Project funding
The visual arts project fund
The Goethe-Institut’s Visual Arts Project Fund supports the establishment of international networks between cultural professionals from Germany and across the globe. It funds projects that foster artistic and curatorial cooperation across national and continental borders. As such, the program provides opportunities to develop cross-border modes of discourse and research in complex and supra-regional projects and to experiment with collaborative formats, processes and structures.
Conditions of Funding
Professional cultural workers, curators, artists, art mediators, art and cultural theorists from Germany and at least one additional country, working on a joint project.
In order to be eligible, the project application must be submitted by a minimum of two equal partners. One of the partners’ professional and personal life must be centered in Germany, while other partners must be living and working in at least one other country
In order to be eligible, the project application must be submitted by a minimum of two equal partners. One of the partners’ professional and personal life must be centered in Germany, while other partners must be living and working in at least one other country
- Artistic and curatorial projects based on transnational, cooperative organizational structures and themes that can be expected to foster artistic excellence and strong public impact.
- The fund invites experimentation with (interdisciplinary) formats of cooperation and presentation.
- Complex, multi-layered projects that involve a multiplicity of contexts, regions and partners are especially encouraged.
- The project fund will not provide full financing. Project budgets are expected to include a minimum of 10% in participant’s personal contributions or third-party funding.
- The maximum funding amount is 25,000 Euros.
- The quality of the concept and the standing of the participants in their respective professional and cultural milieu.
- The projected impact of the project results on artistic and discursive topics.
- Relevance of the concept to contemporary issues.
- An equitable and dialogue-based approach to cooperation that averts dominance by any one person or group.
- Establishing of sustained models of collaboration.
- Sustainable and considered allocation of resources.
- Emphasis on diversity and inclusion
- A realistic, balanced budget that includes confirmed own/third-party contributions for a minimum 10% of the total funding request. In the event that neither is available, please provide an explanation.
- The Visual Arts Project Fund seeks to provide spaces for critical reflections on Western European /North American modes of discourse, and to develop alternative perspectives.
The application portal will request the following information:
Please upload the following information in pdf document format to the portal:
You may also submit additional documents that are relevant to your specific project, as well as links to the project, to personal and institutional websites, previous artistic or curatorial projects, etc. to the portal.
Please refer to any applicableprivacy guidelines.
- Contact information of the applicant
- Names and personal profiles/CVs of all project partners
- The names of key participants
- Project information (title, brief description, detailed description, location, etc.
- Schedule
- Budget (revenues, expenses, own and third-party funds)
Please upload the following information in pdf document format to the portal:
- A detailed budget plan ( Feel free to use this template, or you may use or create your own. )
- Signed letters of confirmation of participation from all project partners (these can be informal, and designed to suit your taste and project. A joint declaration by all involved partner may also be submitted.)
- Requests for, or confirmation of support and funding from other institutions
You may also submit additional documents that are relevant to your specific project, as well as links to the project, to personal and institutional websites, previous artistic or curatorial projects, etc. to the portal.
Please refer to any applicableprivacy guidelines.
- Applications may be submitted from September 1 to mid-October for the following year. Application dates for each year are listed under the heading "Next application deadline” on this page.
- Applications must be submitted using the Goethe-Institut’s digital funding portal, which will be accessible during each funding period.
- If you do not have a profile on the portal, you will first have to register. You will find a registration link on this page as soon as the portal opens.
- The project team member who creates a profile for themselves and initiates the application process will be designated as the official applicant. All other project partners will be registered on the portal and will confirm their participation by means of a signed declaration. Project members are welcome to jointly create and sign this declaration.
- Applications must be submitted in English.
- The final decision of the jury will be announced in mid-January of the following year. Up to 5 projects may be funded per year. The jury’s decisions are final.
Next application deadline
The application deadline for projects starting in 2026 will be published here.
The jury's decision will be announced in mid-January.
The jury's decision will be announced in mid-January.
FAQ
In order to submit an application, you or your project partner must register and create a profile
on the Goethe-Institut's funding portal. You can register as an individual, as an institution or as a collective (provided that one individual is named as the contact person).
The project partner who creates this profile and fills out the application will be designated as the official applicant. Other project partners may be introduced on the application portal. All project partners are required to confirm their participation in the project. This may be done by uploading to the portal individual or jointly written and signed informal letters of confirmation.
on the Goethe-Institut's funding portal. You can register as an individual, as an institution or as a collective (provided that one individual is named as the contact person).
The project partner who creates this profile and fills out the application will be designated as the official applicant. Other project partners may be introduced on the application portal. All project partners are required to confirm their participation in the project. This may be done by uploading to the portal individual or jointly written and signed informal letters of confirmation.
We would expect confirmed cooperation with at least one institution (museum, art association,
Project space, etc.).
Project space, etc.).
An institution that is applying as a lead applicant will need to submit the name of a specific individual as a contact person, who will then be working creatively and as an equal partner with the other project partners. Please specify their role and detailed scope of work in the application. While applications on those terms are possible in principle, please ensure that such a project constellation does not amount to simply commissioning an artist/curator.
Along those lines, two institutions may apply with a joint project, provided that they meet all other criteria. We may give preference to smaller, less financially robust Institutions.
Along those lines, two institutions may apply with a joint project, provided that they meet all other criteria. We may give preference to smaller, less financially robust Institutions.
No, that is not possible.
There are no limits to your creativity when it comes to designing a format, as long as it fulfills the criteria of transnational, equal cooperation in a newly created content-focused project. Digital formats are also eligible.
The project fund provides an opportunity to engage cross-disciplinary discourses and research questions, and offers spaces to reflect critically on Western European/North American influenced discourses and to develop alternative perspectives.
For that reason, projects must create connections between team leaders from at least two countries (including Germany). To emphasize our goal that Germany should not be the project’s only focus, final presentation of projects outside Germany is obligatory. Complex project structures that enable networking in more than a two-partner constellation are expressly encouraged. It is further desirable to see projects offer an extended framing and support program. This might include, for example, guided tours, artist talks or the development of a publication. Additionally, the sustainable involvement of an exhibition site’s surroundings as well as the integration of (infra-) structures, which remain even after the project terminates can ensure and increase the degree of ‘complexity’. Lastly, we welcome participatory, inclusive, and interactive project content that engages the exhibition site and involves local residents and artistic milieu, and thus helps lay the foundation for a long-term exchange.
Examples of previously funded projects can be viewed here
For that reason, projects must create connections between team leaders from at least two countries (including Germany). To emphasize our goal that Germany should not be the project’s only focus, final presentation of projects outside Germany is obligatory. Complex project structures that enable networking in more than a two-partner constellation are expressly encouraged. It is further desirable to see projects offer an extended framing and support program. This might include, for example, guided tours, artist talks or the development of a publication. Additionally, the sustainable involvement of an exhibition site’s surroundings as well as the integration of (infra-) structures, which remain even after the project terminates can ensure and increase the degree of ‘complexity’. Lastly, we welcome participatory, inclusive, and interactive project content that engages the exhibition site and involves local residents and artistic milieu, and thus helps lay the foundation for a long-term exchange.
Examples of previously funded projects can be viewed here
The project will have to be presented to the public in at least one location in a professional environment outside of Germany. Interventions in public space are an option.
- - We do not fund projects that have already started at the time of application (with the exception, of course, of networking meetings, conceptual and planning sessions in preparation for project applications to funders.). These include:
- Projects already underway at the time of the application deadline
- Ongoing, long-term projects
- Regularly scheduled repeating projects, such as biennials. - In addition, we will not support projects that do not inherently provide for equality and a dialogic approach between project partners, such as:
- Commissioned works
- Exhibitions, residencies and travel by individual artists or curators undertaken at the invitation of an institution.
- Existing exhibitions that are to be shown at an additional location
- Residency programs - We also do not fund pure publication projects
Funding is provided for honoraria as well as travel, subsistence and visa costs for
the participants, as well as temporary room rentals, the production costs of the
project, its final presentation, etc. Per diems may be claimed in compliance with the
Federal Travel Expenses Act.
Ongoing expenses and fixed costs (such as rent or lease payments, electricity and heating costs of participating institutions, etc.) will not be eligible for financing by the fund.
the participants, as well as temporary room rentals, the production costs of the
project, its final presentation, etc. Per diems may be claimed in compliance with the
Federal Travel Expenses Act.
Ongoing expenses and fixed costs (such as rent or lease payments, electricity and heating costs of participating institutions, etc.) will not be eligible for financing by the fund.
Increases in the amount of funding after the fact are not possible. Please keep us advised of any detail changes in your budget, especially if you receive third-party funding commitments or refusals that impact the feasibility of your project.
If expenses included in the scope of the project have to be met prior to the date of application or adjudication, please include an informal request for a so-called ‘Early Start of Measures (Project Start)’. Note that if granted, consent to an early start of measures will not constitute a binding declaration of intent, nor confirmation of funding by the Goethe-Institut. Any and all bookings and contracts entered into before a binding commitment has been made are undertaken at your own risk. Payments made prior to the start of the funding period cannot be retroactively charged against the funds granted and will have to be paid from own or third-party funds.
In the event of a positive funding decision, applicants must submit an updated budget, on the basis of which the final amount of funding will be determined. A contract between the applicants and the Goethe-Institut, as represented by its Visual Arts Division, will be entered into. This contract specifies the framework of the project, the funding amount as well as usage and copyrights of the two contracting parties; furthermore, it specifies the rights and obligations of the applicants and the Goethe-Institut.
In addition, the contract specifies the grant’s disbursement modalities. The total amount will be paid in installments and must be disbursed by the end of the calendar year. Funding beyond the end-of-year deadline is not possible.
Any funded project will be presented on the Goethe-Institut website. To this end, please send a brief project description and an image as soon as you receive confirmation of funding. Text and image can be updated at any time.
At the end of the project, in addition to photographic documentation and a final report, a financial statement of the grant funds with supporting invoices must also be submitted.
The Federal Budget Code § 70 BHO - Einzelnorm must be complied with for all funded expenditures.
In addition, the contract specifies the grant’s disbursement modalities. The total amount will be paid in installments and must be disbursed by the end of the calendar year. Funding beyond the end-of-year deadline is not possible.
Any funded project will be presented on the Goethe-Institut website. To this end, please send a brief project description and an image as soon as you receive confirmation of funding. Text and image can be updated at any time.
At the end of the project, in addition to photographic documentation and a final report, a financial statement of the grant funds with supporting invoices must also be submitted.
The Federal Budget Code § 70 BHO - Einzelnorm must be complied with for all funded expenditures.
