All funding for musicians and small labels at a glance

If you enter “funding” and “music” into Google, countless search results appear. It’s almost as if a whole new world opens up. As an artist looking for funding, just the amount of information and looking through all these pages can seem overwhelming. Each grant has different requirements and goals. Some grants are nationwide, others are limited to a specific state or even just a municipality. Some grants are only aimed at choirs, orchestras or are based on the age of the musicians. For some grants you cannot be a newcomer, for others you have to be a newcomer. For some, it is advantageous to be Protestant, and for others you miss the application deadline by a few days. But it’s not just about artists, there are also small labels (often run by the artist) that can apply for funding.

Funding in Germany: diverse, but unevenly distributed

The reality shows that classical music, so-called serious music, is still supported more frequently and more intensively than light music. There are various types of support, such as live support, location support, grants in kind or direct financial support.

Many artists have heard of the Initiative Musik, but fewer have heard of the funding opportunities offered by the Music Council, GVL or GEMA. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Today we’re taking a little dive into the unfathomable realms of music funding in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Our aim is to preselect the best grants for you so that you no longer have to struggle with the time-consuming search and filtering of grants – but can concentrate on the applications. We hope this will pave the way for you to tackle the topic with full momentum and without any obstacles.

Let’s go!

Your grants for artists and small labels for the whole of Germany, if you are registered in Germany:

• Berlin Music Commission
• Initiative Musik If you have more specific questions, you can also take part in the respective info calls or individual advisory services (as part of conference programs). If you want to read more about the music initiative. Read our article. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate also has countless funding programs. All at a glance.
• Die GVL, verfügt über ganzjährige Förderprogramme.
• Hamburger Labelförderung
• Musicboard – Labelförderung
• Musicboard – Supporttourförderung
• Musicboard – Residenzen
• Musicboard – Stipendien
• Pop NRW
• Senatsverwaltung für Kultur – Förderung Musik
• Bandpool (Newcomerföderprogramm Popakademie Mannheim)
• Wunderkinder – German Music Talent (Exportprogramm RBF)
• Eurosonic (ETEP)

• Pop music promotion programs of the federal states in Germany:

Bayern (Verband für Popkultur e.V.)

Baden-Würtemberg / Pop-Büro Stuttgart

Brandenburg → Popförderung BB → Ministerium WFK

Bremen–Landesmusikrat

Bremen PopOffice

Hamburg – Popkurs

Hessen → Frankfurt a.M. Musik ffm

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern- Pop KW

Niedersachsen – Lagrock

NRW – Popboard

Rheinland-Pfalz – Pop RLP

Saarland – Poprat Saarland

Sachsen – Pop Impuls

Sachsen-Anhalt – Kreativ Sachsen Anhalt

Schleswig Holstein – Betterplace

Thüringen – Songkultur bzw. Poptogo

Pop music funding programs for Austria

• Musikfonds – the Musikfonds has several funding schemes/programs: The core is production funding, the actual music fund. In addition, funded productions have the option of receiving tour funding: www.toursupport.at
• There are now two new, smaller, more specific programs: The impulse program for showcase tours and the like and the OMF+ marketing program – but ultimately all under the umbrella of the Music Fund.
• Austrian Music Export

What is your funding situation in Switzerland?

• In Switzerland, the municipalities and cantons are primarily responsible for public cultural funding by law. It is therefore advisable for you to apply to your own municipality, e.g. in Zurich. But even smaller municipalities often have a cultural department and are happy to promote local music. The same applies to cantons – here, too, you have to dig through the websites to find the correct contacts and understand the criteria.
• Then there are also national institutions such as the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, which can support tours and, under certain circumstances, productions and also offers other formats such as residency programs. Funding can also be requested from the national foundations Fondation Suisa and Interpretenstiftung. Another important player is the Migros Culture Percentage, which is divided into regional cooperatives, which is why different funding instruments are available depending on the region.
• A good overview of funding institutions can be found on the website
• Kulturfoerderung.ch.
• It is important to note that there is never an entitlement to funding – and funding alone cannot usually finance a project or tour. It is generally expected that self-financing through income or private investors (label, management, etc.) can be demonstrated. Funding is always linked to an artist or a band, but applications can also be submitted by a management or a label. If necessary, it can be worth hiring a person who is very familiar with the jungle of cultural funding and can submit the applications correctly formulated on behalf of the artist.
• And if you want to discuss the timing or strategy of a release with experts, it can sometimes also be helpful to seek advice from the SONART Association of Music Creators or Swiss Music Export.