The Akademie der Kuenste, Berlin was founded in 1696 by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg as an academic institution where members could meet and discuss and share ideas. As early as 1699, the academy served as the arts council to the government and since 1931 has been exclusively tasked with this function. The academics arm ultimately developed into the Universität der Künste Berlin of today.
Main tasks of the Akademie are the representation of Germany in the fields of arts and culture, the promotion of arts, to advocate arts within the society, to advance national cultural developments, to preserve the national cultural heritage and advice the Federal Republic of Germany in terms of arts and culture.