Funding Guidelines

Funding is provided for development processes: over a period of eight months, disabled artists and cultural workers (mentees) are accompanied and advised by an experienced artist or cultural worker (mentor) in relation to their artistic and professional career.

The mentees select their mentors independently according to criteria that are particularly relevant to their development goal. All arrangements between mentees and mentors must be made independently before the application is submitted. In a binding letter of intent, the mentors declare that they will advise the mentees in at least six two-hour talks if they are approved for funding. 

The mentees receive a grant that gives them a financial possibility to free up time for the development process that is being funded. The mentees’ access costs for participating in the Mentoring Programme are reimbursed by the German Federal Cultural Foundation (see 3. Funding Amount). The grant is intended to facilitate the mentees’ advice and coaching from the mentors, their own qualification and networking; and participation in the German Federal Cultural Foundation academy programme. The mentors receive an allowance for their expenses (see 3. Funding Amount). 

The programme also includes the mentees’ participation in the „pik” academy programme offered by the German Federal Cultural Foundation. It provides mentees with qualification and networking opportunities and is also open to mentors. 
 

Artists or cultural professionals who identify as disabled and are prospectively looking for leadership positions in their respective work contexts are eligible to apply as mentees. They must pursue an artistic activity at a professional level or work in arts-related fields, e.g. curation, dramaturgy or mediation, and be resident in Germany. The mentoring programme deliberately appeals to stakeholders with different work histories and levels of experience. Young professionals and career changers are generally also eligible for funding. 

The grant from the German Federal Cultural Foundation amounts to 4.000 Euro for each mentee. It is paid out in equal monthly instalments over a period of eight months from the date of approval. Where necessary, the access costs are reimbursed by the German Federal Cultural Foundation after verification and on presentation of receipts (i.e. invoices), unless they can be claimed as integration benefit under Title IX of the German Social Code (SGB IX) from the relevant benefits entity. The mentors receive a one-off allowance of 1.200 Euro gross for the at least six two-hour talks with their mentee. 

There must be a clear mentor at the time of application. The online form provided for this programme on the website of the German Federal Cultural Foundation must be used and completed in full. The application form is accessible and also allows the submission of application documents in video formats in spoken German as well as signs (German Sign Language or Signed German). A short general data sheet must be completed in writing. The following documents must be uploaded with the online application:

a)    Brief description of the motivation for the mentoring on up to two pages or in up to five minutes of video. In particular, the following points must be addressed: 
       (i) What are your artistic, personal and political/institutional goals in connection with the Mentoring Programme for Disabled Leadership? What questions and challenges would you like to work on and resolve during the process? 
       (ii) How is your chosen mentor meant to contribute to this and what skills does she/he offer? What form of exchange are you aiming for? 
b)    Brief description of the mentee’s artistic background on up to two pages or in up to five minutes of video 
c)    Letter of intent and a brief biography of the mentor on a total of up to one page or up to two and a half minutes of video 
 

Video files must be supplied via an external download link. The link must be stored in the corresponding fields of the online application. 
 

The funding is awarded in three application rounds. The application deadline is 15 September 2023 for the first round, 15 May 2024 for the second round and 13 December 2024 for the third round. Timeliness is judged based on the date on which the online form is sent. The documents provided at the time of the deadline decide on the eligibility of the applications submitted. Applications submitted late or incomplete are not considered. 

The selection of mentees is decided by the Executive Board of the German Federal Cultural Foundation in a closed session based on the recommendation of an independent jury of experts. The dates for the jury meeting are approximately ten weeks after the application deadline and are announced with sufficient notice on the website of the German Federal Cultural Foundation. 

The funding is awarded in three application rounds. The funding period is eight months from the date of approval. The decision on the first round of applications is scheduled for mid-November 2023. If approved, the mentoring can begin immediately and must be completed after eight months at the latest. 

The approval, payment and invoicing of the grant as well as the proof and verification of use and, if applicable, the withdrawal from the grant agreement and reclaiming of the grant are governed by the provisions agreed in the grant agreement, sections 23 and 44 of the German Federal Budget Code (BHO) and the General Administrative Regulations issued for this purpose, unless deviations from the General Administrative Regulations have been permitted in these funding guidelines. Pursuant to BHO sections 91 and 100, the German Federal Audit Office is entitled to carry out audits. The Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and Media and the Federal Office of Administration must also be granted audit rights in accordance with the notification of funding sent to the German Federal Cultural Foundation. If the recipient fails to comply with the provisions of the funding agreement, the German Federal Cultural Foundation may demand the full or partial repayment of the funds granted. 

These funding principles apply as of 8 April 2024. They are subject to change without notice.