Kulturstiftung des Bundes

What Kulturstiftung des Bundes does

Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation) is a non-profit civil law foundation (Stiftung des Bürgerlichen Rechts) established in 2002 and headquartered in Halle an der Saale, Germany, with a secondary office in Berlin. The foundation is financed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) through a resolution of the German Bundestag, positioning it as one of Europe's largest public cultural foundations. Its core function is to fund contemporary art and culture through thematic programmes, supporting cultural institutions, free initiatives, and international cooperation across all artistic fields while explicitly excluding individual artists from its general project funding.

The foundation operates a portfolio of core funding programmes including the open-application Allgemeine Projektförderung (twice-yearly deadlines of January 31 and July 31, 49 jury sessions to date), and targeted thematic initiatives: Zero for climate-neutral cultural projects (47 projects), Kunst & KI for art and artificial intelligence (11 projects), Jupiter for performing arts for young audiences (26 projects, 3.7 million EUR committed 2021–2026), Tanzland for dance touring, TURN2 for Germany–Africa artistic cooperation (with Labs in Nairobi, Dakar, Tunis), LOKAL for cultural venues in small municipalities, 360° for urban diversity, hochdrei for library transformation, tuned for contemporary classical music (8 projects), dive in for digital culture, Museum Global for decolonization, and the Kulturelle Leuchttürme flagship designation. Supporting infrastructure includes the transmediale festival for digital culture, the RomArchive digital archive, the fünf zu eins online magazine, and a published carbon-footprinting methodology for cultural institutions.

The foundation distributes funding through formal application processes on its website, with a Förder-Check eligibility tool, digital consultation appointments, and jury-based selection. It is governed by a two-person Executive Board (Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska and Kirsten Haß), an Artistic Director (Hortensia Völckers), and supervisory bodies including the Stiftungsrat (Board of Trustees) and Stiftungsbeirat (Advisory Committee). Revenue is sourced exclusively from federal appropriations and is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kulturstiftung des Bundes

Legal name

Kulturstiftung des Bundes

Website

https://kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kulturstiftung des Bundes is a German federal civil law foundation established in 2002 and funded by the BKM via the German Bundestag. It supports contemporary art and culture through thematic funding programmes addressing climate, digital transformation, diversity, AI, and international cooperation, serving cultural institutions and free initiatives in Germany and abroad.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Cultural Funding and Arts Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Cultural project funding
• Arts grants
• Federal cultural foundation
• Contemporary arts support
• Cultural program funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Halle An Der Saale

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Funding: Primary funding comes from the Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media) through a resolution of the German Bundestag. The foundation acts as a public cultural funding body, not a revenue-generating commercial entity.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Kulturstiftung des Bundes is a German federal cultural foundation that awards grants to support contemporary art and culture. It funds large, innovative, and internationally oriented projects by cultural institutions (museums, theaters, art associations, libraries, festivals) and operates multi-year thematic programmes addressing climate neutrality, digital culture, AI, diversity, performing arts, dance, libraries, and international cooperation. Funding is allocated through open application rounds (twice yearly deadlines on 31 January and 31 July) and dedicated jury-based selection processes.

Product overview

Kulturstiftung des Bundes is a German federal cultural funding foundation that supports contemporary art and culture. The organization operates a portfolio of thematic funding programmes addressing societal issues including climate neutrality (Zero), digital culture (dive in), diversity (360°), and international cooperation (TURN2). Its offerings include open application programmes (Allgemeine Projektförderung) and targeted initiatives such as Kunst & KI for art and technology, Jupiter for performing arts targeting youth audiences, Tanzland for dance touring, LOKAL for cultural venues in smaller municipalities, and hochdrei for library transformation. Additional offerings include the RomArchive digital archive, the transmediale festival for digital art and culture, and the 'fünf zu eins' online magazine. The foundation also publishes knowledge resources including carbon footprinting guidelines for cultural institutions and the Diversity Compass. Funding application services include a Förder-Check eligibility tool, guidelines for project accounting, and disbursement request forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Allgemeine Projektförderung (General Project Funding) Open-call funding programme supporting large, innovative, and internationally oriented projects across all artistic fields; targets cultural institutions such as museums, theaters, and art associations (not individual artists); applications accepted continuously with bi-annual jury deadlines.
• Zero – Klimaneutrale Kunst- und Kulturprojekte Funding programme supporting climate-neutral art and culture projects; 47 projects funded; for cultural institutions seeking to decarbonise their operations.
• Kunst & KI Funding programme promoting the development and implementation of at least ten excellence projects at the intersection of art and artificial intelligence; 11 projects funded.
• Jupiter – Darstellende Künste für junges Publikum Programme strengthening performing arts for young audiences (children and youth theater); 26 funded projects; EUR 3.7 million in funding for the 2021–2026 period; includes production funding, exchange & discourse, and workshops for theater journalists.
• Tanzland – Programm für Gastspielkooperationen Funding programme supporting guest performance collaborations in contemporary dance, connecting theaters in smaller cities with dance ensembles.
• TURN2 – Künstlerische Kooperationen zwischen Deutschland und afrikanischen Ländern Funding programme supporting artistic collaborations between Germany and African countries; includes TURN2 Labs in Nairobi, Dakar, and Tunis (2022–2023) exploring alternative archiving, communal living, and climate crisis as imagination crisis.
• LOKAL – Programm für Kultur und Engagement Joint programme with bpb and European Cultural Foundation strengthening cultural venues under pressure in cities and municipalities under 100,000 inhabitants.
• 360° – Fonds für Kulturen der neuen Stadtgesellschaft Fund supporting cultural institutions in integrating diversity issues and reducing exclusionary practices, with the Diversity Compass presenting the most effective measures.
• hochdrei – Stadtbibliotheken verändern Fund for transforming city libraries, supporting innovative community-oriented library projects.
• tuned – Netzwerk für zeitgenössische Klassik Network programme for contemporary classical music; 8 projects funded.
• dive in – Programm für digitale Kultur Programme focused on digital culture with HoloTalks workshop discussions.
• Museum Global / Global Museum Initiative supporting museums in addressing global responsibilities and decolonisation.
• RomArchive Digital archive for Sinti and Roma art, making their cultures and histories visible internationally; now operated by the Documentation Center of German Sinti and Roma.
• transmediale One of the world's most important festivals for art and digital culture, funded as a cultural flagship; brings together international artists, researchers, activists, and thinkers for over 30 years.
• fünf zu eins – Online-Magazin Online magazine of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes featuring articles about funded projects, cultural themes, and artistic works.
• Kulturelle Leuchttürme (Cultural Beacons) Funding designation for top-tier cultural flagship projects of national and international significance.
• Carbon Footprinting for Cultural Institutions (Klimabilanzen in Kulturinstitutionen) Free PDF brochure documenting a nationwide pilot project where 19 cultural institutions measured CO2 emissions and carbon footprint, with calculations, recommendations, and work materials.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Dokumentations- und Kulturzentrum Deutscher Sinti und RomacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2019Took over trusteeship of the RomArchive digital archive project. The organization, part of Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma, has decades of research experience and European network for managing the archive.
• Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the TURN2 Labs programme for artistic cooperation between Germany and African countries. Located in Nairobi, Kenya. Part of the TURN2 programme implementing transcontinental artistic collaborations.
• KENU Lab'Oratoire des Imaginaires (Dakar)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the TURN2 Labs programme. Located in Dakar, Senegal. Contributes to artistic collaborations between Germany and African countries through the TURN2 programme.
• L'Art Rue (Tunis)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the TURN2 Labs programme. Located in Tunis, Tunisia. Implementing partner for transcontinental artistic cooperation.
• Goethe-Institut KeniasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoethe Institute Kenya provides organizational support for the TURN2 Labs programme in Nairobi.
• Goethe-Institut SenegalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoethe Institute Senegal provides organizational support for the TURN2 Labs programme in Dakar.
• Goethe-Institut TunesiensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoethe Institute Tunisia provides organizational support for the TURN2 Labs programme in Tunis.
• Stiftung Deutsche KinematheksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical implementation partner for the RomArchive digital archive project.
• European Roma Cultural FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory partner for the RomArchive project from its planning stage.
• Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und RomasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory partner for the RomArchive project from its planning stage.
• Goethe-InstitutsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder and supporter of the RomArchive digital archive project.
• European Cultural FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the LOKAL programme for culture and engagement, co-developing support for cultural places under pressure in cities and municipalities.
• Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the LOKAL programme for culture and engagement, working together to strengthen cultural places under pressure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Kulturstiftung der Länder: German foundation funded jointly by the 16 federal states to support cultural heritage, museum acquisitions, and international cultural cooperation. Directly comparable as a publicly funded cultural grantmaking foundation in Germany, though operating at state rather than federal level.
• European Cultural Foundation: Amsterdam-based pan-European cultural foundation supporting culture across the continent. Listed as a programme partner with KSB on the LOKAL programme and operates in the same grantmaking space for arts and cultural engagement.
• Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz: Germany's largest federal cultural foundation, funding and operating the Prussian state museums, libraries and archives. Comparable to Kulturstiftung des Bundes as a federally mandated cultural institution in Germany with similar funding structures from BKM.
• Berliner Festspiele: Berlin-based federally funded cultural organiser producing major festivals including transmediale (which KSB also funds). Comparable as a publicly funded German cultural institution producing flagship arts festivals and international cultural programming.
• Arts Council England: UK national public body distributing government and National Lottery funding to artists and cultural organisations. Directly comparable as a publicly funded national arts grantmaking body with thematic programmes and project funding.

Broad incumbents

• Stiftung Mercator: Major German foundation funding education, science, climate, and cultural projects. Comparable in scale and as a German grantmaking foundation with thematic programmes, though with broader thematic scope beyond the arts.
• VolkswagenStiftung: One of Germany's largest foundations, funding science, technology, and humanities with a multi-billion euro endowment. Comparable in scale and German foundation status, though with a broader scientific and academic mandate rather than arts-specific focus.
• Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation: Portuguese foundation funding arts, education, science, and social development with a major cultural centre in Lisbon. Comparable as a large national cultural grantmaking foundation supporting contemporary arts and international cooperation.

Regional players

• Creative Europe Desk Deutschland: EU-funded cultural programme supporting cross-border projects, with the German desk providing access to EU cultural funding. Comparable as a publicly funded mechanism supporting cultural cooperation projects, though at supranational rather than national level.

Others

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's federally funded cultural institute operating worldwide with 150+ branches. Listed as a KSB partner in TURN2 and RomArchive; comparable as a federally funded German cultural institution with international programmes, though focused on cultural promotion rather than grantmaking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kulturstiftung
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/KulturstiftungdesBundes
• Facebookfacebook.com/kulturstiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kulturstiftungdesbundes
• Instagraminstagram.com/kulturstiftungdesbundes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kulturstiftung des Bundes