Connecting the live music industry
German clubs introduce ‘Club Euro’ solidarity ticket model
April17
Cologne’s live music sector in Germany has launched a new solidarity-based ticketing initiative, “Club Euro,” aimed at supporting smaller venues and strengthening the city’s cultural infrastructure.
The initiative was announced by Klubkomm, the Cologne Club Commission, during the opening day of the c/o pop industry event on April 16, 2026.
Under the model, a €1 fee will be added to tickets for concerts and similar events across participating clubs in the city. The proceeds will be pooled into a central fund, with additional contributions from larger venues, and redistributed to support smaller venues.
Paulina Rduch (pictured), chairwoman of Klubkomm, said the initiative highlights the live music community’s ability to collaborate and contribute to preserving “cultural experimentation and the small stages where artists can grow.” She noted, however, that the project is not intended to replace public funding, but rather to complement support from municipal, regional, and federal levels.
Klubkomm described Club Euro as a “cultural policy instrument” designed to help stabilize venues facing rising costs and tight operating margins. The organisation emphasised that the initiative has been developed in cooperation with both small and large venues, with the latter involved in shaping the funding and distribution model.
The scheme is positioned as part of a broader effort to maintain the ecosystem that supports emerging artists.
The project is also being aligned with wider national and international efforts, including collaboration with initiatives such as the Live Music Fund Germany. Industry bodies including LiveKomm and Bundesstiftung LiveKultur have expressed support for similar local funding approaches.
Festival organisers have also backed the initiative. Norbert Oberhaus, managing director of c/o pop, said smaller venues provide the foundation for talent development and that festivals have a role to play in supporting the wider ecosystem.
A broad range of Cologne venues have joined the initiative, including major sites such as Palladium, E-Werk and Carlswerk Victoria, alongside smaller clubs like Gebäude 9, Artheater, Blue Shell and Stereo Wonderland.
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