FAQ International Live and Showcase Funding
General Information about the Application
What deadlines do I need to observe?
Applications for International Live and Showcase Funding are processed on an ongoing basis. The application must be submitted online via the application portal no later than six weeks before the first performance date.
The funding application must be submitted digitally to Initiative Musik. Only applications that are complete, formally correct, and submitted on time can be considered.
The application will first undergo a formal review by Initiative Musik. If any documents are incomplete or incorrect, additional materials may be requested and must be submitted within five days. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to submit the application as early as possible.
Projects for which funding is requested must not have started at the time of application. If it becomes necessary to make bookings between submitting the application and receiving the funding decision, the application may, in justified exceptional cases, be combined with a request for an early start of measures that does not jeopardize funding eligibility. This request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Initiative Musik and may be granted in writing.
Who evaluates my application?
All formally correct and complete applications are evaluated by an expert jury. All approvals and rejections are based on majority decisions of the jury. Individual jury decisions are not publicly explained nor justified to the applicants.
How often may I submit an application?
There is no limit to the number of applications that may be submitted. However, International Live and Showcase Funding can be granted a maximum of three times per calendar year.
The maximum total funding amount is EUR 20,000 per act per year.
Can I reapply for a project that has already been rejected?
No. Projects that have already been rejected cannot be submitted again.
When will I be informed whether my application has been approved?
As a rule, the review process and jury voting take approximately 2 to 3 weeks. If revisions or corrections are required, the time until a funding decision will be extended accordingly. For this reason, early submission is strongly recommended.
When may I begin my funded project?
The project — and thus all associated measures — may only begin after the funding approval has been granted. The earliest possible project start date also constitutes the earliest permissible date for services rendered, invoicing, and payments for all measures eligible for funding.
All project-related services, invoices, and payments must occur within the project period.
An early start of the project prior to funding approval may be requested as part of the application process and is decided on a case-by-case basis. However, this is generally at the applicant’s own risk. Approval of an early start of measures can be granted no earlier than the date of application submission and does not constitute a funding commitment.
I have already made bookings or payments for the tour. Can I request an early start of measures by email before submitting the application?
No. A request for an early start of measures can only be submitted via the application tool and exclusively as part of the application process. Bookings or payments made prior to submitting the application are not eligible for funding.
Who can assist me with the application process?
Please first read the FAQ and the program description carefully.
If you have further questions, the Export team will be happy to assist you. Current contact persons and consultation hours can be found on the website.
What is meant by “proof of professionalism” for applying artists/bands?
The funding program is aimed at professionally working artists/bands. To demonstrate this, applicants must provide appropriate documentation for at least three of the following criteria:
- Confirmation from the tax office of registration as a freelance musician, including a description of the activity and the tax number
- Proof of membership in GEMA (current invoice for the membership fee, latest annual account statement, or a rights management agreement; note: the agreement must be signed by both parties and is accepted as sole proof only during the first year of membership)
- Proof of membership in GVL (current detailed report of remuneration claims, email confirmation from GVL stating that a valid rights management agreement exists including the contract number, or the rights management agreement with contract number)
- Proof of membership in the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK) (current assessment notice or membership certificate)
- A currently valid band acquisition or artist exclusive contract with a label; publishing, management, or booking agreement with a booking agency (excluding performance contracts)
- Final certificate or diploma from a state-recognized vocational or higher education program in an artistic or music-related field
A separate document must be uploaded for each proof as part of the online funding application.
How is the residency requirement for applicants defined?
Eligible applicants are performing artists whose primary residence is in Germany, regardless of nationality. In the case of bands or ensembles, at least half of the members must have their primary residence in Germany.
Funding may only be requested for band members, guest musicians, and—if applicable—up to three accompanying persons (tour management, management, booking, lighting/sound technicians) whose residence is in Germany.
How are destination countries categorized? Which countries are considered part of the European destination area?
Within the International Live and Showcase Funding program, a distinction is made between performances in the European destination area and in non-European countries.
The European destination area includes all countries geographically located in Europe, including non-EU countries such as the United Kingdom or Switzerland.
Can I apply for Live and Showcase Funding for performances in Germany?
No. International Live and Showcase Funding is only available for performances outside Germany.
For performances and tours within Germany, funding may be applied for through the Artist Funding program.
May I apply for International Live and Showcase Funding if I am already receiving Artist Funding from Initiative Musik?
In principle, applications for International Live and Showcase Funding and Artist Funding may be submitted at the same time. It is essential, however, that the tour supported through International Live and Showcase Funding is not also included in the Artist Funding application, in order to avoid impermissible double funding.
Application Process
Which documents must be submitted with the application?
The application form must be completed in full online and must include detailed information about the applicant/artist or band, the tour, the objectives, and the planned activities. In addition, the following documents must be uploaded: an invitation letter, proof of professional activity (see the International Live and Showcase Funding Program Description, Section VI: Application Documents), an artistic biography of the artist or the band, and a photo of the artist or band.
Additional documents such as a promo/marketing plan, EPK, or other information relevant to the application may be uploaded on a voluntary basis.
What should be submitted as a short profile / band biography?
A short profile or band biography should provide a concise summary of the key and noteworthy aspects of the artist’s or band’s musical career. A general résumé or CV is not required.
How should suitable project objectives be formulated?
The primary purpose of International Live and Showcase Funding is to facilitate entry into an international music market or to support further establishment within that market.
Accordingly, the project description should specify clear and, where possible, measurable objectives that allow the success of the project to be assessed.
Examples include the number of follow-up bookings, media exposure, or audience figures.
In addition, applicants may also define other non-measurable objectives.
What do I need to consider when preparing the tour schedule?
The tour schedule must list all confirmed live music performances of the tour. The amount of funding is calculated based on the number of confirmed and actually performed live shows.
A separate entry must be created for each performance, including details on city/venue/festival, country, performance date, and the expected number of attendees.
Under Type, please indicate whether the performance is:
- a (showcase) festival performance (a performance at a significant (showcase) festival attended by key industry professionals),
- a support performance (a support slot for another band, the main act), or
- other performance (all other musical performances not falling into the above categories).
Multiple performances on a single day are counted as one performance.
Please do not include off-days or travel days in the tour schedule.
Workshops, meet & greets, and other business appointments are not recognized as performances and must not be included in the tour schedule.
Interviews with television or radio broadcasters abroad are only eligible for funding if they are accompanied by verifiable live performances.
In the context of showcase festivals and music conferences, funding for all conference days may, in certain cases (for a maximum of 2 people per band), be requested if these days are necessary for initiating business contacts as part of the event and are demonstrably used for this purpose.
How far apart may individual tour dates be?
All performance dates must take place within a 90-day period. In the interest of sustainable funding, the dates should be plausibly clustered in terms of time and location and form a coherent tour unit.
How should I prepare a tour schedule if planned performances are only partially confirmed or not yet confirmed at all?
Only performances that have been bindingly confirmed by an international partner at the time of application (e.g. showcase invitation, performance contract, booking confirmation, etc.) are eligible for funding.
I am playing more than one concert on the same day – how should this be indicated in the tour schedule?
If multiple performances take place on the same day, a separate entry must be created for each performance in the tour schedule. Please make clear through the venue/festival and date information that these are two distinct performances on the same day. If necessary, add an explanation in the comments field.
Funding is granted per day on which a live performance takes place. Multiple performances on a single day (e.g. as part of showcase festivals) are counted as one performance when calculating the funding amount.
Are there any program-related exclusion criteria for funding?
Artists who disseminate anti-constitutional, unlawful, or criminal content, or whose music emphasizes glorification of violence or content harmful to minors, are excluded from funding. The guidelines of Initiative Musik apply.
Can I finance my project with additional funding alongside support from Initiative Musik?
Additional funding from federal states or municipalities is generally compatible but must be declared at the time of application.
In order to avoid double funding, tours that already receive federal funding (e.g. from the Goethe-Institut or the Music Fund) are excluded from International Live and Showcase Funding provided by Initiative Musik.
How can I be sure that my application has been received?
The application must be submitted online and by the deadline.
Once the application has been submitted, an automated confirmation email will be sent acknowledging receipt of the application.
The status of the application can also be viewed at any time in the application management portal.
I did not receive an email confirmation that my application was received. What can I do?
Email notifications may occasionally be filtered into the spam folder; please check this first.
If the deadline is approaching, please contact Initiative Musik by email or phone to inquire about the status.
Application Tool (Technical Questions)
Technical problems during registration or application submission?
In the event of technical issues, please contact nuclos@initiative-musik.de, stating the project number and providing a detailed description of the problem, including screenshots where possible.
Can the online application be created and submitted by a person who is not authorized to sign?
Applications for International Live and Showcase Funding must generally be submitted by the artist(s) themselves or by a member of the band. In exceptional cases, an authorized representative may submit the application upon presentation of a power of attorney.
However, the role/function of the contact person may also be assumed by another person without legal authorization to represent the applicant. In this case, both the contact person and the artist/musician must log in to the application tool.
Which file formats and file sizes are permitted?
To prevent malicious activity and reduce server load, all uploads are subject to size limits. For practical reasons, certain uploads are also restricted by file type. The following limits generally apply depending on the file format:
- .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ods, .txt: 2 MB
- .pdf, .msg: 1 MB
- .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .tiff: 6 MB
- .mp3: 8 MB
Other file types are not permitted.
Due to filename restrictions in Microsoft Windows, file names must also not contain the following characters:
~ “ # % & * : < > ? / \ { | }
I cannot see the invitation to collaborate on an application in my account / I did not receive an invitation request.
Invitations can be found under Menu → Home in the section “My Requests”. Please click “Open” in the “Link” column.
Please also check your spam folder.
If a user account already exists, please ensure that the invitation request is sent to the primary email address of the account. This address can be found under Menu → Contact, on the left-hand side under User Account. Invitations sent to, for example, Additional Email Address 1 or 2 will not appear in the invitation overview. Please ensure that the email addresses match exactly.
I cannot accept the invitation to collaborate on an application. The application is in editing mode.
Please note that editing mode must be actively ended before another person—or you yourself—can accept an invitation. To accept the invitation, end editing mode by clicking “End editing mode”. The application should then display a red indicator and show the status “Online Application Entry”.
Important: Logging out of the system does not end editing mode.
Only one person can work on an application at a time, including accepting invitations.
Please note that invitations are valid for 24 hours only.
The person who sent the invitation can view its status either within the respective application or under Menu → Home → “My Requests”.
I accidentally invited the wrong person to the application. What should I do?
Incorrectly sent invitations can be withdrawn within the application by clicking “Withdraw invitation”.
In addition, as long as the application has not yet been submitted, invitations for roles (contact person, artist) can be resent at any time by clicking “Invite contact”. This is also possible if the mistakenly invited person has already accepted the invitation and assumed the role. In this case, you simply need to confirm that you wish to reassign the role.
Which browser should I use?
In principle, the application can be submitted using all common browsers. However, we observe that issues occur more frequently in Edge and Safari. We therefore recommend using Chrome or Firefox.
The system is not accessible. What should I do?
Please note: There are two weekly maintenance windows during which the application portal may be temporarily unavailable:
Monday: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Thursday: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Please try again after these times.
The Funding
When will I receive the funding?
After the funding is approved and the funding agreement is signed, access to the approved funding amount is granted, minus a 10% retention, which will only be paid out after the project has been accounted for.
As a general rule, own funds and third-party funds should be used first, wherever available and economically feasible, to cover costs. Funding can be requested during the project as needed, and if necessary multiple times in advance for periods of six weeks, to finance uncovered costs.
More detailed information about the procedure will be provided after the funding is approved.
How long is my project period?
The project period starts on the date of the funding approval and ends on the deadline for submission of the expenditure report. If an early project start has been requested and approved, the date of application submission will instead be considered the project start.
Can the funding amount be increased retrospectively?
No. The maximum approved funding amount cannot be increased after approval.
What happens if there are changes to my approved funding?
Changes such as last-minute cancellations of performances or other unforeseen deviations must be reported to Initiative Musik immediately. Such changes may result in the approved funding being reduced or withdrawn entirely.
Will I receive proof of the funding disbursement?
Proof is provided by bank statements showing the funding payments, with the project number and project name indicated as a federal grant, in conjunction with the funding agreement, which serves as the basis for the payments.
How do I implement the logo guidelines for my project?
Once funding is approved, it is mandatory to include the following two logos in the specified order, along with the funding note, on all media related to the project:
- Initiative Musik logo
- Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (BKM) logo
- Funding note (“Supported by / Gefördert von:”)
All project-related media (e.g., audio/video media, posters, flyers, books, film products, invitations, websites, press releases, press invitations, programs) must display the logos and the funding note in coordination with the project team.
The logos may only be used in the approved versions, meaning shape and colors may not be altered. Approval of logos is provided by the project supervisor.
The logos must be used at the same size. The logo of the project holder/project itself should be clearly emphasized. Funding logos should occupy no more than 5% of the visible area. The core message of project-related media must be clearly separated from the funding acknowledgment.
For website use, the logos must be hyperlinked. Any deviations from these specifications must be approved in writing by the project supervisor beforehand.
It is the responsibility of the project holder to ensure that the Initiative Musik logo guidelines (for the Initiative Musik logo) and the Federal Government style guide (e.g., for the BKM logo) are followed. This also applies to media produced by third parties on behalf of the project holder. Logos and acknowledgments for special programs under which funding is provided must also be published.
Within what period must services, invoices, and payments occur to be eligible for funding?
All services, invoices, and payments associated with the project must occur within the project period.
The earliest possible project start date defines the earliest possible service, invoice, and payment date for all measures that can be accounted for with the funding. If any of these three dates for a measure occur before this date, the measure cannot be included in the funding and must not be listed in the submitted budget and financing plan.
What is Keychange, and why am I asked to provide information about participation in the Keychange survey?
Initiative Musik is a member of Keychange, an initiative promoting gender equality in the music industry. By 2029, we aim to support at least 50% FLINTA* [1] through our funding programs, projects, and awards. The goal of this target is to track and promote the actual participation of FLINTA individuals* in the music industry. A summary of Initiative Musik’s Keychange objectives can be found here.
To achieve this goal, we request your support by participating in our Keychange survey. Information about whether someone belongs to the FLINTA group* can only be provided voluntarily by the individual. Participation in the survey is confidential and conducted in accordance with Initiative Musik’s data protection regulations. Participation in the Keychange survey has no impact on eligibility for funding or participation in the project.
[1] FLINTA* stands for Women, Lesbians, Inter*, Non-binary, Trans*, and Agender persons. The asterisk (*) indicates inclusivity of additional groups not explicitly named, who do not identify as cis-male. “Cis” describes individuals whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth. Trans men are therefore included in the FLINTA* definition. The term emphasizes that other gender identities besides women are also affected by gender-based discrimination.
Proof of Use / Expenditure Report
Which documents must be submitted for the expenditure report?
The expenditure report must be submitted completely online via the Initiative Musik portal.
The report should list and document all actually performed performances. Initiative Musik also reserves the right to request supporting documents or evidence for the entire funded project on a random basis.
Additionally, a narrative report must be included, describing the outcomes of the tour. Conducted activities, particularly press and public relations efforts, should be documented. The report should also include insights, concert photos, excerpts from media coverage (e.g., scanned press articles, screenshots of online reports), and an assessment of goal achievement.
How do I prove that performances took place?
In the tour plan of the expenditure report, each performance can be assigned one of three status options:
- Performed: The performance took place as planned.
- Postponed: The performance was moved to another date or location. In this case, a new entry must be created for the rescheduled performance.
- Cancelled/Did Not Take Place: The performance was cancelled or did not occur.
Please always select the status that accurately reflects the respective performance.
Evidence that a performance took place can include, for example, fee invoices, payment receipts, or comparable documents.
To whom should invoices be issued?
The recipients of the International Tour Funding are exclusively the artists or bands. Therefore, all invoices must be issued in the name of the artist(s).
In addition, all funded services must have been performed, invoiced, and paid within the project period in order to be eligible for funding.
How do I correctly account for travel costs?
Funding is provided as a flat-rate allowance, intended to cover part of the usual travel and performance costs (e.g., transport, accommodation, meals, visa, backline rental, promotion).
A detailed travel expense report is not required. However, in case of a subsequent random audit, it is recommended to collect and keep all receipts from the tour.
How long should the narrative report be? What should it include?
There is no set length; the content is more important.
The narrative report should explain to what extent the project was implemented according to plan and how successful the tour was overall. It should include:
A review of the completed events,
Information on any changes to the project,
An assessment of the extent to which project goals were achieved
