Home
-
Systematic funding: A look at the 2026 budget
The planned federal budget for 2026 currently represents an important cultural policy decision: Will it be possible to develop funding for the independent scene in a sustainable manner? What is needed now in a comprehensive overview.
-
BUNDESTREFFEN25 - The Show Must Go On
On September 25 and 26, around 200 representatives from the independent performing arts, civil society, politics, and administration will gather at HAU Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin to develop perspectives for the future of the independent performing arts under the current, rapidly changing social conditions.
-
© Dorothea Tuch
Tabori Prize 2025 | Winners have been announced
The 2025 Tabori Prize of the Fonds Darstellende Künste went to pulk fiktion. On September 25, 2025, the Fonds presented the Tabori Prize 2025, Germany's highest award for independent performing arts, as part of “The Show Must Go ON. BUNDESTREFFEN25 of the Independent Performing Arts” at HAU Hebbel am Ufer.
-
On Tour
The documentary film “DIE KUNST, VIELE ZU BLEIBEN” by Felix Meyer-Christian, commissioned by the Fonds, about the vitality of the arts and their fight against social exclusion and polarization is on tour in Germany. Click here for the current dates.
Current application deadlines
News
-
© Dorothea Tuch
Nachruf auf Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Wagner (*1961 - †2025)
Der Fonds Darstellende Künste trauert um Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Wagner, ehemals Kuratoriumsvorsitzender des Fonds, der nach kurzer und schwerer Krankheit verstorben ist.
-
Close the funding gap!
The planned federal budget for 2026 currently represents an important cultural policy decision: Will it be possible to develop funding for the independent scene in a sustainable manner? What is needed now in a comprehensive overview.
-
BUNDESTREFFEN25
On September 25 and 26, around 200 representatives from the independent performing arts, civil society, politics, and administration will gather at HAU Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin to develop perspectives for the future of the independent performing arts under the current, rapidly changing social conditions.
-
© Dorothea Tuch
Tabori Prize 2025
The 2025 Tabori Prize of the Fonds Darstellende Künste went to pulk fiktion. On September 25, 2025, the Fonds presented the Tabori Prize 2025, Germany's highest award for independent performing arts, as part of “The Show Must Go ON. BUNDESTREFFEN25 of the Independent Performing Arts” at HAU Hebbel am Ufer.
-
Theaterpreis des Bundes 2026
The Fonds Darstellende Künste has once again been entrusted with awarding the Theaterpreis des Bundes. All theaters throughout Germany are eligible to apply—municipal theaters, regional theaters, independent production houses, private theaters, guest performance venues, and even state theaters, from large metropolitan areas as well as rural areas.
-
Checklist “Ecological sustainability in culture”
The sustainability checklist is now a mandatory part of the application process for the fund, but it is not intended to be merely a formal step. Rather, it is primarily a source of information for artists, venues, and festivals in the independent performing arts sector to reflect on their own working practices from a sustainability perspective. Further information is available here.
-
Job vacancy in the Funding Department
The Fonds Darstellende Künste is currently seeking an employee in the GLOBAL VILLAGE KIDS funding department as a parental leave replacement. The application deadline is November 15, 2025.
-
„DIE KUNST, VIELE ZU BLEIBEN"
On Tour: The documentary film “DIE KUNST, VIELE ZU BLEIBEN” by Felix Meyer-Christian, commissioned by the Fonds, about the vitality of the arts and their fight against social exclusion and polarization is on tour in Germany. Click here for the current dates.
-
Die Vielen
The Fonds Darstellende Künste is a co-signatory of the Declaration of the Many (DIE VIELEN).
Latest blog posts
-
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.”
-
© 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.
-
© Dorothea Tuch
Verantwortung übernehmen: Wer vertritt wen und wie?
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.
-
© 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.
-
© Dorothea Tuch
“Remaining effective” – self-positioning & scope for action
13 Oct 2025
In times of precariousness and competition, fair conditions, open spaces, and genuine solidarity are crucial for cultural effectiveness. Felizitas Stilleke provided an insight into the topics covered in the workshops and made a plea for attitude, sustainability, and shared responsibility.
-
© Dorothea Tuch
Under Pressure
06 Oct 2025
Das BUNDESTREFFEN25 der Freien Darstellenden Künste im HAU Hebbel am Ufer in Berlin unter dem Motto „The Show Must Go On“ als Gelegenheit für Zusammenkunft, Austausch, Zustandsbeschreibung, Diskussion und Ausblick. Eindrücke der zwei Veranstaltungstage von Kulturjournalist Thomas Kaestle.
About the Fonds
-
Funding
With its funding lines, the Fonds continues the specific support of the independent performing arts.
-
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.
-
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 | #3 Dealing with right-wing youths
12 November 2025, 02:00 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 third event in the series deals with the topic:
“Dealing with right-wing youths”
morePlanning, applying for, and implementing cultural projects for young people in a discrimination-sensitive manner | #4 Muslim perspectives on diversity in conversation – Fundamentals of anti-Muslim racism
26 November 2025, 02:00 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 fourth event in the series deals with the topic:
“Muslim perspectives on diversity in conversation – Fundamentals of anti-Muslim racism”
morePlanning, applying for, and implementing cultural projects for young people in a discrimination-sensitive manner | #5 Diversity as an opportunity – empowerment in cultural education
04 December 2025, 10:00 AM - 02:00 PMFormat: Workshop
The series of nine workshops focuses on various aspects of discrimination-sensitive project design and provides practical tips for concrete implementation. The fifth event in the series deals with the topic:
“Diversity as an opportunity – empowerment in cultural education”
more