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Events can apply to central funding body Initiative Musik for grants of up to €50,000, with priority to be given to non-urban areas
By James Hanley on 02 Oct 2024
German music festivals are set to share in a €4 million funding pot as part of the latest phase of a nationwide programme.
Events can apply for grants of up to €50,000 between 11 October and 4 November, with applications to be evaluated by a “qualified panel of industry experts”.
Key factors in the judging process will include evidence of measures to strengthen ecological sustainability, promote young artists, support special programme formats, and initiatives for participation and accessibility, including greater diversity on stages.
“Festivals are much more than just live music; they are cultural beacons that enable encounters and promote civic engagement,” says Katja Lucker, MD of Berlin-based central funding body Initiative Musik MD. “They make an invaluable contribution, especially in rural regions, by celebrating cultural diversity, uniting the local community and facilitating exchange between people. On behalf of the Initiative Musik and personally, I am delighted that the Festival Fund is now entering a new round and doing justice to the valuable cultural work of music festivals.”
The initial phase of the scheme saw €5m awarded across 141 projects from 16 federal states six months ago after 800 applications were received from around the country.
“The importance of live music culture for civil society, especially in rural areas, can hardly be overestimated”
The second stage has been opened to “cross-genre and cross-disciplinary” festivals, with a special focus placed on non-urban areas, which are expected to make up at least 70% of the funded projects.
“In this round, the funding programme focuses even more strongly on music festivals beyond the metropolises in order to support their contributions to artistic diversity and the strengthening of regional structures,” adds a statement.
Funding is subject to final approval by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
Meanwhile, the second round of Initiative Musik’s Live 500 funding programme, which offers almost €900,000 to support small to medium-sized music venues and regional event organisers, draws to a close on 23 October. In the first round, 194 projects were supported, with small venues accounting for 86% of recipients.
“We are pleased with the results achieved and have adjusted the funding criteria in the second round in order to specifically address challenges such as the underrepresentation of rural areas and increased costs for music venues,” adds Lucker. “The importance of live music culture for civil society, especially in rural areas, can hardly be overestimated. Preserving its diversity and strengthening these regions culturally is a central task of Initiative Musik.”
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