Vorarlberg culture officials aim to preserve existing support

Vorarlberg cultural officials say their priority is to maintain existing programmes as public budgets tighten, after Austria’s federal cultural budget was cut by 3.3% for 2027. State and municipal budgets have not yet been finalised, but no increase in real terms is expected, ORF reports.

The federal culture budget will fall from €629.8 million to €608.7 million, a reduction of about €21 million. Cultural office heads from five Vorarlberg cities and the state’s largest municipality say there will be little room for new initiatives.

In Feldkirch, the cultural office says artists and creative workers remain active, but keeping opportunities available as finances become tighter is a growing challenge. The office says it must strengthen existing structures and support the independent arts scene.

“This is definitely not the time to open up large discretionary funds for competitions or innovation prizes in arts and culture,” said Christiane Zaunmair of the Dornbirn cultural office. “At the moment, it is about preserving what we have.”

Veronika Sutterlüty of the Hohenems cultural office said the municipality expected to maintain its budget in 2027, but would not offer special grants or additional project funding. “We can keep things continuous,” she said.

Volunteers are also essential to cultural life in the region, said Daniela Beck of the Bludenz cultural office. They are “the pillars of cultural work in Vorarlberg”, she said, although pressure is being felt from all sides.

Some cities have sought advice from consultancies on savings, but officials say standard cost-cutting formulas do not necessarily work in culture. Feldkirch withdrew proposed structural cuts and instead looked for individual solutions. “The traditional patterns and frameworks that work elsewhere do not work here,” said Maria Simma.

Culture accounts for 0.47% of the federal budget and between 1% and 2% of state and municipal budgets. Mirjam Steinbock of the Vorarlberg cultural organisation IG Kultur warned that, without changes to how budgets are allocated, cultural policy could become “cultural cannibalism”, as institutions compete for shrinking funds.

Officials also stressed culture’s wider social value. Nina Fritsch of the Lustenau cultural office said the approval of museum visits on a health-insurance prescription showed that society needs art and culture to live together peacefully. Judith Reichart of the Bregenz cultural office described culture as “the glue of our society”.