Art City

Munich is an art city – a reputation forged both at home and abroad, largely thanks to the art policies of Bavarian kings in the 19th century. By 1900, Munich had become one of Europe’s most important art hubs. Its museums and collections, academies, exhibition spaces and booming art market drew artists from all over Europe.

At the same time, there was already talk of Munich’s decline as an art hub. This ambiguity continues to shape the city’s cultural history today, as Munich offers plenty of room for friction between avant-garde creativity and conservatism. So, what makes Munich an art city today? How do artists navigate life in this pricey capital, where spaces for creativity are hard to come by? And how does Munich impact the art they produce?