Federal Government commits €3 million to concert hall project – Construction scheduled to begin in 2028

Stadtgarten Cologne has reached a major milestone in securing the future of the venue: with today’s funding commitment from the Federal Government under the ‘Investments in Nationally Significant Cultural Institutions’ (INK) programme, the full financing for its new concert hall development is now in place.

Since 2023, the Initiative Kölner Jazz Haus e.V. has been working on plans for the further development of Stadtgarten. At the heart of the project is the existing concert hall, which no longer meets the long-term requirements of a contemporary venue for live music.

The current hall opened in 1986 and will mark its 40th anniversary on 4 September 2026. Over the past four decades, Stadtgarten Cologne has established itself as an internationally connected European Centre for Jazz and Contemporary Music – a venue with a profile unmatched anywhere else in Germany. However, the spatial, technical and energy infrastructure of the existing building no longer meets the demands of a 21st-century venue for live performance, music production and cultural programming.

The redevelopment will deliver a new state-of-the-art concert hall featuring significantly enhanced acoustics, contemporary technical infrastructure, and expanded production and working facilities for artists and creative teams. Sustainability, accessibility, and energy efficiency remain at the core of the architectural vision.

“This funding commitment marks a hugely important step for the future of Stadtgarten and for the music communities across North Rhine-Westphalia,” said Ulla Oster, Chair of Initiative Kölner Jazz Haus e.V. “It underlines Stadtgarten’s standing as a cultural institution of national significance. With this new development, we are laying the foundations for Stadtgarten to continue its success story for decades to come – as a place for artistic innovation, international exchange and musical diversity.”

The City of Cologne had already sent a strong signal of support for the project through its 2026 budget resolution, committing €3 million in municipal funding. With the Federal Government and the State now jointly closing the remaining funding gap, Stadtgarten has secured the decisive support needed to move the project into its implementation phase.

Stadtgarten would like to express its sincere thanks to the City of Cologne, its political representatives and the municipal administration, all of whom have supported and championed the project for more than two years.

Submission of the building application is planned for later in 2026, with construction currently scheduled to commence in January 2028. The construction phase is expected to last approximately 16 months, with the reopening planned in time for the 2029 concert season.

Throughout the building works, Stadtgarten aims to maintain operations as far as possible. The venue’s restaurant will only close for a brief period during winter 2028. In addition, JAKI Club will continue to serve as an interim venue for concerts and live events throughout the construction period.

Further details, including first insights into the architectural designs, will be presented at a press conference in the coming weeks.

The architectural planning for the new concert hall is being led by HUTTA Architektur under the direction of Cologne-based architect Wolfgang Zeh.