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Advisor - Belgium | France | Germany | United Kingdom
Email
a.moerk [at] dutchculture.nl
Germany
Germany & the Netherlands
With its relatively well-funded cultural infrastructure, Germany can offer you numerous presentation opportunities and serve as the first stepping stone for future collaborations and exchanges. Germany is consistently the number one destination for makers from the Kingdom working internationally. The country accounts for 17% of all international cultural travel from the Kingdom. Generally speaking, makers are perceived by German audiences as innovative, open-minded, diverse, pragmatic and internationally oriented. In contrast to the Netherlands, Germany is more decentralised, meaning that cultural policies and subsidies are organised by the independent federal states (Bundesländer), and the cultural scenes are therefore often managed by those states and municipalities.
Themes & Opportunities
In both countries, cultural professionals tend to incorporate socially relevant topics, such as a green and fair culture, inclusion, and the restitution of colonial collections, into their practice. Those shared interests and common focus areas naturally create opportunities for collaboration. Recurrent themes in the cultural sector in Germany are cultural participation, remembrance culture and digitalisation. At the same time, both countries face political polarisation in relation to migration, climate change and criticism of Europe, as right-wing parties are gaining ground.
Information & Advice
Want to know more about opportunities for cultural exchange with Germany? Check the links, FAQs, infographics and activities below. Feel free to contact our advisor for Germany if you have any questions.
Please note that DutchCulture is not a funding body.
Advisor
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Year:
Germany at a glance
2663 registered activities in 2025
featuring 653 artists
featuring 653 artists
Number of activities
12 months (2025)
12 months (2025)
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Frequently asked questions
- 1. Where can I find funding within the Netherlands?
Are you looking for (international) funding? Check our general funding page for different funding guides, grants and open calls, or the digital Cultural Mobility Funding Guide for the Netherlands for regional, private and international (mobility) funding.
In the Netherlands the means for international cultural cooperation are delegated to the national funds. The fund that works for your art form or artistic discipline, has one or several subsidy schemes for internationalisation. To make sure the program fits your project, you can contact the advisors of the fund before starting the process of application.
Design, Creative Industries, Architecture, Digital Culture
Creative Industries Fund NL
> International Vouchers
> Internationalization of the Design Sector Grant Scheme
> New Procedures in Collaboration with Embassies AbroadNieuwe Instituut
>International Visitors Programme
Visual Arts, HeritageMondriaan Fund
> Subsidy for International Art Presentation to present work by living artists based in the Kingdom of the NetherlandsTheater, Dance, Music
Performing Arts Fund
> Grants for foreign organisations to invite artists based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands
> Internationalisation grants for artists based in the Kingdom of the NetherlandsAudiovisual media, Film, Documentary
Dutch Film Fund
>The Film Fund has several subsidy schemes to support co-productions and distribution (film & documentary).Literature
Dutch Foundation for Literature
> Translation grants for foreign publishers
> Travel grantsParticipation, Education, Communal arts, Cooperations, Projects with non-professionals
Cultural Participation Fund
> FundingsHeritage
International Heritage Cooperation is part of the Netherlands’ international cultural policy. The embassies of the Netherlands in the partner countries have a budget for supporting local cultural heritage projects. DutchCulture manages a Matching Fund. Dutch legal entities (companies and registered freelancers) are able to apply for partial funding for an international heritage cooperation project.
DutchCulture supports international heritage cooperation between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Europe. The Europe + Heritage programme offers advice, a Travel Scheme (vouchers of €350-€1000) and a General Support Scheme (maximum €5.000) for heritage professionals and heritage organisations based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands who wish to visit a European partner, invite a European partner or set up a cooperation with a European partner. Heritage can be both tangible and intangible.
Other
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency is not a national fund but also offers,on behalf of various ministries and the European Union, subsidies for companies in the creative industries.
- 2. Where can I find funding within Germany?
Some art subsidies, called 'Förderungen', are organised on a federal level, but the larger part of the programs are organised within the federal states ('Bundesländer') and municipalities. Therefore, it is important to research the opportunities for your art form or discipline in the different regions of Germany. In order to be eligible for financing opportunities within Germany, it is in most cases necessary to have a German partner. Only people or institutions registered in Germany can apply for funding unless it is said so otherwise. The different regions have their own approach to culture and artistic cooperation and exchange, and it is recommended to have a look into the programs offered.
touring artists
touring artists offers information and consultation for internationally mobile artists and creatives from and to Germany. For financial support within Germany, check out touring artist's Funding Database and their general information on cultural mobility.Federal government
- The Goethe Institute: German organisations can apply for funding to cooperate with a foreign partner (for example from the Netherlands) - International Coproduction Fund.
- On the Move offers an elaborate mapping of funding opportunities in Germany.
Federal states (some examples)
- North Rhine Westfalia: The organisation NRW Kultur organises exchange events and visitors programmes. The Münsterland Art and Culture Foundation pursues the promotion and preservation of art and culture in the Münsterland region.
- Hamburg: The Hamburgische Kulturstiftung focuses on youth culture and emerging artists and the local authority for culture and media supports international exchange and collaboration.
- Berlin: There are several portals and mappings of the creative network of the city, where you can find ongoing projects, open calls and advice, such as Creative City Berlin.
Finding a German partner
Doing your research beforehand and finding German partners is essential. You can use the DutchCulture Database by simply going to the search option in the upper left corner, and searching for ´Germany´ or any German city you are interested in. In this way, you will see which Dutch makers are already active in which areas.- 3. Are there funding opportunities within Europe?
Creative Europe programme
Creative Europe (2021-2027) is the seven-year support programme by the European Commission for the cultural and audio-visual sector and consists of two subprogrammes: Culture and MEDIA. The Creative Europe Desk NL is part of DutchCulture. Be aware that there are many strict conditions to be considered before applying for this programme. The cooperation also has to consists of at least three European countries, a cooperation between only Poland and the Netherlands is therefore not eligible.
Within the two main programmes, there are different calls and subprogrammes. This funding guide can help you on your way.
More Funding within Europe
Culture Moves Europe provides mobility grants for artists and cultural professionals in all 40 creative Europe countries. You can also check our own Cultural Mobility Funding Guide for mobility grants.
- 4. How can I promote my work in Germany?
It is a good idea to engage local publicists, that have an understanding of your art discipline, audience and region. It would also be wise to translate your promotion materials to German, because everywhere with perhaps the exception of Berlin, this would be well received. Communication with websites or social media that could promote your project will also be better received if written in German, the same goes for the local press. There is a growing number of Dutch people living in Germany and many cities have a Dutch network. Using these existing networks will also help you to promote your work.
Make sure to contact the embassy or the consulates to let them know about your projects. Do not forget to create a My DC account, where you can add your activities in our Cultural Database. This way you will be included in our database and become part of our network.
- 5. What visa do I need?
As an EU citizen, you do not need a visa to work in Germany. If you have a passport from outside the EU, it is wise to check the rules with your country´s representatives in the Netherlands, or you can ask the DutchCulture Mobility Info Point.
It is important to prepare for different and sometimes stricter rules in Germany than you may be used to in the Netherlands. Processing forms concerning taxes, insurance and also funding conditions may be stricter and may cost more time. Find out exactly what the rules are that a gallery, stage or theatre upholds, before engaging in cooperation. If you find obstacles on your way, you will have enough time to apply for permits or find other solutions. Always make sure that your health insurance will cover you across borders. For more information, you can consult touring artists.
Disclaimer: The information given above is based on experience and information provided by the German authorities. In case of any doubt or further questions, please contact the German Embassy in The Hague.
- 6. How can I find a residency, a stage to perform, an exhibition space?
Browse through the DutchCulture Database and figure out which artists from the Netherlands have worked at which venues, and start your research this way. Go to the search icon on the upper-left corner of the website, and search by discipline, country and city.
For residencies, DutchCulture | TransArtists is a great research tool. In order to successfully build an international career, and in order to find sustainable partners in a country, it is always wise to spend more than a few days somewhere. Residencies, ranging from a couple of weeks until several months, can help you to achieve that.
