Organizer Information
The Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony (Kulturstiftung des Freistaates Sachsen) supports high-quality and nationally relevant cultural initiatives in Saxony. Its Concept Funding programme, first launched in 2009, provides multi-year support for established cultural organizations seeking to strengthen their artistic profile, professionalize their structures, or develop long-term strategic and artistic projects. The programme has an annual budget of €250,000.
Title & Description
Concept Funding 2026–2028
Concept Funding 2026–2028 supports three-year structural, strategic, and artistic development projects by experienced cultural organizations in Saxony. Eligible projects may focus on organizational and process development, strategic repositioning, or artistic model projects. Examples include developing new financing or operating models, preparing a generational transition, restructuring responsibilities, and developing initiatives addressing sustainability, digitalization, artificial intelligence, cultural mediation, or participation.
Artistic model projects may also test new approaches to artistic collaboration, presentation, and mediation. Projects should have clearly defined stages, measurable objectives, success criteria, and a long-term impact on the applicant's future work.
Categories
- Visual Arts
- Performing Arts
- Music
- Film
- Literature
- Socioculture
- Industrial Culture
- Interdisciplinary Projects
Eligibility
The programme is not open to individual artists. Applicants must be legal entities based in the Free State of Saxony that have been carrying out nationally relevant art and cultural projects in Saxony for several years.
Applicants must have received at least two project or small-project grants from the Cultural Foundation since 2020.
Organizations directly or indirectly sponsored by the state, organizations already receiving institutional funding from the Free State of Saxony, and recipients of the previous two Concept Funding periods (2019–2021 and 2022–2024) are excluded.
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected organizations receive a non-repayable grant of €20,000–€50,000, depending on the development project. Funding can cover up to 80% of total costs for organizations in urban cultural areas and up to 90% for organizations in rural cultural areas.
Eligible costs include material and fee expenses directly related to the project. Part of the funding may also cover external process support and continuous professional reflection.
Up to 10 Concept Funding grants may be awarded. Funded organizations also participate in a mandatory accompanying programme including an introductory meeting, individual consultations, and networking days.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 October 2025
- Digital consultation session: 10 September 2025, 14:00
- Expected funding decision: End of 2025
- Funding period: 2026–2028
- Current status: Closed
Location
Free State of Saxony, Germany
Additional Details
Only projects that have not started before the application date can receive funding. Regular annual programmes, festivals, individual projects forming part of normal programming, construction and investment measures, predominantly commercial projects, and projects primarily serving individual interests are excluded.
Funded organizations must submit annual financial and implementation documentation, with a final overall report after the three-year funding period. The programme seeks to allocate approximately two-thirds of available funding to organizations from rural cultural areas.