Cultural Youth Work : Germany

Cultural education is a key element of general education and thus plays a crucial role in the development of the individual’s personality. Given this fact, the Federal Government strives to ensure that children and young people are exposed to and actively involved in the arts and cultural activities at the earliest possible age and have the opportunity to acquire a wide variety of cultural experiences while they are still quite young.
The youth work in music schools, youth film clubs, theaters, dance groups, libraries, art schools for young people, museums and many other institutions illustrates in an exemplary manner what a positive impact exposure to the arts and cultural activities can have on the development of young people. In numerous cultural projects for young people, important topics such as ecology, violence and hostility to foreigners are addressed: In the context of these projects, young people independently work their way through to new insights into existing social conditions and are impressed with the importance of peaceful, democratic and cooperative conduct in everyday life.

The Federation of Youth Cultural Associations is an umbrella organization of 48 specialized associations which are active nationwide. In over 100,000 projects, competitions, workshops, encounters, seminars and meetings, these specialized associations organize and promote cultural youth work at the regional, national and international level. More than 12 million young people participate in these activities each year.