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Massive losses for the independent performing arts
Numerous nationally relevant and structurally effective networks and projects are losing federal funding—despite a record budget of €2.57 billion for the cultural sector. The independent performing arts sector across Germany is facing a critical turning point.
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News
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Culture budget 2026: Massive losses for the independent performing arts
Funding for the Fonds Darstellende Künste (Performing Arts Fund) will be stabilized at approximately €8.59 million in the 2026 federal budget. At the same time, numerous nationally relevant and structurally effective networks and projects will lose federal funding – despite a record budget of €2.57 billion for culture.
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© Dorothea Tuch
Obituary for Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Wagner (*1961 - †2025)
The Fonds Darstellende Künste mourns the loss of Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Wagner, former chairman of the fund's board of trustees, who passed away after a short and serious illness.
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Theaterpreis des Bundes 2026
The Fonds Darstellende Künste has once again been entrusted with awarding the Theaterpreis des Bundes. The application process for the upcoming edition is now closed. For the latest information, visit:
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Die Vielen
The Fonds Darstellende Künste is a co-signatory of the Declaration of the Many (DIE VIELEN).
Latest blog posts
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“Not appropriate”: Why cuts to the culture budget threaten the independent scene
04 Dec 2025
Funding for the independent performing arts is falling from €22 million (2024) to €8.5 million – a cut of two-thirds. Holger Bergmann warns that this jeopardizes cultural freedom and innovative strength. The Fonds is calling on the BKM to take countermeasures.
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Joint appeal from the independent performing arts
01 Dec 2025
The culture and media budget allocated to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), Minister of State Wolfram Weimer, will increase to around €2.57 billion in 2026 – yet essential structures of the independent performing arts remain unsecured.
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Art requires freedom and courage
15 Oct 2025
The Fonds managing director, Holger Bergmann, looks back on two intensive days of events, the results of the individual workshops, important insights from the panel discussions and statements: Art needs freedom and courage to face current social challenges, art needs stable funding beyond the logic of individual projects – and it needs “alliances that are bigger than ourselves.”
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© Dorothea Tuch
Black Box - White Cube: New narratives, diversity of forms, aesthetic risks or ancient blockages?
13 Oct 2025
Independent performing arts create spaces for diversity, empathy, and social renewal—beyond market logic and political appropriation. Heinrich Horwitz summarizes the artists' workshop and advocates for protection, participation, and stable funding structures.
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© Dorothea Tuch
Taking responsibility: Who represents whom and how?
13 Oct 2025
Legitimacy, participation, and resources are key prerequisites—supplemented by creative competence, cooperation, and structural support. Anna Steinkamp and Helge-Björn Meyer summarized the workshop for interest groups at BUNDESTREFFEN25 as a plea for strong, agile organizations in the independent scene.
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© Dorothea Tuch
ON HOLD. HOLD ON
13 Oct 2025
Art needs freedom, trust, and reliable structures. At the end of the second day of the BUNDESTREFFEN25 event, Annemie Vanackere provided an insight into the topics and demands of the workshop for theater and festival managers.
About the Fonds
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Funding
With its funding lines, the Fonds continues the specific support of the independent performing arts.
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Consulting
The Fonds Darstellende Künste not only supports projects, but is also a service and consulting partner for independent artists, collectives and institutions. The office advises interested parties and artists on aspects of the application process as well as on structural and organizational issues beyond the scope of its own funding programs.
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The Fonds Darstellende Künste
For over 30 years, the Fonds Darstellende Künste has been one of the six federal cultural promotion funds supporting the art and cultural landscape of the Federal Republic of Germany, with a special focus on promoting the independent performing arts.
Planning, applying for, and implementing cultural projects for young people in a discrimination-sensitive manner | #6 Diversity-sensitive selection of children's literature
20 January 2026, 03:00 PM - 05:00 PMFormat: Workshop
The series of nine workshops focuses on various aspects of discrimination-sensitive project design and provides practical tips for concrete implementation. The sixth event in the series deals with the topic:
“Diversity-sensitive selection of children's literature”
morePlanning, applying for, and implementing cultural projects for young people in a discrimination-sensitive manner | #7 Tailored to the target group – designing educational programs for children and young people from at-risk situations
27 January 2026, 05:00 PM - 07:00 PMFormat: Workshop
The series of nine workshops focuses on various aspects of discrimination-sensitive project design and provides practical tips for concrete implementation. The seventh event in the series deals with the topic:
“Tailored to the target group – designing educational programs for children and young people from at-risk situations”
morePlanning, applying for, and implementing cultural projects for young people in a discrimination-sensitive manner | #8 Discrimination-sensitive application process
10 February 2026, 02:00 PM - 04:00 PMFormat: Workshop
The series of nine workshops focuses on various aspects of discrimination-sensitive project design and provides practical tips for concrete implementation. The eigth event in the series deals with the topic:
“Discrimination-sensitive application process”
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