Grants in September 2026: What’s new?

The ‘100⁠ ⁠% Human Dignity. Shaping a Colourful Future’ creative competition is an art competition organised by the Foundation for the International Weeks Against Racism. We are seeking designs for posters, postcards and stickers for the International Weeks Against Racism 2027.⁠ ⁠A total of 2,150 euros in prize money will be awarded. The winning entries will be used for the nationwide campaign materials for the International Weeks Against Racism in March 2027. Artists working in the fields of painting, graphic design, photography and typography are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is 10 September 2026. Find out more

The Fleetstreet Theatre in Hamburg is launching a residency programme for groups of artists who, where possible, work in an interdisciplinary manner, drawing on the performing arts, the visual arts, film and/or music. The Fleetstreet Residency Programme aims to support young groups who, with modest financial resources, develop productions suitable for smaller theatre spaces. For a period of one to three months, the groups are provided with the use of the Fleetstreet Theatre in Hamburg as well as a live-in studio. In addition, the artists will each receive a grant of €1,000 per month to cover the costs of staging and presenting their project. The deadline for applications for the period from March 2027 to March 2028 is 15 September 2026. Find out more

The ‘International Cultural Exchange’ division of the Authority for Culture and Media supports artistic projects involving exchanges between Hamburg and other countries where there is a significant cultural and political interest in their implementation. In particular, support is provided for projects by Hamburg-based cultural practitioners abroad and projects by international cultural practitioners in Hamburg. An additional 100,000 euros has been made available for this purpose since 2025. The deadline for projects commencing in the first half of 2027 is 15 September 2026. Find out more

The Claussen-Simon Fund for Art & Culture supports projects across all disciplines in Hamburg and the surrounding area. The focus is on practitioners in the independent arts scene, emerging artists and projects of high artistic merit that, in particular, provide young people with access to art and culture. Submissions of participatory formats are particularly welcome. The next deadline for applications in 2026 is 30 September 2026. Find out more

Through its ‘Artist Contacts’ programme, the ifa supports international exchange between artists and cultural practitioners from Germany, countries of the Global South and transition economies. The focus is on projects that prioritise collaboration, knowledge transfer and sustainable international networks. Funding is provided to support the mobility of artists, curators, art educators, art theorists, architects, designers, photographers and media artists in the field of visual arts. The programme facilitates working stays, research trips, exhibitions in Germany, artist-in-residence programmes, workshops, lectures, conferences and international exchange initiatives. The application deadline for projects running from March to November 2027 is 30 September 2026. Find out more

Workspace funding from nextMedia.Hamburg is aimed at start-ups and media makers and enables the free use of workspaces and meeting and workshop rooms at SPACE in the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district. The funding covers a period of six months. Applications can be submitted at any time. Learn more

Hamburg Pride e.V. offers project funding. Anyone with project ideas that pursue the same goals as Hamburg Pride e.V. can apply. This includes, for example, the reduction of existing prejudices against the queer community or the (solidarity) support of victims of anti-homosexual violence. Applications can be submitted at any time. Application deadline: ongoing. Find out more

The German Federal Cultural Foundation's "Zero Fund", which is open to applications, is aimed at organisations and actors who are already familiar with the practice of ecological sustainability and at the same time are willing to work with commitment and curiosity on climate-friendly alternatives to cultural production. The fund is intended to support cultural institutions in testing climate-neutral forms of production and new aesthetics with the least possible impact on the climate. The aim is to make a model contribution to a reorientation of the German cultural landscape in order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the long term. Funding of up to 140,000 euros per project is available. Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis until 2027. Find out more

The Rusch Foundation supports individual projects with an amount of up to 7,500 euros. The projects must take place in Hamburg. The founders explicitly mention the areas of music and theatre as well as the promotion of young artists. Higher funding may be approved in individual cases. Applications can be submitted on an ongoing and informal basis. Learn more

The Cafe Royal Cultural Foundation supports artistic projects of all categories and genres by people whose primary residence is registered in Hamburg. Projects eligible for funding include, for example, exhibitions, theatre events, concerts, festivals, and music, video and film productions. The foundation awards project grants of up to 6,000 euros. Applicants must provide a brief description of the project, a short artistic CV for each person involved and a budget/funding plan. Applications can be submitted at any time. Find out more

Through its art grants, the Foundation, in cooperation with the Department of Culture and Media, supports visual artists in the Hanseatic City who have already distinguished themselves through high-quality work. Seven grants of 10,000 euros are awarded annually. The grant is intended to enable artists to devote themselves to their work over an extended period, for example to pursue new ideas and approaches or artistic projects in the fields of production or presentation. The application period runs from 14 July to 9 September 2026.

The Liebelt Foundation supports the production, presentation and dissemination of contemporary art, as well as art-historical research into the visual arts, through funding and its own initiatives. In particular, the Liebelt Foundation is committed to strengthening unconventional, untested and extraordinary artistic and academic perspectives. Among other things, it supports the production of all genres and media within the visual arts; artistic work on physical artworks and intangible processes; the presentation of artworks and temporary projects – such as exhibitions, publications and discussions; the preservation of artworks, including conservation and restoration work; and the public dissemination of art. The next application deadline is 15 September 2026. Find out more

Every year, the Hamburg Authority for Media and Culture awards ten working grants for the visual arts, each lasting one calendar year. The grant is primarily aimed at artists at the start of their professional careers and is intended to enable them to devote themselves to their artistic work with less financial pressure and to build a network of contacts. The working grant runs for one calendar year and is currently worth 1,500 euros per month. At the end of the fellowship year, a joint exhibition featuring the fellows will be held at the Kunsthaus Hamburg and a publication will be released. The application period for 2027 runs from 11 August to 24 September 2026. Find out more

The Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Stormarn is offering a studio grant for the studio house in Trittau. A rent-free studio measuring approximately 27 square metres will be made available from 1 January 2027 for a period of three years. Users pay only a share of the running costs, amounting to 125 euros per month. The studio house also offers opportunities for exhibitions, public presentations and networking with other artists. Artists from Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The deadline for applications is 15 September 2026. Find out more

Once a year, the Authority for Culture and Media awards grants for annual programmes run by self-managed, non-commercial exhibition spaces and artistic initiatives in Hamburg. To be eligible, these must have been in existence for at least one year and must have organised and be able to provide evidence of an annual programme during this period. Funding is available for exhibitions and other formats for presenting visual art, as well as events that relate, in a narrow or broader sense, to the artistic programme and/or to current discourses in the field of visual art. Experimental and approaches to programme design are expressly encouraged. The application period runs from 15 September to 15 October 2026. Find out more

The Uwe Lüders Trust Foundation of the Sparkassenstiftung Lüneburg supports visual artists, regardless of their financial and social situation and age, who are not yet established on the art market and are not yet successfully represented by other galleries or institutions. The scholarship holders receive a monthly grant for a period of three months. In addition, the scholarship grants a free stay in a studio flat in the city centre of Lüneburg. Attendance of at least six weeks is a prerequisite for participation. At the end of the scholarship, there is the opportunity to realise an exhibition in Lüneburg in cooperation with the Sparkassenstiftung Lüneburg. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Three to four scholarships are awarded each year. Find out more

The Ministry of Culture and Media supports the expansion of studios for professional visual artists who live and work in Hamburg. Only recognised professional artists are eligible for funding. A rental agreement for at least five years future rental security must be provided for the studio to be extended. In the case of special structural measures, a declaration of consent from the tenant is required. The application must be submitted at least three months before the start of the construction work. Find out more

On behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Media, the DfdK awards diffusion funding, a revival and guest performance grant aimed at all independent performing artists in Hamburg who would like to show existing productions again in Hamburg or elsewhere.the declared aim is to increase the visibility of existing productions and enable better evaluation of individual projects. The keyword is sustainability.the application deadline is 1 March 2026. find out more

DOK Preview Germany is an exclusive showcase for German feature-length documentaries in the final stages of production. The teams present their projects to international buyers, editors , international sales agents, festival curators and and distributors. Through the project presentations and the subsequent opportunity for networking and exchange, we aim to support the selected projects on their path to international distribution and to forge new working relationships.We are looking for documentary film projects (minimum 79 minutes) that are suitable for cinema and festival distribution and appeal to an international audience. The deadline for applications is 3 September 2026. Find out more

The City of Frankfurt am Main’s Young Filmmakers’ Grant Scheme is a funding call issued by the City of Frankfurt am Main’s Cultural Affairs Department for filmmakers at the start of their artistic careers. The grant serves as low-threshold start-up funding for film projects. A total budget of 20,000 euros is available for the pilot project. Individual projects can receive funding of up to 3,000 euros. Funding is available for film projects to be carried out between September 2026 and May 2027. Applications are open to filmmakers at the start of their artistic careers, university graduates, students and career changers. Residence in Frankfurt am Main is not required. The deadline for applications is 30 September 2026. Find out more

Moin Filmförderung's NEST brings authors, creators and producers together, online and offline. It replaces the previous types of funding for treatments and screenplays as well as in the innovative area for ideas and concepts. Interested parties can apply with their ideas for feature and animated films, cinema documentaries, high-end series and innovative formats such as XR or 360 degrees. In total, you can receive up to 100,000 euros in funding for feature films with the NEST tools. Documentary films and innovative formats can receive up to 50,000 euros in funding, while high-end series can receive up to 150,000 euros. Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis. Find out more

The aim of the International Export Promotion Programme for Music Companies is to strengthen the long-term international competitiveness of music companies based in Germany. This is achieved both through initiatives launched by the companies themselves and through participation in international industry events. The programme enables companies to tap into new markets, build lasting contacts and networks, and position their German acts on the international stage.

Priority is given to events in target countries where the company and/or the artists are not yet represented, or are represented to an insufficient extent, but where they can already demonstrate a following or contacts via agents, management or social media. The third funding round in 2026 runs from 31 August to 21 September 2026, with the earliest possible project start date being 20 November 2026. Find out more

The Musikfonds’ major project funding scheme covers applications for projects with funding requests ranging from 3,001 to a maximum of 50,000 euros, and applications may be submitted at two set deadlines each year. Eligible expenditure under a project grant includes, in particular, artists’ fees, other project-related personnel costs, event and production costs, and travel and accommodation costs. Funding generally requires co-financing of at least 10 per cent of the total eligible expenditure. The second funding round for 2026 runs from 1 September to 30 September 2026. Find out more

Initiative Musik’s artist support programme is aimed at solo artists and bands seeking to establish themselves on the German and international music markets. Potential areas for funding include composition and concept development, production and recording, the production of sound recordings, video and content production, promotion and marketing, and touring. Applications for the 75th funding round can be submitted from 11 September to 2 October 2026. Find out more

The Wavelab Incubator is aimed at tech start-ups in the fields of music, arts and media that work with innovative technologies such as AI, machine learning, VR, AR, XR or data science. Participating teams receive personalised support through one-to-one coaching sessions, access to a strong cultural and tech network, and connections to potential customers, partners and investors. We are looking for teams of at least two people whose idea is already well developed and who have a clear vision for their product. Applications are open until 22 September 2026.

By bridging funding gaps, this program enables emerging musical acts from Germany to accept short-notice international performance invitations that offer a strong professional perspective and an exceptional opportunity for market entry and further international positioning. The focus of the program is therefore on participation in international showcase festivals and live performances abroad aimed primarily at professional industry audiences, as well as support tours abroad that contribute to sustainable establishment in a new international target market. The maximum total funding amount is €20,000 per act per year. Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis from March 2, 2026 to November 19, 2026. Learn more.

Up to twice a month, 105 VIERTEL organises concerts together with young talents and up-and-coming bands at venues of their choice. These events offer musicians the opportunity to gain stage experience, expand their reach and attract new audiences. As a sponsor, 105 VIERTEL assumes the role of organiser as well as all costs for the venue, GEMA, Künstlersozialkasse (KSK) and applicable taxes. The programme is aimed at up-and-coming musicians from Hamburg. Applications can be submitted at any time via the 105 VIERTEL contact form. Learn more

The Exlibris Book Festival 2026 is an independent book festival focusing on artists’ books, design and publishing. The third edition will take place on 3 December 2026 in the auditorium of the HFBK Hamburg, with the theme ‘Letter’. Alongside the book fair, the ‘Sharing Shelf’ exhibition is planned. Participants will have the opportunity to present their own publications and are also invited to bring along a book that has shaped their personal journey. The open call thus offers the opportunity to showcase one’s own work, take part in the exhibition and network with people from the publishing and literary sectors. The deadline for applications is 4 October 2026. Find out more

The Ministry of Culture and Media promotes literary life in Hamburg and the work of Hamburg authors. The aim of the funding is to enable a diverse and ambitious literary life in our city, which offers Hamburg residents the opportunity to engage with literature and its current debates, creates spaces for discussion and encounters and facilitates working conditions for authors. Applicants can submit their applications throughout the year - up to two months before the start of each project.
Find out more.

This internationally renowned award recognises projects that drive innovation through design, demonstrate responsibility and create new perspectives. Companies, agencies, designers and architectural practices worldwide can now submit their projects. Award-winning projects will be showcased via curated channels, media partnerships and digital platforms. At the same time, this provides access to an international network spanning design, business and the media. The application period runs from 22 April 2026 to 11 September 2026. Find out more

Through its prototype funding scheme, Gamecity Hamburg supports founders, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing innovative computer games with strong market potential. Funding of up to €80,000 is available in the form of a non-repayable grant for the development of game prototypes. The application period for the second funding round in 2026 runs from 4 to 24 September 2026. Find out more

The ‘100⁠ ⁠% Human Dignity. Shaping a Colourful Future’ creative competition is an art competition organised by the Foundation for the International Weeks Against Racism. We are seeking designs for posters, postcards and stickers for the International Weeks Against Racism 2027.⁠ ⁠A total of 2,150 euros in prize money will be awarded. The winning entries will be used for the nationwide campaign materials for the International Weeks Against Racism in March 2027. Artists working in the fields of painting, graphic design, photography and typography are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is 10 September 2026. Find out more