How Luxembourg raises money for culture: 83,000 euros in one day

On 11 April 2025, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Éric Thill, presented data to Parliament on the results of crowdfunding campaigns aimed at supporting the national cultural heritage. The main focus is the acquisition and preservation of valuable works of art and historical documents.

On 6 March 2025, one such campaign raised €83,464.54. At this point, 464 donors had participated, of which:

• 443 individuals donated €58,159.54;
• 21 organisations (including companies, associations and municipalities) contributed €25,305.

A separate campaign by the National Museum of History and Art (MNAHA) and the Foundation for National Cultural Support (FOCUNA) aimed to purchase the painting "Champion" by Joseph Kutter. As a result, 106,268.28 euros were raised from 559 participants.

As the Minister emphasises, the campaign is not limited to the acquisition of art objects. The funds will be distributed as follows:

• for conservation and storage measures;
• for research, including outsourced research, if it cannot be carried out within the resources of the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (BnL);
• to public displays of historical documents - with strict adherence to safety and preservation requirements;
• an information campaign aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of cultural heritage and strengthening historical memory.

One of the key objects is a medieval manuscript from the scriptorium school in Echternach, the acquisition of which sparked a public outcry and was part of a broad educational initiative.

Such campaigns become not only a financing tool, but also a way for citizens to actively participate in shaping and preserving the cultural image of the country. The Ministry announced that a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of crowdfunding initiatives will be published during 2025 in cooperation with BnL and MNAHA.

In Luxembourg, crowdfunding is thus becoming not just a trend, but a sustainable part of public policy in the cultural sector - with a focus on conservation, education and community engagement.