Kulturstiftung des Bundes

Next online application service in English on 10 July

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What we do

Programme-based Funding

The German Federal Cultural Foundation supports contemporary culture with an emphasis on innovation and international collaboration in various artistic fields.

Its programme-based funding supports larger-scale projects addressing cultural and societal issues such as climate change, digitalisation, structural transformation, diversity and international cooperation.

Zwei Personen in blauen Gummianzügen erkunden ihr Gegenüber.

General Project Funding

The German Federal Cultural Foundation’s General Project Funding supports large-scale, innovative and internationally oriented projects in all artistic fields. It supports cultural institutions in realising short-term international projects that are visible in Germany and abroad.
However, we do not offer scholarships, grants, start-up support or residencies for individual artists.

Lessons learned from our programmes

Creating Together / Créer ensemble

The digital publication “Creating Together” by the German Federal Cultural Foundation is a collection of conversations, essays and artistic works written by around 20 participants of the TURN2 Labs in Nairobi, Dakar and Tunis (2022–2023). It examines how we want to work and live together in the future. The contributions take a critical look at archiving strategies, alternative social and economic models and the role of art and culture in transformation processes.

Diversity Compass

The 360° – Fund for New City Cultures by the German Federal Cultural Foundation supports cultural institutions in integrating cultural diversity issues into their organisations and in reducing exclusionary structural practices in the cultural sector. The “Diversity Compass” presents the programme’s most effective measures and compiles the participants’ experience and expertise for the benefit of the cultural sector at large.

Bühnensituation: Am Pult steht eine Person, daneben steht eine Gebärdensprachdolmetscherin, im Hintergrund sitzen weitere Personen.

Inclusion in the world of theatre

Ben Evans, former Head of Arts and Disability at the British Council, gave a keynote speech at the public panel discussion “How inclusive can theatre be?” at the Münchner Kammerspiele in January 2024. In his speech, he made the case for a more inclusive theatre that not only creates access but also promotes artistic and structural equality.

Carbon Footprinting in Cultural Institutions

In a nationwide pilot project, the German Federal Cultural Foundation supported 19 cultural institutions in various artistic fields to measure their CO2 emissions and determine their carbon footprint. The calculations, progress reports, recommendations and work materials have been documented and are now available as a free PDF brochure.

Successful completion of your project

Guidelines for project accounting

The Guidelines for project accounting at the German Federal Cultural Foundation contain important contacts at the foundation as well as information on the form of documents and common sources of error.


About the Foundation

Logo: Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien

The German Federal Cultural Foundation promotes contemporary art and culture within the scope of federal competence. One of its main priorities is to support innovative programmes and projects on an international level. 

It is a civil-law foundation and has its headquarters in Halle an der Saale, Germany. The German Federal Cultural Foundation is financed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (external link, opens in a new window).