The grants are intended for the artistic training and further development of professionally working artists across all disciplines. Funding is provided for artistic/curatorial collaboration with one or more cooperation partners at self-selected locations worldwide. The duration of the overseas grant for artistic/curatorial cooperation can vary from 1 to 3 months, at least 50% of which should be spent at the destination.
Applications are open to individual artists and artist groups. The group must confirm the association of artists through a joint declaration or submit a GbR contract (partnership agreement under civil law).
Requirements
- The artists have proven their artistic qualifications, demonstrated by corresponding work samples.
- They possess a letter of invitation from the cooperation partner: The collaboration should pursue shared goals of the partners and achieve a mutual impact. Projects that lack cooperative aspects will not be funded; these include, among others, pure research trips, residency stays without local artistic collaboration, and presentations of existing work abroad.
- Applicants live and work in Berlin and have their primary residence registered in Berlin.
- Applicants are not enrolled at any university or college, nor are they employed as a professor at a university or college.
- Artists from non-EU countries may only apply if their passport or residence permit contains an entry from the immigration authority permitting self-employed activity.
Scope of Funding
The grants are awarded on a tiered basis (in steps of €500). Depending on the number of travelers, the destination, and the timeframe, grants ranging from €1,000 to a maximum of €10,000 can be awarded. As a guideline for the grant amount, a monthly rate of €2,500 applies for travel within Europe, or €3,000 for travel outside Europe.
Call for Applications Period
The grants are generally announced once a year in the summer (August/September) for the following calendar year.
Jury
The composition of the jury will be announced on the website in due time. Communication of the jury process results is expected to take place in December 2026 / January 2027.
Global exchange grants of the Federal State of Berlin – for all disciplines - Berlin.de
Paris: Cité Internationale des Arts
- for artists in the field of visual arts, literature, dance: 1 grant for 6 months – May – October 2026
The cultural exchange grants serve the artistic development of professional visual artists based in Berlin. The stay abroad should enable the artists to gain an understanding and knowledge of the cultural scene of the residency city, to study current developments of the local scene, to network, exchange ideas, gain inspiration and to realise an artistic project on site. The local partner institutions provide a studio or studio flat (apart from ISCP).
Eligibility and conditions
• The artists are recognised for their artistic work and can demonstrate this with relevant samples of their work.
• During the residency attendance is compulsory on site.
• Applicants live and work in Berlin and are registered with their main residence in Berlin.
• Applicants are not enrolled at any university and are not employed as professors at a university.
• Artists from non-EU countries can only apply if their passport or residence permit contains a note from the immigration authorities allowing them to work independently.
Funding volume
The grant comprises
- Paris: a monthly lump sum of € 2,500 (return travel, materials, living expenses) and rent-free use of the studio apartment in the Cité and participation in the Cité’s programme offerings
During their stay abroad, the partner institutions support the Berlin artists and try and arrange contacts with the local scene. The events organised by the partner institutes (open studios, artist talks) offer Berlin artists the opportunity to present their work to an international audience.
Call for applications
The call for applications to this programme usually opens in August of each year for the following years.
Jury
There is a two-stage jury process. The expert juries appointed by the Berlin Cultural Administration will make a preliminary selection in November/December 2025.
- For Paris, music and visual arts/literature/dance: Expert jury for international cultural exchange
The respective partner institutions will make the final selection from the respective shortlist. You will receive notification of the results of the preliminary selection probably in January 2026 and the results of the final selection in February 2026.
The names of the artists receiving funding will be announced to the public.
Application procedure
Please note, that you can only submit an application for ONE residency place per year. Multiple applications (for several residency cities) are no longer possible!
We strongly advise you to please read all the information provided on the current information sheet.