Public arts and culture funding is an important source of income for professionals in the performing arts. The “Study on Social Conditions” found that 67% of professionals in the performing arts received funding between 2019 and 2023. This places them at the top of the cultural and creative industries. This means that the independent performing arts are highly dependent on public funding.

However, the funding structures for the independent performing arts are complex. Public funding is provided at the federal, state, and municipal levels alongside private funding. Each programme has its own deadlines, requirements, and selection criteria. In 2023, we therefore began systematically collecting data on the funding landscape and presenting it in a clear and accessible way. We have been continually expanding this overview of funding structures ever since.

Since our founding, we have been in close dialogue with representatives from the arts, politics, and public administration in order to improve funding structures and adapt them to the real working and living conditions of professionals in the independent performing arts. The coronavirus pandemic gave fresh momentum to this debate and provided valuable learning experiences for everyone involved. We are especially committed to maintaining and expanding funding opportunities beyond project-based support – for example by strengthening organisations and networks. In 2024, through “Taking Responsibility”, we initiated an expert dialogue that brought together stakeholders from the federal, state, and municipal levels. This led to shared positions and the agreement of further specific steps to secure the future of the independent performing arts.