The contribution of artists and cultural establishments to the valorisation of urban areas is well-known nowadays. But the same players often are obliged to leave the quarters again because they can not keep up with the increasing cost of living induced by the upvaluation. In light of these facts the Kultwerk West, a cultural organisation located in the Altona quarter in Hamburg, called on privy counsellor of culture and finance Detlef Gottschalk to create a municipal foundation that would supply subsidized rentable area in downtown quarters for artists’ ateliers and cultural establishments. The point is to hold the politics to account and support culture through affordable rents. The foundation could be financed by the selling of municipal estate and contributions from financial institutions like Haspa and HSH-Nordbank. Karin von Welck, Hamburg senator for culture, declared she would examine to what extent this foundation project is realistic and sensible.

 

Source: Hamburger Abendblatt, July 19^th 2007