Dear friends of Berlin University of the Arts,
dear supporters of the arts and sciences, and all those interested in the foundation

We are delighted to introduce the Berlin University of the Arts Foundation, established in 2023. Through this foundation, studies and teaching at the Berlin University of the Arts – one of the largest, most diverse and most traditional art colleges in the world – are already being supported today.

The university stands out for ist unique breadth of disciplines – encompassing design, fine arts, performing arts and dance, music or continuing education. The Berlin University of the Arts unites [vBC1] a wide range of artistic fields and their related sciences under one roof and holds the right to award doctoral and postdoctoral qualifications.

Thanks to their predecessor institutions, both the foundation and the draw upon a long and distinguished history dating back to the Brandenburg-Prussian Academy of Arts, founded in 1696.. In 2025, we celebrated the university's 50th anniversary in its current form.. Over the past decades, far-reaching structural reforms and a renaming – from the Hochschule der Künste Berlin (HdK) to the Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK) – have shaped its development.

The Berlin University of the Arts is characterised by its high-quality education, collaborations with numerous institutions in and and beyond, and its international student body. Innovative teaching formats are aimed at students who have successfully competed against many other applicants in the selection process and secured a place at the Berlin University of the Arts.

The foundation plays an important role in the long-term support of the university and the fostering of young talent in the arts and sciences. A central mission is the direct promotion of outstanding students and graduates. Thanks to the generous support of patrons and sponsors, new ideas, scholarships, artistic-scientific projects and interdisciplinary programmes can be realised at the university. Through effective and altruistic foundation work, this support can have a lasting impact.

This mission is especially vital at a time when public universities are facing severe government budget cuts. Cutting back on education means losing artistic and cultural talent in Berlin. Investing in education is investing in the future – in excellent research and teaching, in the next generation, in our city and in the preservation of our democracy.

Together with its sponsors, the Berlin University of the Arts Foundation creates opportunities for vibrant civic engagement. We warmly invite you to become part of this commitment.

Kind regards,

Prof. Dr. Markus Hilgert
President of the Berlin University of the Arts and Chair of the Curatorial Committee of the Berlin University of the Arts Foundation