Arts Sponsorship in the USA and Germany

"Art is the signature of a civilization." (Beverly Sills) In times of heated discussions about the allocation of public money, the reduction of funds for cultural organizations in Germany is often demanded by critics and feared by numerous arts institutions. Whatever ones opinion may be, here, we are talking about the cultural identity of a people. Hence it is important to explore alternatives to raise money in order to ensure the financial basis for the promotion of the arts. In this context it suggests itself to look at successful financing models in foreign countries. Moreover, corporations are facing increasing difficulties in addressing their stakeholders effectively. Constant information overload by the media is a huge challenge for external corporate communications. Yet also internal communication strategies play a crucial role in order to reach the highest possible degree of staff satisfaction and consequently optimal output. In view of these aspects, this paper draws a comparison between arts financing and particularly arts sponsorship in Germany and the USA. It is focused on the political and social integration of the arts in society on the one hand and the promotion of the cooperation between the arts and the business world on the other hand. Three practical examples are presented: the Stuttgart State Opera, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the San Francisco Opera.