REMA STUDIES 2025: When the music fades
REMA, the only representative network for Early Music in Europe, and also an EFA-affiliated member, has conducted their 2025 annual survey, aiming to assess the impact of budget cuts on the activities of its members, including ensembles, festivals, concert halls, research institutes, conservatoires, labels and agents. See the survey results below.
When the results of the study first came in, the figures seemed concerning; additionally, subsequent developments in the sector suggest that the situation may be more serious, particularly for festivals and independent ensembles.
SURVEY RESULTS:
Among the respondents were 80 organisations representing festivals, ensembles, research institutes, conservatoires and labels across 29 countries, broadly reflecting the network’s membership. Of these, 41% reported experiencing reductions in funding.
Even modest reductions can have immediate consequences. A funding cut of just 5% by a region, a city or the state may already result in fewer concerts for audiences, less diverse programming, reduced opportunities for independent musicians, and increased pressure on organisations that are often already operating with limited margins. The situation becomes even more challenging when several sources of funding are reduced simultaneously or disappear altogether.
Whether cultural funding originates from public or private sources, any reductions tend to produce similar effects. The responses collected show that 41% of organisations experienced decreases in at least one funding stream. Even a single 5% decrease may lead to concrete adjustments, such as the cancellation of a concert, a reduced artistic team, salary reductions, job losses, and fewer opportunities for independent musicians.
However, in the longer term, the public ultimately bears the cost of these developments. Respondents report the disappearance of artistic director positions and a shift towards safer programming choices, reduced-scale projects without staging, or a stronger focus on established repertoire. Many organisations also report being unable to maintain less profitable activities, such as outreach programmes that previously connected them with wider audiences.
As a result, the artistic offer available to the public risks becoming less diverse, less ambitious and ultimately less abundant.
One key question, therefore, remains: are funding bodies fully aware of the consequences of reduced support for cultural organisations, or is the impact on cultural access an unintended effect of broader financial constraints? This question, however, opens a broader debate.
Read the full Survey Report on REMA's website.
