Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien

What Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien does

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM), also known as the Kulturstaatsminister, is a federal government position within the German Federal Government established in 1998, headquartered in Berlin with an office in Bonn. The office manages the federal cultural budget (Kulturhaushalt) and oversees Germany's national cultural policy across film, arts, media, memory culture, and cultural heritage protection. BKM supervises 11 federally-funded cultural foundations and institutions including the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Stiftung Humboldt Forum, Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Bundesarchiv, and the Stiftung Deutsches Zentrum Kulturgutverluste.

BKM's core service portfolio divides into interconnected programs: Kunst- und Kulturförderung provides arts promotion across visual arts, music, theater, literature, and film; Kulturelle and Wirtschaftliche Filmförderung supports the German film industry through prizes (Deutscher Filmpreis, Kurzfilmpreis, Drehbuchpreis, Kinoprogrammpreis), tax incentive programs (DFFF, German Motion Picture Fund), and international co-production funds (Eurimages, Creative Europe); Aufarbeiten und Erinnern manages memory culture for NS, SED, and colonialism histories; Kulturbauten und Kulturgutschutz handles monument and heritage protection; and Europa und die Welt manages international cultural exchange. Awards administered include the prestigious Orden Pour le mérite and the Deutscher Verlagspreis.

As a government ministry, BKM does not generate commercial revenue. It is funded entirely through the German federal budget and allocates funds to cultural institutions, arts programs, film promotion, and memory culture initiatives through grants, subsidies, and institutional funding. Its "customers" include the German public, artists, cultural institutions, and the film and media industry, all served through direct government channels, official websites, press releases, and an active social media presence across X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and BlueSky. Current leadership is Staatsminister Wolfram Weimer, appointed in 2025, supported by Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin Gitta Connemann.

Name

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien

Legal name

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien

Website

https://kulturstaatsministerin.de

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) is a German federal government ministry managing the national cultural budget and overseeing policy across arts, film, media, memory culture, and cultural heritage, supervising major federally-funded institutions and serving artists, cultural organizations, and the German public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Cultural Affairs

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (9211), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Standards Development & Publishing (SDOs, Technical Standards) (MPAJACAB), Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPADAEAB)

Keywords

• Cultural policy coordination
• Arts funding programs
• Film industry support
• Heritage preservation
• Memory culture

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Budget Funding: BKM is funded through the federal budget (Kulturhaushalt). The ministry allocates funds to various cultural institutions, arts programs, film promotion, and memory culture initiatives across Germany.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) is a German federal government office that coordinates national cultural and media policy and allocates federal budget funding to arts, culture, film, and media programs. It administers cultural film funding (Deutscher Filmpreis, Deutscher Kurzfilmpreis, Deutscher Drehbuchpreis), economic film funding (Deutscher Filmförderfonds, German Motion Picture Fund), supports key cultural institutions (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Stiftung Humboldt Forum), and oversees memory culture, heritage protection, and international cultural exchange programs.

Product overview

Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) is a German federal government position overseeing national cultural policy and media affairs. The portfolio consists of interconnected programs: Kunst- und Kulturförderung provides art/culture promotion across visual arts, music, theater, literature, and film; Kultureinrichtungen supports major cultural institutions including libraries (Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek), museums, and foundations; Filmförderung divides into Kulturelle Filmförderung (cultural film funding with prizes like Deutscher Filmpreis) and Wirtschaftliche Filmförderung (economic film funding via Deutscher Filmförderfonds and German Motion Picture Fund); Aufarbeiten und Erinnern manages memory culture programs for NS/SED eras and colonialism; Kulturbauten und Kulturgutschutz handles heritage protection; and Europa und die Welt manages international exchange. The BKM also administers awards including Orden Pour le mérite, Deutscher Verlagspreis, and various film prizes. Key digital initiatives include Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek and Vision Kino for media competence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kulturelle Filmförderung (Cultural Film Funding) Federal funding program supporting German cinema through prizes and program premiums including Deutscher Filmpreis, Deutscher Kurzfilmpreis, Deutscher Drehbuchpreis, Kinoprogrammpreis, Verleihprogrammpreis, and 'Liebling Kino'; supports film festivals and national film heritage. Designed for German film producers, distributors, and cinema operators.
• Wirtschaftliche Filmförderung (Economic Film Funding) Economic support for the German film industry including Deutscher Filmförderfonds (DFFF), German Motion Picture Fund, and international film agreements. Covers film promotion laws, sustainability initiatives, and European co-production support via Eurimages.
• Kunst- und Kulturförderung (Art and Culture Promotion) Federal support for art and cultural projects of national significance covering visual arts, music, dance and theater, literature and book market, and film and media. Includes support for artists through scholarships and funding programs.
• Kultureinrichtungen (Cultural Institutions Support) Support for cultural institutions including museums, libraries, archives, and major foundations such as Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Kulturstiftung des Bundes, Stiftung Humboldt Forum, and Klassik Stiftung Weimar. Includes investment programs for nationally significant cultural institutions.
• Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (German Digital Library) Digital platform providing access to cultural and scientific holdings from German libraries, archives, museums, and media providers.
• Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library) National library preserving German cultural heritage in written and printed form, with legal deposit requirements for all German-language publications and works about Germany.
• Vision Kino Film and media competence initiative promoting film education and media literacy in Germany among young audiences.
• Aufarbeiten und Erinnern (Coming to Terms with the Past) Memory culture programs addressing NS dictatorship, SED dictatorship, colonialism, flight and expulsion. Includes funding for memorial sites, Holocaust remembrance, Stasi archives, and the Bundesprogramm 'Jugend erinnert' (Youth Remembers program).
• Kulturbauten und Kulturgutschutz (Cultural Buildings and Heritage Protection) Preservation of cultural buildings, monuments, and cultural assets including special monument protection programs and industrial culture investment program.
• Europa und die Welt (Europe and the World) International cultural exchange and cooperation, representing Germany in EU culture and media minister councils, managing international prizes, and supporting cultural stipends abroad including Villa Massimo and Cité Internationale des Arts.
• Orden Pour le mérite Prestigious German order recognizing exceptional achievements in the fields of science and art. New members include Marina Abramović and Anselm Kiefer.
• Deutscher Verlagspreis (German Publishing Prize) Award recognizing outstanding achievements in German publishing, with applications open for the 2026 cycle, celebrating literary culture and the book market.
• Künstlersozialversicherung (Artists' Social Insurance) Social insurance system for artists and writers in Germany, providing pension, health, and long-term care insurance.
• Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft (Cultural and Creative Industries) Support for the cultural and creative economy sector in Germany, including initiatives to reduce bureaucracy and create more freedom for creativity.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Stiftung Preußischer KulturbesitzcoreOthersMajor foundation under federal supervision managing Prussia's cultural assets including museums, libraries, and archives in Berlin and beyond. BKM provides federal funding and policy oversight for this foundational institution of German cultural heritage.
• Kulturstiftung des BundescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Culture Foundation that supports innovative cultural projects of national significance. BKM coordinates with and provides funding through this foundation for contemporary cultural initiatives.
• Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner SchlossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation developing the Humboldt Forum museum complex in Berlin's rebuilt royal palace. BKM provides federal support for this major cultural project showcasing world cultures and German cultural history.
• Deutsche NationalbibliothekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's national library preserving written cultural heritage. BKM supports the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek in its mission to collect all German-language publications and works about Germany.
• Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-BrandenburgmajorOthersFoundation managing Prussian palaces and gardens in Berlin and Brandenburg regions. BKM provides federal funding for the preservation and maintenance of these important historical monuments.
• Klassik Stiftung WeimarmajorOthersFoundation preserving classical cultural heritage in Weimar, including Goethe's home and important archives. BKM supports this UNESCO World Heritage site as a key institution of German cultural memory.
• Stiftung Deutsches Zentrum KulturgutverlustecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation addressing provenance research and restitution of looted cultural property, particularly from Nazi era. BKM funds this foundation's work in addressing historical injustices in art collections.
• Eurimages (European Support Fund for Co-productions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean film co-production fund operating under the Council of Europe. Germany participates in Eurimages to support international film co-productions and strengthen European film industry cooperation.
• Creative Europe Programme (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU funding program for cultural and creative sectors. Germany participates in Creative Europe MEDIA sub-program supporting film, television, games, and cultural heritage projects.
• Deutsch-französische FilmakademiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman-French Film Academy promoting bilateral cooperation in cinema. BKM supports this joint initiative to strengthen cultural ties between Germany's and France's film industries.
• Vision KinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network for film and media literacy in Germany. BKM supports Vision Kino in promoting film education and media competency among young audiences.
• Deutsche WellecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's international broadcaster. BKM oversees Deutsche Welle as part of its media policy responsibilities, providing funding and policy direction for Germany's对外广播.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arts Council England: Public body distributing National Lottery and government funds for arts, museums, and libraries across England. Comparable cultural funding distribution function with national reach.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): US federal agency that funds artistic excellence, promotes arts education, and supports cultural projects nationwide. Comparable grant-making role for arts and cultural projects, though narrower scope than BKM.
• UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): UK government department overseeing culture, media, sport, tourism, and creative industries. Closely comparable mandate covering cultural funding, broadcasting oversight (BBC), film policy, and heritage.
• Canada Council for the Arts: Canadian federal crown corporation funding arts, media, and cultural infrastructure. Similar mandate in supporting artists, cultural institutions, and creative industries through public funding.
• Italian Ministry of Culture (Ministero della Cultura): Italy's national ministry for cultural heritage, arts, and creative industries. Comparable scope across heritage protection, museums, film funding, and international cultural exchange.
• Spanish Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura): Spain's national ministry for culture and sports with overlapping responsibilities in film, publishing, heritage, and creative industries. Similar federal coordination challenges with autonomous communities.
• French Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture): France's national ministry responsible for cultural policy, arts funding, heritage protection, and media regulation. Most structurally comparable European peer, with similar mandate across film, publishing, museums, and international cultural cooperation.

Others

• UNESCO: United Nations agency for cultural policy, heritage protection, and creative industries. BKM engages UNESCO on memory culture, heritage conventions, and international cultural cooperation.
• European Commission DG EAC (Education, Youth, Sport and Culture): EU directorate-general overseeing cultural policy, Creative Europe program, and EU-level cultural cooperation. BKM participates directly as a member state partner in DG EAC's cultural programs.

Broad incumbents

• Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI): German federal ministry of the interior with broader governmental responsibilities including elements of media policy and constitutional matters. Adjacent governmental peer with overlapping scope on certain regulatory files.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bundeskultur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundeskultur
• Instagraminstagram.com/bundeskultur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien