Cate Blanchett Defends Art's Role at Berlin Museum Gala Celebrating 30th Anniversary

At a gala event titled 'A Night in Berlin' held at the Hamburger Bahnhof museum in Berlin, actress Cate Blanchett delivered remarks emphasizing the essential role of art in society. The event took place on March 16, 2026, and served both as a celebration of the museum's 30th anniversary and as an occasion to thank private donors for their financial support. Blanchett, who has a personal connection to the institution from appearing in the 2016 film installation 'Manifesto' there, argued that art maintains a continuous dialogue with viewers and cannot be silenced, even when it provokes disagreement. The gala attracted numerous notable figures from film, art, and music, including Matt Dillon, Nina Hoss, Wim Wenders, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Tricia Tuttle, as well as artists such as Wolfgang Tillmans, Anne Imhof, Ólafur Elíasson, and Katharina Grosse. Museum directors Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath highlighted the increasing reliance of public museums on supplementary funding and discussed efforts to secure new revenue streams, including a partnership with the fashion house Chanel, while stressing that such support should enhance rather than replace the museum's public mission. During the evening, four awards were presented: the Hamburger Bahnhof Studio Award, providing €15,000 each, was granted to Abdulhamid Kircher, Monilola Olayemi Ilupeju, and Jonas Roßmeißl to support artists under 35 working in Germany; Mona Hatoum received a lifetime achievement honor; and Kiran Nadar was recognized for her patronage. The museum plans a 30-hour continuous public opening in November as part of its anniversary celebrations.