Akademie der Künste

The Akademie der Künste (AdK) at Pariser Platz in Berlin plays a central role in the cultural life of the city and the federal state. As a meeting place for artists and the public, it combines exhibitions, events and public discourse on art and cultural policy with an extensive archive and research programme.

Its origins date back to 11 July 1696; the institution has undergone numerous renamings and relocations since then and claims the tradition of the historic Prussian Academy of Arts. After the division of the city, separate academies existed in East and West Berlin; their merger gave rise to the present Academy on 1 October 1993.

The main seat is in Mitte; another traditional domicile in the Hansaviertel continues to be used for exhibitions, events and administrative purposes. Since 1 January 2004 the Academy has been legally constituted as a public-law corporation supported by the federal government, with the right to self-administration; the federal government holds the majority on the Administrative Board, and the states of Berlin and Brandenburg are represented. Its statutory tasks include the preservation of cultural heritage, the promotion and representation of the arts, the development of national cultural policy and the international presence of Berlin.

Membership is legally limited to a maximum of 500 persons; in July 2024 the ranks numbered 435 members. Members are proposed by the specialist sections and elected by the General Assembly; honorary members participate in an advisory capacity.

The Academy’s archive is one of the most important interdisciplinary collections on 20th-century art and culture in the German-speaking world. It comprises about 70,000 works on paper, over 40,000 posters, as well as paintings, sculptures, stage models and costumes. Significant holdings include drawings by Johann Gottfried Schadow, travel sketches by Daniel Chodowiecki, landscape sheets by Carl Blechen, as well as extensive estates and collections from the 20th century, such as those of John Heartfield and George Grosz. The Peter-Zadek-Archiv (around 35 shelf metres) was made accessible in October 2012; the Christoph-Schlingensief-Archiv, with over 40 shelf metres, was opened in November 2012.

As a funding institution, the Academy awards numerous prizes and scholarships for literature, visual arts, music, the performing arts, film and media, as well as residencies and promotional awards to support artistic work.