April 29, 2026 | bbk berlin Presents Study on the Living and Working Conditions of Visual Artists
On Tuesday, 28 April 2026, bbk berlin spokespersons Frauke Boggasch and Birgit Cauer presented the new study 'Precarious Capital, Creative Existences' at the Druckwerkstatt in the kulturwerk des bbk berlin at Mariannenplatz. The well-attended event was streamed live on bbk berlin's Instagram channel and generated significant interest. The study has already been picked up by initial media outlets.
Acute Precarity – Even at the Bethanien
The study's findings strikingly illustrate the structural precarity of Berlin-based visual artists. The venue itself is symptomatic: even at the Bethanien, where the presentation took place, artists with affordable studio contracts do not know whether these will be renewed in their current form by the end of the year. The term 'Hope Labour' – working on hope without prospect of fair remuneration or security – was invoked during the event by bbk berlin Co-Spokesperson Frauke Boggasch to underline the urgency of the situation.
This week, bbk berlin – as the spokespersons also reported during yesterday's presentation – held a productive conversation with a member of the DGB Pension Commission. The focus was on possibilities for extending the basic pension supplement to all KSK-insured artists. Also discussed was the extension of the “Aktivrente” to the self-employed as an important structural measure to combat old-age poverty – a demand repeatedly raised by respondents in the study. The urgency is evident: the study demonstrates that Berlin-based visual artists face a massive risk of old-age poverty, and that building private pension provision is structurally near-impossible on a median annual income of €6,000. The conversation partner signalled their intention to bring bbk berlin's concerns into further negotiations – an important step towards making the relevance of visual art visible at the level of pension policy, and one that underlines the impact potential of the study's findings.
During the presentation, the spokespersons also addressed the wishes and demands expressed by respondents in the qualitative survey. Particular emphasis was placed on the protection of artistic freedom as a cultural policy imperative. 'Artistic freedom is a social necessity and must never be steered by the state!' said Birgit Cauer, Co-Spokesperson of bbk berlin.
The study 'Precarious Capital, Creative Existences' is conceived as an empirically grounded instrument through which bbk berlin demonstrates to policymakers how relevant visual art is for Berlin. The study is now available (in German, Executive Summary available in English!) at:https://www.bbk-berlin.de/en/news/precarious-capital-creative-existences-bbk-berlin-study-now-online
Frauke Boggasch und Birgit Cauer,
Spokespersons, bbk berlin
