The City of Mannheim has decided it will no longer provide government subsidies to the Mannheim Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra was founded in 2009 and acts as a springboard to help propel young orchestral musicians into full-time careers. However, without proper municipal funding, it will be unable to operate, having already suffered through many of the challenges associated with the pandemic.

Many of the orchestra's projects rely on extra funding that can only be secured if the group maintains its status as a non-profit organization, and so the denial of municipal funding will also have an effect on the orchestra's ability to secure external funding.

The orchestra performs alongside some of the world's best soloists, and offers free educational concerts, providing children from all socio-economic backgrounds with the opportunity to get acquainted with orchestral music.

"The Mannheim Philharmonic Orchestra makes a valuable contribution to the cultural offerings of the city of Mannheim and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region," wrote representatives of the group.

"The orchestra reaches a worldwide audience through the live broadcasting of its concerts on the internet, now around 3 million people per concert, and thus contributes significantly to the positive image of the city of Mannheim as a city of music and culture," they added.

The orchestra has asked its followers to sign a petition which requests the reinstatement of its funding. You can view the petition on the Mannheim Philharmonic's website.