Dominika Szope, Head of the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Karlsruhe

The Department of Cultural Affairs of Karlsruhe —comprising a municipal library, city archives, historical museums, a city gallery, a cultural office and a general administration/central services department— collects and preserves the city’s cultural heritage, contributes to cultural education through festivals, exhibitions, events, publications and the provision of media, promotes art and culture, and has a networking and modernizing effect on the city.

It covers all branches and areas of art and culture and contributes to increasing the quality of life and self-awareness of Karlsruhe’s citizens through a high-quality cultural and educational offer. The Department of Cultural Affairs also serves as a link between the city, the artists/creatives and the cultural institutions with the aim of creating a strategic network. One of its core tasks is to promote the development of medium- and long-term concepts for shaping cultural life in Karlsruhe.

With a view to the city’s self-conception as city of human rights, as stated in Karlsruhe’s Kulturkonzept 2025 (a vision statement for the forthcoming 10 years), the Department of Cultural Affairs sees itself committed in its actions to guaranteeing cultural diversity and fairness of participation as well as to the values of democracy and human rights.