Artists' Contacts

• Artists
• Curators
• Art mediators
• Art theorists
• Architects
• Designers
• Institutions from the art and cultural spectrum

Applications can be submitted from countries on the DAC list for projects in Germany. Applications from Germany are also possible for projects in those countries.

Countries eligible for funding are listed on the "DAC list of countries in transition and developing countries" of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Click here for an overview of eligible countries.

• High artistic quality of the planned project.
• In addition, consideration is given to aspects that reflect ifa’s values, including social relevance, diversity, sustainability and regional connections.
• Artistic and content-based cooperation of artistic and cultural workers from Germany and eligible countries in transition and countries of the Global South (DAC list)
• In the case of trips to Germany, the artistic and cultural workers must come from eligible countries on the DAC list and must currently live there.
• In the case of trips to an eligible country on the DAC list, artistic and cultural workers who do not have German citizenship must have lived in Germany for at least five years. Trips to the country of origin are not permitted.
• An invitation from a non-commercial cultural or exhibition organisation (not a profit-oriented gallery) or an artist-in-residence establishment. An invitation is not necessary for research trips.                                             
• Significant financial and/or other services provided by the foreign institution issuing the invitation.                                                                        
• The project may not be realised in a commercial context (for example, art fairs). A sale of artworks excludes funding.

• The expert jury that decides on the projects to be funded convenes once a year.
• Decisions on funding and on the amount are taken in consideration of the ifa budget available for this purpose and in relation to the applications received.
• The approved grants are the maximum amount to be paid in compliance with the Federal Budget Code and the Federal Travel Expenses Act following submission of the relevant receipts.
• Reasons will not be given for decisions. Rejected applications may not be resubmitted. Recourse to legal action is excluded.
• A project that began before approval has been given cannot receive retrospective funding. Expenses accruing before approval cannot be reimbursed retrospectively.
• Projects by students cannot receive funding. Students are recommended to contact the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - DAAD).
• When implementing a project, expenditures may only be made from funding if they comply with the general principles of the Federal Budget Code (see: www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bho).
• For budgetary reasons, financial support from the Federal Foreign Office and/or the Goethe-Institut and the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen is not  permitted.

1. Request access to the online application via the application system ⇒
2. Open the link sent in the email and create an online application
3. Complete the application (intermediate storage is possible),
4. Send online application, then print it out, sign it and send a hard copy to the ifa by post:

ifa – Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen
Artists' Contacts
Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

• Invitation from the foreign cultural or exhibition institution.
• Description of the cultural or exhibition institution.
• CVs for all applicants for which funding is requested.
• Visual material of the project to be funded and/or of previous artistic work.
• Three quotations for the cost of airfare based on current fares.
• All application documents can be uploaded in the upload area of the application system. Sound and video works can be inserted as a link in the upload area.

• Application deadline 15.07.2025 for projects in 2026 - No further applications for projects in 2026 will be accepted after this deadline

The date of postmark is applicable. Applications sent after the filing deadline will not be considered.

All applicants receive confirmation or rejection in writing within three months. Recourse to legal action is excluded. Material submitted in addition to applications will not be returned.