Stuttgart’s cultural institutions are well-known far beyond the city limits: with its opera, ballet and drama, the Staatstheater Stuttgart is the largest three-division theatre in Europe. With roundabout 1000 performances per year the Staatstheater reaches some 500.000 spectators. The diverse theatre landscape offers a comprehensive programme ranging from drama and puppet theatre to performance, live radio plays and cabaret. In the field of dance Stuttgart can be proud of its world-famous ballet company and ensembles of international renown.
Stuttgart is also quite unique in its high concentration of museums among the German metropolitan regions with more than 40 institutions with various orientations. The spectrum ranges from technology and natural science, art and history to ethnology and local museums. Many of these museums are also known for their architecture. Stuttgart’s Carl Zeiss Planetarium for instance is located in a futuristic building in the Stadtgarten. With its glass cube, the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart stands out from afar. And the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart makes a very striking impression with a style mix of classic and postmodernism.
The Stuttgart cultural landscape is quite unique in its high concentration of museums, festivals and highlights among the German metropolitan regions.
Over and above the regular portfolio, some 80 festivals and highlights add to the Stuttgart cultural landscape. This is also made possible by a lively music scene that includes the annual late summer Stuttgart Music Festival of the International Bach Academy, the concerts of the SWR Radio Symphonic Orchestra Stuttgart and the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as guest performances of well-known interpreters and orchestras in the Stuttgart Liederhalle. World-famous jazz legends perform at Jazzopen Stuttgart and with its Summer Festival of Cultures the State Capital celebrates its multicultural diversity.
Stuttgart is also known as a film and media city. The International Animated Film Festival Stuttgart inspires both old and young spectators. And the FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media is an internationally recognised event for digital entertainment.
The city archive located in Bad Cannstatt is the active memory of the city. In the StadtPalais – Museum for Stuttgart the countless stories of the city are told and its history brought to life for everyone. The city library with its 17 district libraries is one of the largest and most up-to-date educational and learning venues in Germany. Literature festivals such as the Stuttgart Book Weeks and the Children’s and Young Adult’s Book Weeks are among the largest literature events of the region.
Participation in culture is an essential part of social interaction, in particular in a cultural metropolis like Stuttgart.
The aspect of life-long cultural education in Stuttgart applies for all people, regardless of their income, origin, gender identity or religion. Therefore, it is crucial that the cultural portfolio provided or promoted by the city is made accessible to all – financially and from the infrastructure, and in digital and analogue form.
Participation in culture is an essential part of social interaction, in particular in a cultural metropolis like Stuttgart. For holders of the State Capital Stuttgart “Bonuscard + Kultur” more than 90 cultural institutions in Stuttgart provide a contingent of free tickets from all price categories. In addition to selected cultural institutions other Stuttgart institutions also offer discounts and remission upon presentation of the “Bonuscard +Kultur”, for instance the municipal baths and the shops of Schwäbische Tafel Stuttgart (food bank). The social card “Bonuscard +Kultur” is issued by the Social Welfare Office of the City of Stuttgart.