Prälat Dr. Erich-Stephany-Stiftung für Kirchen, Kunst und Denkmalpflege

The Prälat Dr. Erich-Stephany Foundation for Churches, Art, and Monument Preservation is a legally recognized ecclesiastical foundation under private law, established on January 2, 2009. It promotes the preservation, maintenance, and care of significant church buildings and their furnishings within the Diocese of Aachen, supports parishes in developing alternative usage concepts for church spaces, and facilitates the organization of concerts, church musical performances, sacred art, and cultural events in church venues. The foundation’s capital amounted to EUR 1,000,000 at its inception and totaled EUR 1,135,685.43 as of December 31, 2019. The foundation is sponsored by the Episcopal See of Aachen; its governing bodies are the Board and the Advisory Council, with management entrusted to Angela Mispagel.

The Prälat Dr. Erich-Stephany Foundation is committed to preserving and contemporarily utilizing the over 1,200-year-old cultural and sacred heritage of the Diocese of Aachen. It promotes art, culture, and monument preservation in church buildings and aims to safeguard testimonies of faith for future generations. Through targeted grants, the foundation supports parishes and church institutions in further developing their church spaces as vibrant places of faith, encounter, and culture.

Supported are church congregations and sponsors within the Diocese of Aachen that plan restoration and conservation measures for churches and their furnishings, develop innovative usage concepts for church spaces, as well as organizers of concerts, sacred art projects, and cultural events in church venues. The foundation is aimed at decision-makers in parishes, construction and art professionals, as well as church music initiatives.