Despite strong figures, the European Center for the Arts at the Festspielhaus Hellerau faces significant financial losses next year. Since federal funding for the Alliance of International Production Houses is set to expire, the Festspielhaus announced that this alone will result in a shortfall of approximately 523,000 euros for the year 2025. For the current year, Hellerau still has remaining funds of 267,000 euros available from the previous project phase.
Furthermore, it is unclear how the state of public finances—such as those of the Free State—will affect the project funding that Hellerau relies on for its programs. The city budget has also not yet been finalized. Hellerau is an institution of the state capital. A budget freeze is currently in effect here.
While major theaters are considering a flexible scheduling model and asking themselves whether they could stage a different play every day, the situation at Hellerau is different, said Commercial Director Martin Heering: “The question is: Can we put on a performance at all?”
