital sphere more effectively and sustainably, to increase networking, raise awareness and allow for wider use. These measures are intended to reinforce the role of the public cultural sector as an entity that reflects digital transformation.

The publication issued by the BKM is based on the results of a multidisciplinary working group coordinated by the German National Library (DNB). Alongside the DNB, the group included representatives of the following cultural institutions and associations: the Federal Archives (Bundesarchiv), the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Foundation, the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz, the German Library Association, the Deutscher Bühnenverein, the Deutscher Kulturrat and the Deutscher Museumsbund. The results of numerous conversations with further institutions and with digitisation experts were also taken into account when writing the paper. Further central aspects included an analysis of current data and research work concerning the status and prospects of digital transformation in the public cultural sector and of ongoing funding in this field, ranging from the digitisation offensive through to the Covid-19 recovery programme of BKM called NEUSTART KULTUR.