© Dominique Krentscher
Musik und Demokratie
2025 is an election year - a year in which social forces are reassessed and fundamental values are scrutinised or strengthened. A year in which the voice of each and every individual counts more than ever. How fitting that the regional music councils have chosen the voice as their ‘Instrument of the Year’ for 2025! At the same time, the German Music Council (DMR) is also facing a realignment with the election of the presidium in autumn 2025, which takes place every four years. The German Music Council is taking this special time with its dynamics and discussions as an opportunity for an exploratory trip: Together with its member associations, it is tracing the networking and anchoring of social-democratic processes in the diverse world of music and making these the focus of discussion rounds, events and publications.
Publications
Over the course of the year, we will be publishing varios articles on #MusicAndDemocracy in the magazine of the German Music Council. Here you find the teasers:
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Magazine article
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Magazin article
© Maxim Green
What does democracy have to do with music? Is making music together democratic? What are the concrete links between active music-making, concert enjoyment and democracy? How can we analyse this in relation to amateur music, professional music life and the music industry? How can and must politics and civil society support musical life so that it can fulfil its potential to preserve and strengthen democracy? How can we ourselves act more democratically in the music sector, where do we have blind spots? If we want to work out the connections between music and democracy and the closely related issues of participation and inclusion in a well-founded and not just superficial way, we have to ask ourselves questions like these: openly, honestly, together and at eye level. As an umbrella organisation for musical life, we are very much looking forward to exploring the exciting and diverse topic of ‘music and democracy’ in 2025 together with our members and our large network, providing impetus and moderating the exchange. Let's discuss, argue and learn together about what music can achieve in our society: Bringing people together, enabling participation, broadening horizons!’
Secretary General of the German Music Council
Events
Free online formats are planned that are accessible to everyone and will deal with topics such as synergies between jazz and democracy or present and discuss best practice examples of the potential of promoting democracy through music. In addition, the DMR's symposium on 24 October 2025 - as a public part of the General Assembly - will also be dedicated to the topic of ‘Music and Democracy’. More information will be available shortly.
Music policy work
The upcoming Bundestag elections on 23 February 2025 also represent an important turning point for music and cultural policy. For this reason, the German Music Council has published a position paper explaining the most important music policy ‘construction sites’ to the parties and making constructive suggestions for a successful music policy.
Further information
Von Arnim, Bärfuss, Kehlmann u.a.: Demokratie. Wofür es sich jetzt zu kämpfen lohnt (2024)
Fontaine, Susanne (Hrsg.): Die Künste, die Politik und die allgemeine Bildung (2023)
Turning Social. Zum sozial-transformativen Potenzial von Musikvermittlung