Grants in August 2026: What’s new?

The Frappant Open Call 2027 is a call for exhibition proposals at the Frappant Gallery in Hamburg-Altona. We are seeking curatorial and artistic proposals for group exhibitions in 2027.⁠ Applications are open to, amongst others, professional artists, curators, designers and architects. The selected projects will have the opportunity to be presented in the gallery’s physical exhibition spaces and, optionally, in the digital exhibition space ‘Der Vierte Raum’. Frappant e.V. supports the exhibitions through curatorial guidance, public relations, networking and technical support. The deadline for applications is 17 August 2026. Find out more

Through the Innovation Programme for Business Models and Pioneering Solutions (IGP), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs supports the implementation of promising non-technical innovations by small and medium-sized enterprises (including start-ups, the self-employed and social enterprises). Only projects involving at least two participating companies are eligible to apply. Eligible projects include, amongst others, creative industry concepts, organisational models for social start-ups, new platform formats and many other innovations. These include, in particular, cross-sector innovations, such as new organisational designs, services or digital applications developed across sectors or disciplines. Of particular interest are, for example, joint projects between start-ups and established SMEs, the creative industries and medium-sized industrial firms, or the skilled trades and young digital companies. The deadline for submitting applications is 20 August 2026. Find out more

HAICA – the Hamburg AI Creators Award – is entering its second round. Once again, the awards will recognise projects in film, photography and physical spaces – ranging from campaigns to installations, and from commercial commissions to independent experiments. HAICA is a competition for creative work using AI. You can submit entries in the categories of Moving Image, Still, New Talent and Realities – as an individual, team, studio or agency. The submission period runs from 8 April to 31 August 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

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

The Dr Marlene Trentwedel Foundation Art Prize is an art prize in the field of sculpture, open for entries for the year 2027. It is open to artists from across Germany and comes with a prize of €6,000. The aim is to develop and create a new sculpture that engages with the history of Bremervörde or with the themes of water, the River Oste, the harbour or Lake Vörder. The winning sculpture will be officially unveiled to the public in September 2027 as part of the 175th anniversary celebrations of the town of Bremervörde and will subsequently be permanently installed in a public space in Bremervörde. Additional funding totalling €12,000 (including material and labour costs) is available for the creation of the sculpture. The deadline for applications is 10 August 2026. Find out more

The MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts is awarding a total of six scholarships for 2027/2028 as part of the MAK Schindler Initiative in Los Angeles. The scholarships are aimed at four freelance artists as well as two architecture students and graduates and enable a stay in the Mackey Apartments of Rudolph M. Schindler. Applications can be submitted until 12 August 2026. Learn more

To support emerging visual artists as they embark on a career in fine art, Frappant e. V., in cooperation with the Hamburg Cultural Foundation, is awarding two studio grants in October 2026. These are funded by the Susanne and Michael Liebelt Endowment Fund, which operates under the umbrella of the Hamburg Cultural Foundation. Graduates of the Hamburg University of Fine Arts (HFBK) and the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW) who completed their studies in 2025 or 2026 are eligible to apply. The two parallel grants each provide free use of a studio on the premises of Frappant e. V. in the former Viktoria Barracks in Altona. Applications can be submitted from 1 July to 12 August 2026. Find out more

STUDIO F Künstler*innenhaus Hamburg e.V. is a two-year residency grant for graduates in the visual arts. The fellowship comprises a rent-free, unfurnished live-and-work studio at the FRISE artists’ residence in Hamburg from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028.⁠ ⁠In addition, a one-off grant of 1,000 euros is awarded for the final exhibition. Eligible applicants are visual artists whose primary or secondary residence (for at least three months) is in northern Germany (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Bremen or Hamburg) and who have graduated from an art college within the last five years. The deadline for applications is 23 August 2026. Find out more

Neue Kunst in Hamburg e.V. is delighted to award five travel grants in 2026 to artists from Hamburg (aged 40 or under). The association, which is funded exclusively through the generous support of its members, aims to use these travel grants to give young artists the opportunity to work for five months in a location of their choice. Finally, curators Gloria Hasnay and Maurin Dietrich will organise an exhibition featuring the artists in Hamburg, which will be accompanied by a publication. During their stay of up to five months, the grant recipients will receive 1,300 euros per month plus reimbursement of their travel expenses. The application period closes on 30 August 2026. Find out more

The KUNSTFONDS_Publikation programme supports analogue and digital individual publications by visual artists or artist duos who apply for the grant themselves and solely for their own work. The KUNSTFONDS_Publikation funding programme supports artists in their endeavour to publish their artistic ideas and works, in order to promote their art and spread its message. The publications must (also) be published in German. The maximum grant amount for the entire funding period is 24,000 euros. Applications may be submitted until 31 August 2026. Find out more

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 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

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 funding is aimed at micro-enterprises with a registered office or branch in Hamburg and takes the form of a grant of between €2,000 and €10,000, which requires at least 50 per cent of the funding to be provided by the company itself. The online application procedure is open for two months during the funding round and is regularly activated on 15 December and 15 June of each year. The regular application deadlines are 15 February and 15 August of each year. Find out more

Since 2024, the small-scale project funding scheme has focused on projects in rural areas and structurally disadvantaged regions. Applications for projects planned in larger towns or metropolitan areas are now only funded in exceptional cases and therefore have a low chance of receiving funding. For projects whose total costs do not exceed 10,000 euros, applications may be submitted for funding of up to a maximum of 3,000 euros. Eligible expenditure under a project grant includes, amongst other things, artists’ fees, 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 next application deadline is 31 August 2026 ( for events in October, November and December 2026). 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

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 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.

The (be aware) Design Award for Inclusion 2026 is a nationwide competition organised by design inclusion e.V. for projects that view design as an integrative process and promote inclusive participation. The award recognises innovative work that takes into account different forms of human perception and breaks down barriers through design. The prize money amounts to 10,000 euros. Submitted projects will be assessed by an interdisciplinary jury based on the criteria of inclusive design. Applications are open to designers, creators and other practitioners with projects in the field of inclusive design.We are looking for projects that broaden perception, enable interaction and create access. Entries should address real needs and open up new forms of social participation. The deadline for applications is 31 August 2026. 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

The ARD GAME JAM is a 48-hour online game jam for game developers, designers and creative professionals. Working in teams of up to five people, participants develop a browser game on a given theme within two days. A total of €2,500 in prize money will be awarded across five categories (artwork, audio, narrative, creativity and interpretation of the theme). Anyone can take part, but to be eligible for prize money, at least one team member must be resident in Germany and have a German bank account. Registration and submissions are open until 23 August 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 MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts is awarding a total of six scholarships for 2027/2028 as part of the MAK Schindler Initiative in Los Angeles. The scholarships are aimed at four freelance artists as well as two architecture students and graduates and enable a stay in the Mackey Apartments of Rudolph M. Schindler. Applications can be submitted until 12 August 2026. Learn more

Social Design Award 2026 (SPIEGEL Wissen in cooperation with BAUHAUS) is an international competition that honours projects that strengthen social cohesion through design. The theme of this year's competition is "We create connections" and is looking for ideas that promote the coexistence of different social groups. There are two prizes to be won: One will be awarded by the jury, the other by the readers of SPIEGEL.de to a project from the shortlist. Both are endowed with 2500 euros. The closing date for applications is 31 August 2026. find out more

Since 1982, the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, in collaboration with the Photography Collection at the Museum Folkwang, has been awarding grants for contemporary German photography. The grant is aimed at photographers (with no age limit) who wish to develop a photographic project over a longer period of time, independently of any commissioned work. Photographers from all areas of artistic practice are eligible to apply. Applicants must have been living in Germany for at least three years, but do not need to hold German citizenship. The grant is worth €13,000 and is awarded for a period of one year. At the end of this period, the two award winners will present the projects they have developed at a public event. The fellowship programme will be open for applications again from 1 July to 31 August 2026. Find out more