Is the Goetheanum moving forward? Financial statement for 2019
The financial statement for 2019 closes with a clearly positive result. This was only possible, however, by selling a property. In addition, expenses for salaries were reduced over four business years. It is clear that sources of income need to be found in addition to the members’ contributions.
At first glance, the financial result for 2019 is pleasing! We got through the year well with the help of membership fees, many smaller and bigger donations from individuals, institutions, foundations and donors, and, last but not least, thanks to the input of the Goetheanum staff. The eleven sections of the School of Spiritual Science were generally able to carry out planned projects, including many colloquia and major conferences. None of these plans failed due to a lack of funds.
The Goetheanum was strongly involved in the events of 2019 in celebration of Waldorf 100 and the centenary the Social Threefolding impulse. The salaries of all 206 staff members were paid on time every month – and while ‘too much work’ has been a concern in quite a few departments, the Goetheanum teams have pulled together and are working happily.
Even the expensive renovation of the big wooden doors at the Goetheanum’s west entrance was possible. This work, which was demanded by the authorities in order to meet modern fire protection requirements, cost CHF 326,512. In the end, with revenues of CHF 355,865, we were able to close with a positive equity of CHF 121,220. What more could a treasurer ask for?
Drawing on hidden reserves
At second glance, we see that the Goetheanum owes this pleasing result to one extraordinary stroke of fate. We were lucky, thanks to special circumstances, to be able to transfer a Dornach property belonging to the Goetheanum for its actual value of two million Swiss Francs to the charitable Gerard and Elisabeth Wagner Association, of which the Rudolf Steiner Painting School (Caroline Chanter) forms a part. This Association was only able to purchase the property because it received a considerable and unexpected donation from a former student of Gerard Wagner.
Releasing hidden reserves by selling property requires much responsibility and the Goetheanum would not normally offer any of its properties on the open market or cede its responsibility for Dornach’s organic architecture. Lastly, selling property means a loss of reliable income, in this case 50,000 Swiss Francs per year, although it also lessens the often considerable worries about maintenance and letting.
An institution of the spiritual life
Without unexpected windfalls like larger gifts, the occasional legacy or, more rarely, the transfer of property as in this case, the Goetheanum would have to reduce operating costs, which usually means jobs and staff numbers, by ten to fifteen percent – a challenging scenario! For an institution of the spiritual and cultural life like the Goetheanum it is usual that around a third of all annual income – i.e. around five million Swiss Francs – cannot be planned securely in advance, while estimated expenses can be, and are, budgeted with relative precision.
Income, on the other hand, can often only be estimated. How many people will give a donation over and above their membership fee this year? Which foundation will decide to support one of the many section projects? And which of the conferences or performances that have been planned and prepared will attract a good-sized audience? None of this can be predicted with any kind of certainty and yet, we need to take the risks together.
The artists of the Goetheanum Stage and the section leaders, who are busy doing research and coordinating, have to represent their concerns with courage and commitment, develop entrepreneurial skills, win over interested people and secure funding to sustain the Goetheanum as a School of Spiritual Science.
Few people realize how much input is needed to keep the stage ready for performances, either of its own ensemble or visiting performers. And it is similar with other departments such as the Building Administration, the operational team, Event Planning and Reception, Communication, Accounts and the Archives – all of which are needed for organizing research projects, publications or scientific colloquia and major congresses and for dealing with the Goetheanum’s circa 70,000 visitor days per year.
Financial structures
Despite this general situation we have continued to work on the Goetheanum’s financial structure during the past year. In 2019, we were able to increase the money available for the Sections from 2.5 to 3.3 million Swiss Francs, partly thanks to help from the World Goetheanum Association (additional project funding of CHF 186,133 in its first full year of business; see below for details). Expenses have increased at a similar rate, however!
An important development is the international cooperation of treasurers that started in 2018. The treasurers met for the second time in London in November 2019, representing more than 80 percent of members worldwide. For the first time, guidelines for contributions were decided on and agreed by the responsible councils of the country societies. It was therefore possible, despite a slight decrease in members, to achieve a quite stable inflow of membership contributions. In addition to Germany, Switzerland and Italy, Great Britain could also for the first time, and thanks to its treasurer, pay the full 125 Swiss Francs for each member.
A good start for the World Goetheanum Association
The World Goetheanum Association, which was founded in 2018, is developing well (worldgoetheanum.org); its charter and fund regulations have so far been signed by 150 partners worldwide. An initiative group has now been formed and legitimized by the partners, and an international Association Committee was elected to decide on the use of the financial means. All the Association’s expenses in 2019 – CHF 424,965 in total – have been provided by the partners. Of this sum CHF 377,434 could be allocated to projects and anthroposophical initiatives around the world and at the Goetheanum.
In 2018, the Association set up an office in Dornach and in February 2020 Andrea Valdinoci could be appointed as administrator for further developments. For the Goetheanum it is particularly important to cooperate with entrepreneurs and institutions with which it has joint goals and projects.
Thank you for your commitment and support
We continue to keep the expenses for co-workers very ‘slim’. Salary costs that amounted to almost 11 million CHF in 2016 have been reduced to below ten million CHF in 2019. Further reductions are not possible without cutting some of the services the Goetheanum provides.
All these efforts aim to establish a more stable financial and economic situation for the Goetheanum in the medium term and to reach a reliable larger group of people who help to carry the Goetheanum because they see its activities as relevant. At the same time, the School of Spiritual Science with its sections will endeavour to make a meaningful and helpful contribution with its activities to the world and the spheres of life. We have taken quite a few steps forward in this direction in recent years, even if the Goetheanum will continue to be an uncertain financial undertaking that we can only manage with your commitment and support. For this we thank you from the heart!
A special thank you goes to the head of finances, Oliver Conradt, and his team, Sylvie Stürchler, Nanna Osmer and Ileana Toma, who are processing thousands of transactions and the corresponding processes.