Arbeitskreis Selbständiger Kultur-Institute

The Arbeitskreis Selbständiger Kultur-Institute e.V. (ASKI) is a German umbrella association of currently 39 independent, non-profit cultural and research institutes. Founded in 1967 on the initiative of the Federal Minister of the Interior, ASKI brings together museums, art halls, archives, libraries and research institutions that are mostly privately funded and independently run. Its members include renowned institutions such as the Richard Wagner Museum in Bayreuth, the Bauhaus-Archiv in Berlin, the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden, the Goethe-Museum in Düsseldorf, the Wartburg Foundation in Eisenach, the German Literature Archive in Marbach, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, and the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. Through their collections, these institutes represent the quality and diversity of Germany's cultural landscape. ASKI's mission is to strengthen public interest in art and culture, raise awareness of their value, and bring cultural concerns into cultural policy discussions. As the voice of its members, the association advocates for their interests before the German Parliament and the Federal Government, which supports ASKI and its member institutes through the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. ASKI also carries out nationwide tasks: it awards the Maecenas-Ehrung, an annual or biennial honour for outstanding private cultural engagement; it operates the Casa di Goethe museum in Rome, housed in the building where Goethe stayed during his Italian Journey; it organises joint exhibitions, often online since 2019; it holds specialist conferences and seminars on legal, educational and technical issues; and it publishes the magazine 'kultur leben' twice a year. The association is headquartered in Bonn. Its members are spread across Germany, from Bayreuth to Weimar, and include both large national museums and smaller specialised archives. ASKI celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017, while the Casa di Goethe marked its 20th anniversary the same year. The current chairperson is G. Ulrich Großmann, who took office in 2021. ASKI remains a key network for independent cultural institutions in Germany, fostering cooperation and public engagement.

The Arbeitskreis Selbständiger Kultur-Institute e.V. (ASKI) was founded in 1967 on the initiative of the Federal Minister of the Interior. Initially, seven independent, non-profit foundations and associations that had emerged from private initiative joined together to form the association. The goal was to create a network that would strengthen the visibility and impact of privately funded cultural institutions in Germany. Over the decades, ASKI grew steadily, and by the 2020s it counted 39 members, including many of Germany's most prestigious museums, archives, and research centres. From its early years, ASKI took on nationwide tasks. It began awarding the Maecenas-Ehrung, an honour for outstanding private cultural engagement, initially every two years and since 2010 annually. In 1997, ASKI became the operator of the Casa di Goethe in Rome, a museum located in the house where Goethe stayed during his Italian Journey. This gave the association an international presence. ASKI also organised joint exhibitions, often involving multiple member institutes, and published accompanying catalogues. Since 2019, these exhibitions have been primarily presented online. The association has published several periodicals: 'Kulturberichte' (1986–2004), 'KULTUR lebendig' (2005–2020), and since then 'kultur leben', a magazine appearing twice a year with a print run of 5,000 copies. ASKI also holds specialist conferences and seminars on legal, educational, and technical issues relevant to cultural institutions. ASKI's leadership has changed regularly. The first chairperson was Ernst Holzinger (1967–1972), followed by Bernhard Zeller, Hans-Kurt Boehlke, Günther Pflug, Sieghardt von Köckritz, Barthold C. Witte, Joachim-Felix Leonhard, Volkmar Hansen, Andrea Fadani, and Wolfgang Trautwein. Since 2021, G. Ulrich Großmann has chaired the association. In 2017, ASKI celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the Casa di Goethe marked its 20th anniversary. The association continues to be supported by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and remains a vital advocate for independent cultural institutions in Germany.

• 2021

  G. Ulrich Großmann becomes chairperson.

• 2019

  Joint exhibitions primarily presented online.

• 2017

  ASKI celebrates its 50th anniversary; Casa di Goethe celebrates 20 years.

• 2015

  Wolfgang Trautwein becomes chairperson.

• 2012

  Andrea Fadani becomes chairperson.

• 2010

  Maecenas-Ehrung becomes an annual award.

• 2005

  Publication 'KULTUR lebendig' begins (until 2020).

• 2002

  Volkmar Hansen becomes chairperson.

• 2001

  Joachim-Felix Leonhard becomes chairperson.

• 1997

  Barthold C. Witte becomes chairperson; ASKI becomes operator of Casa di Goethe in Rome.

• 1993

  Sieghardt von Köckritz becomes chairperson.

• 1986

  Publication 'Kulturberichte' begins (until 2004).

• 1985

  Günther Pflug becomes chairperson.

• 1979

  Hans-Kurt Boehlke becomes chairperson.

• 1973

  Bernhard Zeller becomes chairperson.

• 1967

  ASKI founded on the initiative of the Federal Minister of the Interior with seven founding members.

Umbrella association and advocacy network for independent, non-profit cultural and research institutes in Germany.

• kultur leben magazine

  Biannual magazine with online edition, ISSN 2702-0215, print run 5,000.

• Casa di Goethe museum

  Museum in Rome with study facilities, in the house where Goethe stayed during his Italian Journey.

• Maecenas-Ehrung

  Award for outstanding private cultural engagement, annual since 2010.

• Joint exhibitions

  Exhibitions initiated or supported by multiple member institutes, primarily online since 2019.

• Conferences and seminars

  Specialist events on legal, educational and technical issues.

1. 1aski.org / Arbeitskreis selbständiger Kultur-Institute e.V.aski.org
2. 2ASKI - Über unsaski.org
3. 3Arbeitskreis Selbständiger Kultur-Institutewikidata.org
4. 4Arbeitskreis selbständiger Kultur-Institutede.wikipedia.org