Engagement and Impact of Socio-cultural Centers in Saxony
I have been entrusted by the Zentrum für Kulturforschung (ZfKf) with the project management, survey design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation and publication. The project is funded by the Kulturstiftung Sachsen (Saxony). The study was undertaken for the Landesverband Soziokultur Sachsen.
The study on Engagement and Impact of Socio-Cultural Centers in Saxony depicts the extensive and diverse engagement and impact of socio-cultural centers in Saxony.
The online survey of the member institutions of the State Association for Socio-Culture in Saxony was conducted in the second half of 2023, capturing activities from the fiscal year 2022. The 72 percent response rate from members indicates a strong willingness to participate. The participating centers vary in size, organization, and program. With over 21,000 regularly occurring events totaling more than 110,000 hours, they reached approximately 380,000 visitors. Additionally, there were about 7,500 individual events with over 464,000 attendees. All these activities were made possible by approximately 650 full-time employees, around 930 freelance staff, over 430 volunteers, and about 1,500 individuals contributing on a voluntary basis. A quarter of the member organizations did not provide data, meaning that the overall performance of the centers is likely even higher.
Socio-cultural institutions in Saxony significantly influence the cultural and social life of their regions. They are closely integrated into social structures and local politics, actively engaging in neighborhood work, cultural councils, and numerous committees and working groups at the state and municipal levels to promote a strong community.
For these contributions, the centers require stable funding and a well-functioning, sustainably developed infrastructure. The total expenditures of the surveyed organizations amount to 21 million euros, with approximately 20 percent coming from their own resources and 80 percent from public funds. 57 percent of this public funding is provided through time-limited project support, making reliable and continuous financing of their work challenging.
The survey highlights a significant need for investment, approximately 20 million euros, in mostly rented premises. The necessary funds are only sporadically provided by the owners (municipalities). The centers themselves cannot generate the funds from their own activities. As a result, essential measures for structural improvements and the implementation of professional standards in the areas of inclusion and accessibility are not realized.
Socio-culture in Saxony sees itself in the crucial role of shaping culture and society, utilizing its expertise to promote diversity and interculturality, address loneliness in old age, deal with climate change, facilitate cultural participation, and strengthen democracy.