Rauch, Matthias

Next Mannheim, Germany

Matthias Rauch, Dr. phil., studied American Studies, Business Administration and Communications at the University of Mannheim. From 2007-2010, he was a stipend in the graduate program „Formations of the Global“ at the University of Mannheim and visiting research fellow at York University, Toronto, in 2010. He has been lecturing at the University of Mannheim, the SRH Hochschule Heidelberg & Popakademie Baden-Württemberg. Matthias Rauch has worked as a freelance journalist for print and online publications for over 20 years. From March 2013 until October 2014, he was head of press & public relations at the Clustermanagement Musikwirtschaft Mannheim & Region. From 2014 until 2016, he was head of the Clustermanagement Musikwirtschaft. From January 2017 until 2020, he was cultural innovation officer and head of the cultural urban development department at NEXT Mannheim. Since 2021, he has been head of cultural innovation & creative economy at NEXT Mannheim. He was vice chairman of the association for music business and music culture research (GMM e.V.) from 2014 – 2018. Since June 2020, he has been speaker of the regional group Rhine-Neckar of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V. He initiated and conceptualized the first night mayor position in Germany for the City of Mannheim. He is a sought-after keynote speaker at national and international conferences on the topics of cultural and urban innovation, cultural urban development, night culture, creativity and the cultural & creative industries.