Cultural Policy in Potsdam: Innovation, Remembrance, and Funding in Focus

Digital-Analog Place Design: Steubenplatz as a Role Model?

The Potsdam Cultural Committee intensely discussed the future of Steubenplatz. A proposal submitted by the SPD parliamentary group aims for a "digital-analog place design," in which the square would do without a fixed monument such as the Steuben monument. Instead, features like drinking fountains, shading, and water features should shape the atmosphere, combined with digital offerings such as the "Potsdam History App."

This app is intended to provide historical background, alternative design options, and child-friendly, inclusive information. The idea is inspired by the "Digital-Analog History Path Bornstedt," a pilot project that has already gathered practical experience. The goal is to make the place design not static, but dynamic and discursive—a model that connects urban policy and remembrance culture.

Culture in the Public Space: "Art on the Box" and Memorial Sites

Another project discussed in the meeting is the pilot project „Art on the Box“. In the northern part of Babelsberg, young people are given the opportunity to artistically design electricity boxes. This approach aims to provide more legal areas for creative expression in order to reduce graffiti conflicts and strengthen identification with the district. The project is managed by the Babelsberg Fan Project and will be evaluated after one year. If the results are positive, an expansion to other districts is planned.

Another cultural focus was on remembrance culture. The memorial stone for the anti-fascist Paul Kühne, currently located at Potsdam-Medienstadt train station, is to be moved to a municipal green area in Babelsberg. An information panel will contextualize the biography and history of the communist Kühne, who died as a Spain fighter during World War II. The City Council will be informed about the evaluation results by April 2026.

Music School Fees and Financial Cuts

Financial issues were also central to the discussion. The Potsdam Music School plans to adjust fees starting August 2026, 2027, and 2028. The increase is necessary to compensate for additional costs due to inflation, wage increases, and new positions. At the same time, higher social and sibling discounts will be introduced, including for families receiving housing allowance or child benefit. These discounts will also apply to courses, not just lessons.

Another financial cut is the termination of financial participation in the Brandenburg Society for Culture and History gGmbH. The city still paid 292,000 euros to the Brandenburg Museum in 2025. The justification: the city's financial situation requires targeted savings. This step raises questions about how cultural cooperation in the region will be funded in the future.

Outlook: Culture as a Bridge between Memory and the Future

The decisions of the Cultural Committee in February 2026 show how diverse culture is in Potsdam. It connects remembrance culture with digital innovation, civic engagement with financial realities. The city is investing in projects that are not only culturally enriching, but also fuel social and political discourse. Whether the digital-analog design of Steubenplatz or the artistic use of electricity boxes—Potsdam demonstrates that culture encompasses not only museums and concerts, but also makes public space lively and discursive.