Kulturnews

Kulturnews is a German monthly culture magazine that first appeared in November 1990 as a city magazine for Marburg, subtitled "Kulturnews – Sinn für Kunst, Kultur und Freizeit" (Kulturnews – a sense for art, culture and leisure). The idea grew out of a culture club that organised events in the city. With the founding of its publishing house, bunkverlag, in 1994, the editorial team moved to Hamburg and Kulturnews developed into a supra-regional magazine. It reports on music, art, books, stage and film. The magazine is published on the last Thursday of each month and is distributed in cinemas, music clubs, scene venues and stage companies. In 2009 it had a circulation of 220,000 copies and was registered with IVW until the fourth quarter of 2009. By 2012 circulation was around 200,000 copies with roughly 500,000 readers. According to its own information, distribution in 2026 is 195,000 copies per issue. The film magazine kulturmovies is distributed nationwide, especially in arthouse and programme cinemas. Several times a year, special issues such as a festival guide appear as supplements to Kulturnews. Kulturnews also operates as a standalone online magazine at Kulturnews.de, offering film reviews, book recommendations, interviews, competitions and a weekly newsletter (kulturnews.letter). Since 2019 it has produced podcasts, including "Büchergespräch" and "Hardboiled Heuner" (crime fiction), available on streaming platforms. The brand positions itself as a free, advertising-funded cultural guide and scene access point for urban audiences in Germany.

Kulturnews first appeared in November 1990 as a city magazine for Marburg, carrying the subtitle "Kulturnews – Sinn für Kunst, Kultur und Freizeit". The idea originated from a culture club that organised events in the city. In 1994 the publishing house bunkverlag was founded, and the editorial team relocated to Hamburg. With this move, Kulturnews transformed from a local city magazine into a supra-regional magazine covering music, art, books, stage and film. The magazine established a free-distribution model, appearing on the last Thursday of each month and being placed in cinemas, music clubs, scene venues and stage companies. In 2009 it reached a circulation of 220,000 copies and was registered with IVW until the fourth quarter of 2009. By 2012 circulation stood at around 200,000 copies with approximately 500,000 readers. According to its own information, distribution in 2026 is 195,000 copies per issue. Alongside the main magazine, the film magazine kulturmovies is distributed nationwide, especially in arthouse and programme cinemas. Several times a year, special issues such as a festival guide appear as supplements to Kulturnews. The brand also operates a standalone online magazine at Kulturnews.de. Since 2019 it has produced podcasts, including "Büchergespräch" and "Hardboiled Heuner" (crime fiction), which are available on streaming platforms.

• 2026

  Self-reported distribution of 195,000 copies per issue.

• 2019

  Podcast production begins, including Büchergespräch and Hardboiled Heuner.

• 2012

  Circulation around 200,000 copies with roughly 500,000 readers.

• 2009

  Circulation reaches 220,000 copies; registered with IVW until Q4 2009.

• 1994

  bunkverlag publishing house founded; editorial office moves to Hamburg and the magazine becomes supra-regional.

• 1990

  Kulturnews first published in November as a city magazine for Marburg.

Free, advertising-funded monthly culture magazine and online guide for urban cultural audiences in Germany, distributed through cinemas, clubs and cultural venues.

• Kulturnews monthly magazine

  Monthly culture magazine published on the last Thursday of each month, distributed free in cinemas, clubs and cultural venues.

• kulturmovies

  Film magazine distributed nationwide, especially in arthouse and programme cinemas.

• Kulturnews.de

  Standalone online magazine with film reviews, book recommendations, interviews and competitions.

• Special issues / festival guides

  Supplements appearing several times a year as part of Kulturnews.

• Podcasts

  Büchergespräch and Hardboiled Heuner, available on streaming platforms since 2019.

1. 1kulturnews.de: Kultur erleben und Freizeit gestalten.kulturnews.de
2. 2Gewinnspiel: Mars One von Charlotte Robinson - kulturnews.dekulturnews.de
3. 3Kulturnewswikidata.org
4. 4Kulturnewsde.wikipedia.org