Berlin has moved to classify its nightclubs and live venues as cultural institutions.
This legal change in status will protect nightclubs from gentrification and allow them to open up in more parts of the city. Nightclubs will also reportedly benefit from tax breaks.
The nearly unanimous vote was decided on Wednesday, May 5, in favor of nightclubs and live venues to change status from entertainment sites to cultural sites.
Pamela Schobeß of the Berlin Club Commission said:
Music clubs are cultural institutions that shape the identity of city districts as an integral part of cultural and economic life. Now, an outdated law is to be adapted to reality. This helps to keep cities and neighborhoods alive and liveable and to protect cultural places from displacement.
Clubcommission, a collective of club owners and supporters, led the initiative in asserting clubs were “the pulse of the city.” Berlin is known worldwide for its nightlife, contributing €1.5 billion in revenue annually and attracting millions of tourists yearly.
