Subsidies in June 2026: What's new?

The offspace gallery Nachtspeicher23 is looking for artists and collectives who would like to submit exhibition concepts for solo or group exhibitions. We are looking for artistic positions that deal with the human body as a place of experience, memory, pain, desire and social negotiation. Entries are welcome in all media, including painting, drawing, photography, performance, installation and object art. The closing date for applications is 15 June 2026 . find out more

The Kunst Residenz Pritzwalk is an artist-in-residence programme of the Kunstverein Kunst Freunde Pritzwalk. We are looking for projects from all artistic disciplines that work in a participatory way, facilitate encounters and try out new forms of living together. The residency is aimed at artists and creative protagonists who wish to live and work in Pritzwalk during their stay and actively engage with the urban community. The residency will take place from 30 August to 19 September 2026 and includes free accommodation and an allowance of €900 for travel, material and catering costs. The closing date for applications is 19 June 2026. find out more

The Federal Cultural Foundation's general project funding programme supports innovative cultural projects from all artistic disciplines - including visual and performing arts, literature, music, dance, film, architecture and new media. Projects with an international context are particularly eligible for funding. The closing date for submissions is 31 July 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 Ministry of Culture and Media and the Ministry of Schools, Family and Vocational Training of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, in cooperation with the Mümmelmannsberg district school, are offering a studio scholarship in Mümmelmannsberg for Hamburg visual artists. The next studio grant will start on 1 September 2026 for a period of two years. Applications are open to professional visual artists and collectives/artist groups based in Hamburg. The application deadline is 8 June 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

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

The performance funding is aimed at independent children's and youth theatre makers in Hamburg. A maximum total of €7,500 is available for non-organised theatres. Up to €2,500 can be applied for per stage or group. The prerequisite for funding is a professional theatre (KSK membership!) and at least two years of proven active theatre experience as a children's and youth theatre maker in Hamburg. Applications for performance funding must be submitted by 30 June 2026 at the latest. Find out more

The revival and guest performance funding programme, which the Dachverband freie darstellende Künste Hamburg (DfdK) has been awarding since 2019 on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Media, is 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 next application deadline is 01 July 2026. learn 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 Film School Day as part of the Hamburg Short Film Festival is an open presentation opportunity for short films followed by a discussion. Participants are given the opportunity to show their work on the big screen in front of an audience and exchange ideas directly. The Open Screen Session is the informal conclusion of the Film School Day. The deadline for submissions is 04 June 2026 . learn 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 International Export Promotion Program for Music Companies aims to sustainably strengthen the international competitiveness of music companies based in Germany by supporting both self-initiated export activities and participation in international industry events. Priority is given to events in target countries where the company and/or its artists have not yet been represented, or not sufficiently represented, but can already demonstrate an existing following or established contacts. The requested funding may not exceed 60 percent of total project costs or the maximum grant amount of €20,000. Applications can be submitted from March 2 to March 23, 2026. Learn more.

Together with Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, the Ministry of Culture and Media has launched the Music WorX funding programme for innovative business models in the music industry. Since 2014, Music WorX has been offering innovative business ideas in the early stages comprehensive support in a condensed form and is divided into different phases, culminating in the Music WorX Public Pitch in autumn. Participants benefit from workshops, coaching, networking and up to €7,700 in financial support. The application deadline is 17 June 2026. find out more

The aim of the International Export Promotion for Music Companies programme is to sustainably strengthen the international competitiveness of music companies based in Germany. This is achieved both through self-initiated measures and through participation in international industry events. The programme enables companies to tap into new markets, establish sustainable contacts and networks and position their German acts internationally.

Priority is given to events in target countries where the company and/or the artists are not yet represented or not represented to a sufficient extent, but can already demonstrate a following or contacts via agents, management or social media. Applications for the next funding round can be submitted from 1 June 2026 to 22 June 2026 Find out more

The Artificial Intelligence Scholarship Programme (STIP-6) is aimed at professional, freelance musicians working in the field of contemporary music. The programme is particularly aimed at established artists with a clearly developed artistic profile. A total of 10 scholarships will be awarded by an expert jury. The scholarship period runs from January to December 2027 and the application phase runs from 1 to 30 June 2026

The Initiative Musik's artist funding programme is aimed at solo artists and bands who want to gain a foothold on the German and international music market. Possible areas of funding include composition and conception, production and recording, sound carrier production, videos and content production, promotion and marketing and touring. A diverse jury of twelve artists and personalities from the music industry will decide on the project applications submitted. Applications for the 74th funding round could be submitted from 26 June to 17 July 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.

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

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

Every year, the Hamburg Ministry of Culture and Media awards the Hamburg Literature Prize in a total of eight categories. Authors from Hamburg can apply in the fields of novels, short stories, poetry, drama and experimental works, children's and youth books, comics and literary translation. The prizes are endowed with a total of 84,000 euros. Applications can be submitted from 15 May to 30 June 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.
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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