Funding Opportunities

Cultural Bridge Fund

Applications are now open for the Cultural Bridge 2024 – 2025 programme of funding which supports intercultural exchange and dialogue in the field of participative arts and culture between Germany and the UK.

 

Cultural Bridge is a unique investment programme between all UK arts councils and leading German cultural institutions that supports the development of cross-border partnerships.

Since launching in 2021, it has so far enabled 44 arts organisations that place communities at the heart of their work, to build and develop new partnerships that allow exploration and exchange of practice across the UK and Germany.

The 2024 – 2025 programme is an opportunity for arts organisations based in the UK and Germany who embody cultural democracy and wish to forge or develop bilateral partnerships, to work together and share artistic practice.

The Cultural Bridge programme is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive network. The activity we support, and the workforce of arts and culture organisations we fund, should reflect the diversity of the UK and Germany, and as such we encourage applications from diversity-led organisations and from those from under-represented backgrounds.

Application portal

Please ensure you have read the Cultural Bridge 2024 – 2025 programme guidance before making an application, see the links to access the full guidance below. The deadline to apply is Wednesday 22nd November 2023 (5pm UK time and 6pm German time).

Click here to access the application portal

Help to apply

We want to make the process of applying to the Cultural Bridge programme accessible to all organisations who’d like to apply. If you need personal access support to make an application, there are a number of ways we can help.

The guidance is available in accessible formats, including formatted PDF, Plain Text and Audio. If you require an alternative format or require further support in making an application, please get in touch.

Full guidance
Key information:

This programme is open to all arts and cultural organisations with proven expertise in socially engaged/participatory practice.

Partnerships must be bi-lateral, including at least one German partner and one UK partner, from any one of the four nations: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Applications can be for physical, digital or hybrid activity focussed on socially engaged/participatory arts practice and in response to the programme aims/themes (see full guidance).

Tier 1: New Partnerships, up to £10,000 per partnership.

Supporting new partnerships between UK and German arts organisations, both organisations must have demonstrable expertise in socially engaged practice.

Tier 2: Established Partnerships, up to £30,000 per partnership.

Supporting existing partnerships between UK and German arts organisations, both organisations must have demonstrable expertise in socially engaged practice. All Tier 2 applications should include some direct engagement/ participatory practice with communities.

There is no requirement for match funding, but existing partnerships applying for Tier 2 are encouraged to build wider partnerships and leverage other income/in-kind support.

Decisions will be made against the criteria of the fund and will aim to be inclusive of both Germany and the UK’s cultural diversity and geography.

Key dates:
  • Wednesday 11th October 2023 Cultural Bridge 2024 – 2025 Application Portal opens
  • Wednesday 22nd November 2023, 5pm (UK) 6pm (Germany) Cultural Bridge 2024 – 2025 Application Portal closes
  • Wednesday 31st January 2024 Applicants notified of final outcome
  • April 2024 – March 2025 Cultural Bridge 2024 – 2025 funded projects delivery period
Contact us

Please ensure you have read the full guidance before contacting us with general enquiries. If you still have a question about the fund, see details below.

UK organisations contact:
Lorna Palmer
Programme Manager, Cultural Bridge
contact@cultural-bridge.info

German organisations contact:
Tabea Deckers
Fonds Soziokultur e.V.
deckers@fonds-soziokultur.de

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