“First of all: The German Law clearly establishes the freedom of art,” Heinicke emphasizes. “The art and cultural landscape in Germany had to fight for this freedom, and it is now the duty of politicians to ensure that artistic freedom is preserved.” According to Heinicke, the example of National Socialism shows how quickly and extensively art and culture can be politically controlled and exploited. “The lesson that must still be drawn from this is that art and culture must be independent of political influence.”

But is that (still) the case? The Bookstore Award is just one example in a series of recent cases where the boundaries between art, culture, and political influence are blurring. “The situation is coming to a head,” says Heinicke. “In recent years, we’ve seen increased political control over art and culture - across party lines. A clear sign that politics has less trust in cultural institutions.” The backdrop here is the increasing polarization in society. This involves the construction of images of friends and enemies that can be reflected in cultural and artistic contexts. “The cultural sphere has become more contested,” explains Heinicke. “Politics is being pressured by the media and social groups to exploit it.”

Heinicke sees the critical reflection of politics and society as the mission of art and cultural spaces. “This also includes parodying, being satirical, and testing boundaries.” The fact that this may give rise to suspicions of extremist positions is necessary. “Art and culture can bring social problems to the table, discuss them, identify causes, and offer solutions. To do this, it is essential to allow artistic positions that may seem uncomfortable and push boundaries, rather than censoring or even suppressing them in advance.”

When it comes to potential extremist positions in art, Heinicke sees the public - rather than politics - as the key influencer in this context, especially against the backdrop of increasing polarization: “Society can be expected to assess and judge extremist positions. Within art, stereotypes can be addressed and deconstructed. It goes without saying that democracy must not tolerate extremism, but political control mechanisms within the cultural landscape are of no help here. Political mistrust of art and culture erodes trust in democratic society.” Heinicke therefore sees politicians in an advisory and moderating role, not an influential one. With regard to arts funding as well, he advocates for independent juries (such as those already in place in Sweden, for example) that decide on funding and mitigate the risk of political instrumentalization. 

“When democracies lose their democratic values, this often manifests directly in the influence exerted on art and culture,” concludes Heinicke. “Free spaces for art and culture are fundamental to democracy, and that requires trust.”

More details on the topic can be found in the Tacheles podcast by Deutschlandfunk Kultur featuring Julius Heinicke: Freedom of Art: Does Politics Exert Too Much Influence on Culture? (in German).