Artists' Contacts


With the Artists' Contacts programme, the ifa supports the international cooperation of cultural actors. Artists and cultural practitioners from Germany and from transformation or developing countries receive valuable support for projects in contemporary visual arts, architecture, photography, media art and design. Applicants thereby receive the chance to network internationally and to advance the intercultural discourse between Germany and the global South.

Who can apply?

Who can apply?

  • Artists, curators, art educators, art theorists, architects and designers (as well as institutions) from developing and transition countries who want to carry out a project in Germany.
     
  • Artists, curators, art educators, art theorists, architects and designers (as well as institutions) who want to carry out a project in a developing or transition country.
     
  • Non-German artists, curators, art educators, art theorists, architects and designers (as well as institutions) who have been living in Germany for at least 5 years (proof of residency required) who want to carry out a project in a developing or transition country.

List of countries eligible for funding

Applications can be submitted from countries or into countries according to the DAC-list of developing countries.

DAC List of ODA Recipients

Eligibility requirements

  • High quality standard of the planned artistic project.
     
  • In the project, German art and culture workers and art and culture workers from developing and transition countries work together artistically and in terms of content.
     

  • Artists and cultural workers who live in Germany but do not have German citizenship must prove how long they have been living in Germany. The minimum requirement is five years.
     

  • Invitation from a non-commercial cultural or exhibition institution (no private gallery).
     

  • The project project may not be realized in a commercial context. A sale of art excludes funding.
     

  • Considerable financial and / or other own contributions by the issuing foreign institution.

What does the funding include?

Financial contributions are made for:

  • Travel and subsistence expenses, such as flight, travel and accommodation costs as well as credit card fees and per diem costs according to the Bundesreisekostengesetz (BRKG).
     
  • Travel and work stays from transition and developing countries to or in Germany, e.g. Exhibitions, performances, artist-in-residence programs, workshops, preparatory and research trips, international events such as symposia, conferences and lectures.
     
  • German cultural workers or cultural workers who have been living in Germany for at least five years can apply for travel and work stays years within or into transition and developing countries for holding events such as performances, artist-in-residence programs, workshops, preparatory or research trips, international events such as symposia, conferences or lectures.
     
  • Cultural workers who come from a transition or developing country can also apply for travel costs for exhibitions in Germany.

Application Guidelines

Application in 4 steps

  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. Fill out the application (Interim storage possible).
  4. Submit the application online, then print out and sign the application and send it to ifa by post:


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

What application documents are required?

  • 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 deadlines

  • 31 January 2024 for projects from June 2024
  • 15 August 2024 for projects from January 2025.

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

What happens after having applied?

All applicants will receive written confirmation or rejection within about three months of the submission of their application. Recourse to legal action is out of question. If funding is granted to the applicant, ifa will reimburse all applicable and recoverable costs upon receiving the original invoices.

FAQs

Questions regarding the programme

Do artists for whom funding is being applied for, must have German citizenship?

  • If an artist does not have German citizenship, it has to be indicated since when the artist has been a resident of Germany. The artist must have lived in Germany for a minimum of 5 years. Appropriate evidence, e.g. registration certificate, required.


Are artist-in-residence stays also supported?

  • Yes. However, only flight costs can be funded.
  • If a public exhibition is the focus of artist-in-residence stays abroad, an application can be made to implement the exhibition funding programme.


Are projects from the areas of the performing arts (dance, theater, film etc.) supported?

  • No. Only projects in the fields of contemporary visual arts, architecture, design, photography and media art are supported.


Can I apply as a student?

  • No, you need to have finished your programme of study to be eligible to apply for funding.


Can I submit several applications at the same time?

  • Yes, if you are applying for funding for different projects.
  • No, if the applications refer to the same project being worked on in different countries. In this case, please submit one application only.


Does ifa offer further funding programs in the field of visual arts?

  • Yes, there is another funding opportunity. The "Exhibition Funding" program supports exhibition projects abroad under certain conditions. Applications can be made for projects by German visual artists, or by German visual artists who have lived in Germany for at least 5 years.


Can I submit an application to both Artists’ Contacts and Exhibition Funding at the same time?

  • Yes, you can submit an application to the relevant grant programme for different aspects of your project. However, you cannot apply for funding with respect to the same expenses.


Can I apply to other grant organisations at the same time?

  • Yes, the organisations to which you are also applying for funding must be listed under item 5.2.2 on your application.


To which project timeframes do the application deadlines apply?

  • Deadline: 31 January (date of postmark): Applies to projects scheduled to start in June that same year at the earliest. If we decide to fund your project, we only accept receipts dated after the date on which your application was approved. We will decide whether or not to approve your project for funding by 30 April at the latest.
  • Deadline: 15 August (date of postmark): Applies to projects scheduled to start during the first half of the following year at the earliest. If your project is scheduled to start in December of the current year with most activities happening during the following year, you may submit your application by 15 August. If we decide to fund your project, we only accept receipts dated after the date on which your application was approved. We will decide whether or not to approve your project for funding by 15 November at the latest.


My project started before the application deadline. Can I still apply for funding?

  • No, it is not possible to apply for funding for a project that has already started.
  • A project that started before the written acceptance can no longer be funded.

The application process

How to submit the application?

  • Please use our application form. Only signed application that are submitted by post will be considered.


In what language can I submit an application?

  • Applications can be submitted either in German or English.


What are the criteria for describing my project in the application?

  • Under point 4 in the application form (project description) please present your project in the form of a coherent text. The project idea and its implementation should be presented in such a way that the jury gets a realistic idea of your project. Avoid applications in the style of essays.
  • With the project description, we expect a short, meaningful summary of the project thematically / in terms of content (max. 2,700 characters including spaces). This should include the following points:
    • Concrete target, target group and planned effect for your project.
    • Motivation of cooperation with a planned project partner, mention of previous co-operations.


What are the requirements for the invitation letter from the inviting institution?

  • In the signed letter, the inviting institution should confirm the project with the name of all invited artists, curators, art educators, art theorists, architects and designers, and for this scheduled period.
  • Information about the legal status of the institution (non-profit association, foundation, artist association, etc.) should already be given in the invitation letter.
  • In the case of a research trip, the invitation letter can be dispensed with.


What happens once the application is submitted?

  • Submitted applications will be presented to an expert jury. Funding is also decided taking into account the ifa budget available for this purpose and in relation to other applications.


How will I know when a decision has been made?

  • All applicants will receive a written acceptance or rejection within three months after the deadline.


Can I hand in documents after the deadline has passed?

  • If the application is submitted on time, documents can be submitted in exceptional cases and only after consultation with ifa in a timely manner.

The financing plan

Which costs are eligible for funding?

  • You can apply for funding for travel, accommodation as well as visa costs.


Can I apply for a daily allowance?

  • Yes, you can apply for a daily allowance for food and drink. If you receive funding, you may be approved for a daily allowance of up to a maximum of 14 days. This amount is based on the guidelines published by the German Federal Government. The current daily rates can be downloaded from our website.


I also need funding for production expenses for my project. Can I apply for this separately?

  • No additional funding is available for materials, printing, and production or transportation costs.  


For what kind of expenses do I need to include cost estimates/quotes and in what form?

  • Upload three offers for flight costs in the digital application system (see upload area). Offers from the Internet are accepted.
  • We do not need any comparison offers for journeys by train or private car to the exhibition or event location.
  • If participants for whom funding is requested arrive from several German cities in the same period, it is sufficient to submit a total of three flight offers from one German airport.


How should I structure my expense and financing plan?

  • You will find a template of a detailed financing plan under item 5 on the application.


What is the legal basis for my application?

  • When carrying out a project, expenditure from funds can be made only if compatible with general Federal budgeting principles (see www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bho).

The funding

When can I start working on my project; what counts as start of project?

  • You can start working on the relevant part of your project as soon as you receive written confirmation of funding from ifa.
  • Flights for which you have applied for funding, for example, may only be booked after you have received written confirmation of funding.


How can I access money for my funded project?

  • We will reimburse you after you have sent in the original receipts.
  • The funds for reimbursement can be accessed via the application system.
  • You can apply for an advance payment of accommodation costs, which we will transfer to you around two weeks before you are scheduled to leave.
  • Receipts issued prior to written authorisation cannot be reimbursed.


How does the reimbursement process work?

  • In the funding agreement you will be informed about the funding amount and the payment modalities. Further you will find important information on this in our instruction sheet Invoicing Modalities which you can download from our website.
  • After completing the project, we need the completed evaluation form. The form serves as a project report and is available for download from our website.


If there are changes in the project what are my next steps?

  • In order to be always up-to-date, it is necessary that ifa is kept regularly up to date on the project and informed of changes immediately.


What do I have to consider with regard to communication and public relations?

  • The ifa logo is available for download on the website. The logo is to be used on all media material (print media, internet etc.) relating to the funded project. Furthermore, the ifa logo has to be published in the exhibition rooms as close as possible to the artwork.
  • For the documentation, publication and advance notice on the ifa website as well as in social networks (e.g. Facebook) and our newsletters, the projects funded require rights-free images.


If my application is rejected can I reapply for funding?

  • You cannot reapply for funding for the same project.
  • You may reapply by the submission deadlines for funding for a new project.


Do I get a reason for my project not being funded?

  • The reasons for the decision won't be made public by the board.

Contact

Jochen Hetterich

Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

Telephone: +49.711.2225.170

Tanja Spiess

Charlottenplatz 17
D-70173 Stuttgart

Telephone: +49.711.2225.167

Office Hours

Information and consultation, Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 or by arrangement.

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