Report to Society 2025

Social

Promotion of Art and Culture

Partnership with Chemnitz, European Capital of Culture

Art and culture offer more than just aesthetic experiences: they shape our shared cultural memory and foster a sense of identity. At the same time, artistic perspectives continually reveal new ways of seeing the world and can thus help drive change and development. Overall, art and culture therefore make an important contribution to dialogue, participation and a vibrant, resilient society.

As Germany’s largest non-governmental sponsor of culture, the Savings Banks Finance Group supported a wide range of cultural projects in 2025 with around 138 million euros. A highlight of this was its involvement as an ‘Official Partner’ of Chemnitz, the European Capital of Culture 2025. The title ‘European Capital of Culture’ is awarded annually by the European Union. It aims to highlight the richness, diversity and commonalities of Europe’s cultural heritage, as well as to foster a better mutual understanding amongst citizens.

€138.4 million
in funding from the Savings Bank Finance Group for regional cultural offerings in 2025.

Social commitment of the Savings Banks Finance Group 2025

  • €135.8m 
           
    social affairs and education
  • €138.4m 
           
    art and culture
  • €105.7m 
           
    sport
  • €24.7m 
           
    environment
  • €24.8m 
           
    promotion of research, business and science
  • €74.2m 
           
    other public welfare purposes
€503.6 million total volume

In Chemnitz, the PURPLE PATH art and sculpture trail was the focus of funding from the Savings Banks Finance Group – a decentralised trail linking the city with 38 partner municipalities and bringing to life the region’s history of mining, craftsmanship and industry. Featuring sculptures and installations by international, national and local artists, the PURPLE PATH forms an exhibition in public space that will remain in place as part of the region’s cultural infrastructure for the long term.

In addition, the Savings Banks Finance Group’s support included the organisation of the European Capital of Culture Marathon by Savings Bank Chemnitz, support for the restoration and reconstruction of the country house of the painter Karl Schmidt-Rottluff by the Ostdeutsche Sparkassenstiftung in collaboration with Savings Bank Chemnitz; and funding for numerous local initiatives and participatory formats that actively involve the local community. For its extensive commitment, Savings Bank Chemnitz has been awarded the German Cultural Promotion Prize 2026. The jury recognised both the commitment to Chemnitz as the European Capital of Culture 2025 and the cultural funding provided by savings banks throughout Germany.

In total, the European Capital of Culture year in Chemnitz offered an estimated 2 million participants 260 projects comprising around 2,000 events. 731 partner organisations from 40 countries were involved in the programme. A cultural event with international appeal that puts Chemnitz on the map, well beyond the year 2025.

The partnership between the Savings Banks Finance Group and Chemnitz, the Capital of Culture, is a joint initiative of the Savings Banks Cultural Fund of the Savings Banks Association and the East German Savings Banks Association, together with all Saxon savings banks as well as Savings Bank Chemnitz. This successful combination of local, regional and national funding once again underlines the diverse commitment and significance of the savings banks, foundations and association partners to the promotion of art and culture, which creates spaces for encounter, remembrance and innovation, thereby strengthening social and cultural participation in the long term.