Briefly
Program description
The International Coproduction Fund (IKF) supports professional artists and ensembles in the performing arts (music, theatre, dance).
It promotes partnership-based, dialogue-oriented collaborations and innovative productions within international cultural exchange. Priority is given to projects from developing and transition countries.
Projects must involve a collaborative development process and at least one performance outside Germany. Interdisciplinary and hybrid projects using digital media are also eligible.
Main Information
Eligibility
The IKF programme supports professionally active artists, ensembles, and projects in the performing arts (music, theatre, dance, performance), both abroad and in Germany.
- Funding is intended for projects that lack sufficient own resources to realise international coproductions.
- Applicants may be natural persons (individual artists) or legal entities (institutions, associations, organised groups, etc.).
- Eligible applicants are those based outside Germany who plan their projects in dialogue-oriented collaboration with artists, ensembles, or initiatives in Germany.
- The determining factor is the applicant’s primary place of residence and professional activity, not their nationality.
Financing
Funding under the grant programme covers costs directly related to project implementation.
- The application may include all project-related expenses, including artist fees, travel costs, and production expenses.
- The requested funding amount must be no more than €30,000 and no less than €15,000.
Funding limitations:
- Purely commercial projects are not eligible for funding.
- Commissioned works, guest performances, or tours are not supported.
- Projects of a residency-based nature, music recordings, film or exhibition projects without a performative element are not eligible.
- Ongoing operational costs are also excluded from funding.
Supported Activities
Within the IKF programme, the following activities are supported:
- creation of new productions and development of existing projects in music, theatre, dance and performance;
- projects of high artistic quality with public impact;
- a prerequisite is the collaborative artistic development of the project;
- the application must clearly demonstrate genuine mutual interest in a dialogue-oriented collaboration;
- presentation of the work in a professional setting abroad and, if possible, also in Germany;
- in addition to pure music, dance or theatre productions, interdisciplinary, hybrid projects or those involving the appropriate use of digital media are also eligible.
Roadmap
Project duration and timeline:
- The official project period begins once funding is approved.
- The maximum project duration is up to 15 months.
Fixed application periods from 2026 onwards:
First round (15 January–1 April 2026):
- Deadline: 1 April 2026
- Project start: from 1 July 2026
- Project end: no later than 1 October 2027
- Proof of expenditure: by 1 December 2027
Second round (15 July–1 October 2026, subject to change):
- Deadline: 1 October 2026
- Project start: from 4 January 2027
- Project end: no later than 1 April 2028
- Proof of expenditure: by 1 June 2028
How to Apply
- IKF applications must be submitted online in English via the official portal.
- The application portal opens approximately 2.5 months before the application deadline.
- To contact a local Goethe-Institut, applicants are advised to find the nearest institute on the official website under Locations and get in touch with the director or cultural programme staff.
- Incomplete or late applications cannot be considered.
- When making inquiries about pending or previous applications, applicants must provide their Application Number.
Evaluation Criteria
Application review process:
- The programme is administered by the Cultural Department of the Goethe-Institut in Munich.
- Applications are reviewed by staff from the music, theatre, and dance divisions for compliance with formal requirements and alignment with programme objectives.
- Approved applications are then submitted to an independent jury for final decision.
- The decision-making process typically takes around three months from the application deadline to approval or rejection.
Evaluation criteria
- Compliance with formal programme requirements.
- Alignment with the objectives and funding criteria of IKF.
- Applications are first reviewed internally and then assessed by an independent jury, which makes the final decision.
Funding criteria
- The project must be in the field of music, theatre, dance, or performance.
- Applicants’ main place of residence and professional activity must be outside Germany (excluding Austria and Switzerland).
- The quality of the project and artistic concept is assessed.
- A balanced partnership in both the collaborative creative process and funding efforts is required.
- The relevance of participating artists within their respective scenes is considered.
- The project must present a sound financial plan including all project costs, verifiable own funds (e.g., ticket revenue, coproducer contributions), and/or third-party funds or in-kind contributions.
- IKF provides partial funding of up to 75% of total production costs.
- At least one performance outside Germany and, if possible, one in Germany is required.
- The project period must comply with the requirements specified under “Deadlines and selection process.”
- If the respective Goethe-Institut in the country has not been informed about the project before submission, the application will not be eligible for consideration.
Important:
- Projects that have already started (i.e., contracts signed or bookings made) are not eligible for funding. Applicants must request approval for an “early start of measure” via informal email. Such approval does not constitute funding approval.
Required Documents
- Online application form.
- Detailed project description.
- Detailed finance plan.
- Proof of own/third-party contributions.
FAQ
IKF funding requires collaboration between at least two parties. Applicants or first coproducers are always the artists or ensembles based outside Germany (Austria and Switzerland are excluded). If approved, the applicants also serve as the main contact for the project and conclude the agreement with the local Goethe-Institut abroad. Third parties and additional coproducers are not a prerequisite for funding, however they may be included in the application form. We deliberately use the term “coproducer” broadly. What matters is the joint artistic development of the project (artistic collaboration) and thus the substantial contribution they make to the production.
The production should be presented at least once outside Germany, ideally in the country where the production process took place. Presentations in Germany are not obligatory, however the IKF prioritises productions that are presented in at least two different countries.
Above all, by complying with the basic conditions for funding approval: active and equal collaboration between partners in the development and realisation of the project, co-financing of at least 25% of the total production costs (through own and/or third-party funds and/or in-kind contributions) as well as a transparent cost plan. It is also advantageous if the project addresses a contemporary or socially relevant topic, or if it is interdisciplinary.
Carefully review all information on our website and in the available PDFs. In your application, clearly and concisely describe your project idea, how the partnership was established, who is responsible for what, how the artistic work is shared, when and where each step will take place and whether funding has been secured. Please provide the relevant supporting documents. The more detailed your application, the higher its chances of success. Watch our online tutorials and contact us if you have any specific questions. Reviewing previously funded projects may also be helpful.
Helping potential collaborators establish contact is not the responsibility of the IKF. However, the Goethe-Institut website provides information about the arts scene in Germany as well as previously funded projects. You can also contact the local Goethe-Institut offices abroad.
Updates / Announcements
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From 2026 onwards, there are two confirmed application rounds.
First round:
- Applications will be accepted from mid-January until 1 April 2026.
- Selected projects are scheduled to start in July 2026 and run until 1 October 2027.
Second round:
- Applications will be accepted from mid-July until 1 October 2026.
- Projects under this round will begin in 2027 and end on 1 April 2028.
The organisers recommend regularly checking the official website for the latest updates on the application process.
Reporting and Compliance
Proof of expenditure must be submitted within two months after the project ends (e.g., by 01.12.2027 for the first round).
Legal Terms
Upon approval, the applicant concludes an agreement with the local Goethe-Institut. Activities started before approval (contracts signed, bookings made) are not eligible without an "early start of measure" request.