Akademie der Künste was founded in 1696 and is one of the oldest cultural institutions in Europe. It is an international community of artists with a current total of 400 members covering all art forms. The members are all artists who have made a particular contribution to contemporary art.
Simon Steen-Andersen joins a prominent list of diverse artists currently including Helmut Lachenmann, Ai Weiwei, Herta Müller, Bob Dylan, Wim Wenders and Daniel Libeskind among many others.
Akademie der Künste shows exhibitions, organises concerts, debates, readings, awards ceremonies, as well as film, theatre, and dance performances. The members play a significant part in developing the content programme.
Akademie der Künste supports the arts by giving out a wide range of awards for outstanding artistic achievements as well as for the promotion of artists, and it involves young artists through international scholarship programmes.