The Goethe-Institut is ending the “Goethe-Institut in Exile” programme. Information about this appeared on the institution’s social media accounts. The reason cited was “multiple global crises.”
“The acute pressure on our structures, including limited financial resources no longer allow us to continue the programme,” the statement said.
As a result, all events scheduled for February 23, 2026 were cancelled.
At the same time, the Goethe-Institut said it will continue to involve artists in exile in international cultural programmes and “bring their perspectives into the German and global discourse.”
The “Goethe-Institut in Exile” programme served as a meeting place, a space for discussion, and a stage for artists from at-risk countries where institutes were forced to close due to war and censorship. It helped draw attention to stories of escape and border experiences, new beginnings, and the artistic diversity of diasporas.
With the initiative and support of the “Goethe-Institut in Exile,” Belarusian events were also held abroad, including discussions, concerts, performances, book presentations, film screenings, theatre productions, exhibitions, and workshops. For example, in March 2024 the “Goethe-Institut in Exile” initiated a large interdisciplinary festival of Belarusian culture. It became a stage and a living platform for discussion and reflection for Belarusian artists and cultural figures who were forced to leave their home country due to the dramatic situation there over the previous three years and were living in exile in Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Vilnius, or Tbilisi. More than 50 theatre practitioners, filmmakers, authors, poets, musicians, philosophers, artists, and activists from Belarus presented a diverse interdisciplinary programme.
