About us

We are the German federal government’s central funding institution for popular music and jazz. Artists and their music are at the core of our work in the cultural sector. Through targeted programmes and activities, we offer support for artistic development and economic growth.

We are committed to supporting a diverse musical landscape with sustainable economic structures and a clear commitment to ecological sustainability and social justice. We support artists, the live music scene and music businesses throughout Germany in realising their projects and foster networks and infrastructures.

With three music awards – POLYTON, the German Jazz Prize and the APPLAUS Award – we promote outstanding talents and venues and increase their visibility. Our German Music Export supports musicians in their internationalisation and positions Germany as a music market at home and abroad.

Partners/Supporters

Without the support of sponsors and partners, our work for rock, pop and jazz music would not be possible. They facilitate our funding programs, original projects and our main office.

The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM)

It is a duty of the state to protect the freedom of artistic expression and to create the conditions required for cultural life to flourish. Germany’s Federal Government supports cultural institutions and projects that are of national importance and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), Minister of State Claudia Roth, is responsible for promoting culture for the government. The BKM has been promoting institutions and projects within the framework of cultural federalism since 1999 and has been the main sponsor of Initiative Musik since 2007. The BKM has also assumed a portion of the costs for Initiative Musik’s administrative offices, which are co-financed by the GVL and GEMA.

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)

Initiative Musik has been coordinating the German joint presentation at the South by Southwest (SXSW) creative conference in Austin, Texas, for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs since 2010. The joint presentation at GERMAN HAUS – with participation of numerous German federal states and private-sector partners – and the trade show stand is the largest presentation of the German cultural and creative industries abroad.

German Federal Foreign Office

Since 2011, Initiative Musik has been regularly putting together musically-themed tours for the Federal Republic of Germany’s Visitors Programme with the financial support of the Federal Foreign Office. International music journalists and other experts are invited to Germany to experience a wide variety of pop-cultural events on these tours. These programmes convey an authentic, up-to-date and differentiated picture of Germany and thereby contribute to improving the image of the German music industry abroad.

German Society for the Administration of Neighbouring Rights (GVL)

Anyone who performs something artistic or creates the economic basis for this must receive money for the exploitation of their performances. GVL, the society for the administration of neighbouring rights, captures and manages such exploitations of music and film productions. GVL records this use and forwards the money collected in trust for example from radio and television stations and public reproduction (e.g. in restaurants or cafés) as remuneration to its rights holders. More than 170,000 performers, producers of sound recordings and audiovisual recordings, music and music video clip producers as well as event organisers place their trust in GVL – and thus make GVL one of the biggest collective management organisations and music licensing companies for neighbouring rights in the world.

GVL has been an Initiative Musik partner since 2007 and has been helping finance Initiative Musik’s administrative offices from the very start

German Music Authors’ Society (GEMA)

Composers and lyricists, the authors of musical works and music publishers are all united under GEMA’s umbrella. GEMA, a collective management organisation, manages remuneration claims and entitlements for its members globally wherever their copyright-protected musical works are used. It also campaigns on behalf of its members in the political arena to ensure copyright is appreciated in future. The organisation is also active in numerous funding projects for a diverse musical culture. GEMA has been helping finance the Initiative Musik administrative offices since 2007.

German Music Council

We believe that Germany must become a knowledge-based and creative society and that education and culture play a decisive role in this development. That is why the German Music Council and its partners are involved in all areas of social life related to music and are committed to making Germany a vibrant country for it. With its member associations and the State Music Councils, the German Music Council sees itself as an advisor and centre of excellence for politics and civil society. Along with the GVL, the German Music Council has been an Initiative Musik partner since 2008.

Supervisory Board

Our Supervisory Board consists of 12 people. They are appointed by our shareholders (GVL and Deutscher Musikrat) and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The members cover the broad spectrum of the music industry in Germany. With the new members appointed in 2022, emphasis was placed on increasing the number of creative professionals, thus once again focusing on the needs of artists.

Birgit Böcher

Managing Director Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband e.V.

Frank Fischer

Department VIB5 – Culture and Creative Industries, Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection

Prof. Dieter Gorny

Member of the Executive Board of the German Music Council Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Initiative Musik

Sigrid Herrenbrueck

Head of Press and Public Relations, Bundesverband Musikindustrie

Dr. Nathalie Schierloh

Music Department K22 for the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Initiative Musik

Pamela Schobess

Political Spokeswoman LiveMusikKommission e.V., operator Gretchen Berlin

Karo Schrader

Songwriter

Detlev Tiemann

Singer, Chairman of the GuDV

Sara Torchani

Artist Management, Creative Director, Consultant

Lisa Tuyala

Cultural Manager (Kulturkabinett e.V.), Musician, Co-Initiator Women* of Music

Dr. Ralf Weigand

Composer and producer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of GEMA, Managing Director of PLAN 1 MEDIA GmbH & Co. KG

Dr. Birte Wiemann

Chairwoman of the Board, VUT – Verband unabhängiger Musikunternehmer*innen e.V., Project Manager at Cargo Records GmbH

Guidelines of Initiative Musik

21.08.2024

“We are delighted that we, as the Initiative Musik, have developed guidelines that provide us and our committees and cooperation partners a framework for a productive collaboration. Dialogue, anti-discrimination and constructive debate are central to us. These guidelines help us, and everyone else we work together with, to comprehend which values are guiding us as the Initiative Musik. In individual cases, this may also require the necessity to end a collaboration if our beliefs are at risk or legal boundaries have been crossed. It is important to take a stand, especially in our present times.”

Our Purpose

We are the central federal funding institution for popular music and jazz in Germany. We understand music as a creative form of expression with the potential to drive societal change. Through our funding programs and awards—POLYTON, the German Jazz Prize, and APPLAUS—as well as the German Music Export, we create opportunities for artistic development and exchange both within Germany and internationally.

Our Goals

In line with cultural and economic sustainability, our primary goal is to promote music culture and the music industry in Germany. We support artists, the live music scene, music companies, and other actors in the music industry in Germany, as well as their activities abroad, through targeted programs and awards.
We actively advocate for equal opportunities, fair conditions, diversity, and inclusion within the music landscape. Our funding approaches aim to address the diverse needs and challenges faced by actors in the industry.
As a responsible organization, social and ecological sustainability are also important to us and should be considered in our funding efforts and our own events.
We seek to achieve these goals in collaboration with our networks and partners.

Our Attitude and Principles

We are fully committed to democracy as the fundamental principle guiding our actions. For us, democracy not only means adhering to the rule of law but also promoting social cohesion based on respect, tolerance, and solidarity. Through our work, we are dedicated to strengthening democratic values—including freedom of art and expression—and enabling social participation.
We take a clear stand against all forms of discrimination, harassment, or violence, including racism, antisemitism, sexism, LGBTQIA* hostility, ableism, classism, body-based discrimination, as well as discrimination based on religion, belief, or age.
We aim to support underrepresented groups and contribute to ensuring that no one is excluded or marginalized due to labels or assumptions. Our goal is to reflect the diversity of our society on German and international stages. We expect our applicants, candidates, and partners, as well as committees and juries, to share these principles. We also expect a respectful and appreciative interaction with our team.
If we become aware of or receive reports of discriminatory or otherwise unlawful incidents, we will investigate and, if necessary, consult legal experts or recognized advisory services. In the case of violations, we reserve the right to impose sanctions within the framework of our legal options.
We ensure compliance with our guidelines and are committed to enforcing them. Within our organization, responsibilities are clearly defined, and we will respond accordingly if our values are violated.

Our Internal Culture

We believe that we can only achieve our goals and represent them externally if we live our values and principles internally. We aim to create an inclusive, discrimination-sensitive, and supportive working atmosphere where everyone can realize their full potential. Internally, we strive for a culture of respectful cooperation, open dialogue, and a work environment characterized by mutual appreciation, fairness, and transparency. We encourage our team members to actively participate in decision-making processes and want to create space for constructive criticism and joint solutions. By doing so, we aim to keep our organization flexible and adaptable to the constantly changing demands and challenges.

Initiative Musik as a Learning Organization

We continuously reflect on our actions, programs, events, and projects and aim to make them as accessible and sustainably effective as possible. We welcome input from the music scene.
As an organization, we are in constant evolution, knowing that we cannot always get everything right. Our goal is to learn from each other through education and knowledge exchange, and to listen to one another. We consult experts and learn from criticism and mistakes to ensure they are not repeated.

Contact Information

Who can I contact if I have experienced or witnessed a violation of these guidelines?
At our own events, there are designated individuals on-site throughout the event who are available for such cases.
Beyond events, please contact us at awareness@initiative-musik.de or by phone at +49 (0)30 – 531 475 45 – 181.