THE NEW ARTS RUHR PROJECT FUNDING PROGRAM
The aim of promoting the new arts is to firmly anchor forward-looking art forms in the Ruhr region. As new arts are considered urban arts, digital arts, new circus as well as electronic music culture.
Spaces for innovative artistic experiments and novel collaborations are intended to enrich the already special cultural offerings. With excellent working and living conditions, we also want to bind artists to the region and invite them to make the Metropolis of the Arts their project.
All important information can be found in the following document:
What is funded?
Funding is available for artistic projects that have not yet been started, are presented or performed in public, are carried out or developed in the Ruhr region and which are not commercially oriented.
An applied project can last a maximum of two years. Follow-up applications for funded projects are generally possible.
Who can submit applications?
Legal entities and natural persons can apply. These are, for example artists and cultural workers; groups, initiatives and companies and municipal and independent cultural institutions.
Persons or organizations that want to apply, have to work in the new arts or at interfaces, prove their artistic qualification with two work samples and have their work focus or business/residence in the Ruhr region.
Especially young professionals are invited to apply.
How can applications be submitted?
The application is now closed. We will inform about the upcoming application period in time.
The application must be submitted online, at kultur.web.nrw.de.
A complete application includes a project outline in written form, can be supplemented with visual material (PDF, maximum 5 DIN A4 pages); a cost and financing plan and at least three work samples or project references as attachments.
How much money can be applied for?
Grants of 5,000 EUR or more can be applied for. For local government institutions, there is a minimum of 12,500 EUR. Annual funding volumes generally range between 8,000 and 75,000 EUR.
Jury
There is an expert jury that selects the projects to be funded from the applications and recommends them to the Ministry. The funding decision is made on the basis of the recommendation. The jury is made up of artists and experts from the new arts.
Consulting
In addition to the information listed above, there are information events on Zoom in the application windows. All important questions about project funding and the application process are answered there. Participation in a digital information event is mandatory for all applicants. For the online-dates you can register by sending an informal email to info@neuekuensteruhr.de. For the other two you don't need to register. The sessions will be held in German. Please read through all the documents (funding principles and completion aids) carefully in preparation for the event!
The dates are:
16.04.25 18:00 (online)
23.04.25 19:00 (Projektraum Neuland, Bochum)
09.05.25 10:00 (online)
13.05.25 19:00 (Projektraum Neuland, Bochum)
02.06.25 14:00 (online)
In addition to general counselling, we also offer individual counselling during the application period. More detailed information will follow.
In "how to project funding" (in german, PDF) you will find detailed instructions on the individual steps of the application process, tips on typical sources of error and a checklist to tick off. The document can be downloaded by clicking on the following link:
Under the following link you find a completation aid for creating your cost and financing plan:
Under the following link you find a completation aid for the kultur.web platform:
An Excel file (language is german, format in .xlsx) for the preparation of your cost and financing plan for your project proposal will be downloaded if you click on the following link
A document (in german, PDF) with various FAQs can be downloaded directly by clicking on the following link (coming soon).
The Media Kit information sheet defines what funding recipients must provide to the NKR program coordination for advertising the project on our channels. You can download the media kit information sheet (german) here by clicking on the following link.
You can download the NKR logo here. It is available in different formats. Find what you need.
You can download the logo guide here (document in german). You will find detailed information on the placement of the MKW logo and the NKR logo.
Contact person of the programme coordination is Winnie Ros (she)
E-mail: ros@neuekuensteruhr.de
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