The study visit to Berlin was organized as a continuation of the Vienna mobility project carried out in autumn 2024, thus forming part of a longer-term process of professional cooperation and knowledge exchange. The eight-member group consisted of staff members from the Budapest Cultural Center and the Mayor’s Office of Budapest, including a wheelchair user colleague in the spirit of inclusivity. In line with sustainability principles, the organizers chose rail transport for the journey, emphasizing the importance of environmentally conscious international mobility. The working language of the program was English, while some participants also had the opportunity to practice their German language skills in real-life situations.

During the professional program, participants gained insight into the operation of several cultural institutions in the German capital. The first stop was Ausland, an alternative cultural venue where local staff introduced the institution’s history, operational model, and future plans. The visit provided particularly valuable experience in understanding grassroots cultural initiatives and the functioning of the independent cultural sector.

As part of the program, the group also visited the Berlin City Hall, the Rotes Rathaus, where they participated in an English-language guided tour introducing the city’s system of cultural governance. This was followed by a visit to ERIAC (European Roma Institute of Arts and Culture), where participants learned about the organization’s international cultural activities and viewed an exhibition featuring works by Roma artists.

At Kulturprojekte Berlin, four experts gave presentations on project-based cultural management and the organization of large-scale urban cultural programs. Participants found it especially useful to see how the

institution’s responsibilities and operational framework resembled those of the Budapest Cultural Center in several respects. During the visit to Haus der Kulturen der Welt, the group received a detailed overview of the operation, program structure, and audience engagement strategies of an international cultural center.

In addition to the organized professional meetings, exploring Berlin’s cultural and historical landmarks also formed an important part of the learning experience. Participants joined a guided tour of iconic sites including the remains of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and the Museumsinsel cultural district. These experiences contributed to a deeper understanding of Berlin’s historical and social context.

At the conclusion of the project, the group returned to Budapest by train via Munich, providing an opportunity for collective reflection and evaluation of the experiences gained during the mobility. The program successfully combined structured professional activities with experiential learning, significantly contributing to the participants’ professional development, the expansion of their international networks, and the strengthening of their European perspective on the operation of cultural institutions. The organizers hope to continue the series with a third Erasmus+ mobility project in the future in order to further broaden their comparative understanding of European cultural spaces. We would like to thank the Hungarian National Agency, Tempus Public Foundation, for their support during both the preparation and implementation phases of the project.