General Project Funding

Program description

Applications for open project funding from the Federal Cultural Foundation can be submitted twice a year for all disciplines. Twice a year, a jury made up of experts from all disciplines makes its funding recommendations to the Board of the Cultural Foundation. The board decides on applications under €250,000. Funding decisions of €250,000 or more also require the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Cultural Foundation.

The Federal Cultural Foundation supports artistic productions and grants project funding for current projects that can be clearly assigned to the international context or fall within another undisputed funding competence of the Federal Government.A "project" is defined as the production, planning and/or realization of individual events or event complexes, e.g. exhibitions, performances, symposia.

Funding can be granted for all non-commercial areas of cultural creation with a contemporary focus, in particular for the performing arts, visual arts, literature, music, architecture, art and cultural history and interdisciplinary projects. The visibility of the project in Germany must be guaranteed. Media produced as part of a grant must always be written at least in German.

The grant is generally awarded to partially finance the purpose to be fulfilled.

Institution

Kulturstiftung des Bundes

The Kulturstiftung des Bundes was established in 2002 by the Federal Government, represented by the Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural and Media Affairs. It promotes art and culture within the scope of the federal government's competence. One focus is the promotion of innovative programmes and projects in an international context. The Federal Cultural Foundation supports artistic productions and grants project funding for thematic areas that fall within the federal government's responsibility for the promotion of art and culture. Funding can be granted for all non-commercial disciplines and areas of cultural creation, for visual arts, performing arts, literature, music, film, photography, architecture, cultural-historical exhibitions, new media, related forms and intermediate forms. The Federal Cultural Foundation does not fund projects that are already underway, but only projects planned for the future.

Deadline

The next jury session will take place in spring 2025. The submission deadline for the 47th jury session is January 31, 2025.

Funding period

The Federal Cultural Foundation only funds projects whose implementation has not begun prior to the Foundation's funding decision.

Funding conditions (non-commercial)

Own funds required, International context/cooperation

Funding criteria

The Federal Cultural Foundation can grant funding to institutions in Germany and abroad. The legal form of an applicant institution (e.g. foundation, association, public or private corporation) is irrelevant for the funding decision.

The Federal Cultural Foundation generally classifies projects as projects in an "international context",

• which are carried out in cooperation with at least one organization that is not based in the Federal Republic of Germany,
• or for which the realization of at least one part of the event outside German territory is essential,
• or which are realized with the main involvement of artists from different countries,
• or for the preparation and research of which international cooperation is necessary
• or which network a large number of participants or sub-projects
• or which require the participation of internationally prominent institutions.

If these criteria are not met, the Executive Board will only classify a project as an international project if it extends far beyond the national context due to its outstanding significance.

The minimum application amount is € 50,000. The financing of the project must have a secured share of monetary own and/or third-party funds amounting to at least 20 percent of the total costs of the project.

Additional conditions

As a rule, the Federal Cultural Foundation does not fund projects that are supported by individuals or non-organizational associations of individuals.

The Federal Cultural Foundation does not provide institutional funding, but only project funding; as a matter of principle, it does not support any purchases, construction measures or pure guest performances abroad and does not grant pure printing cost subsidies.

The Federal Cultural Foundation does not support any series of events or projects that are intended to be repeated regularly. Irrespective of this, however, parts or individual projects of series of events or regularly repeated projects are generally eligible for funding.

Application type

Registration in advance, electronic application system

Application procedure/documents

The Federal Cultural Foundation provides specific online tools on its website that must be used for funding applications for general project funding and for programs or funds that are open to applications. Applications must also be submitted at least in German.

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required at the application deadline, which you can upload to the online form :

• written confirmation from the artistic director you have specified (e.g. for exhibitions: curator or for theater productions: director) or from comparable persons responsible that they will participate in the project,
• written confirmation (if not yet available: letters of intent) from other sponsors(sample "Confirmation/declaration of intent from other sponsors" (Doc, 25 KB)),
• written confirmation from your cooperation partners (e.g. venues, event locations) stating their financial participation in the project(sample "Confirmation of cooperation partners" (Doc 23.5 KB)),
• the long version A4 portrait format of the cost and financing plan on 2 pages(sample cost and financing plan)
• a detailed list of artists with details of their country of origin and a short biography,
• a detailed project description (max. 10 pages).

Assistance/Downloads

All information on the funding conditions can be found in the General Funding Guidelines, the Funding Principles and the FAQs.

Dates for online consultation:

• January 15, 2025, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

If you would like to take part in one of the counseling tutorials, please register at onlineberatung-ap(at)kulturstiftung-bund.de.

FAQ Url

Funded by

Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media

Funding area

Germany

Funding source of the institution

federal government