Program Description International Live and Showcase Funding

 The International Live and Showcase Funding program supports live performances abroad by performing artists and bands in the fields of popular music and jazz. By closing financial gaps, this program enables emerging musical acts from Germany to accept short-notice invitations for international performance opportunities that, with sufficient professional prospects, offer an exceptional chance for market entry and further establishment. The program therefore focuses in particular on participation in international showcase festivals and live performances abroad aimed primarily at a professional industry audience, as well as support tours abroad that contribute to gaining a sustainable foothold in a new international target market.

For other performances, such as release tours, self-organized tours, or general festival and club shows, applications may be submitted to the Künstler:innenförderung of Initiative Musik.

This program supports travel by performing artists and bands whose primary goal is to play export-relevant live shows abroad. This includes, in particular, showcase festivals and support tours. Other live performances are only eligible if international interest in the act is demonstrated through the involvement of outstanding partners from the international music industry.

All performance dates must take place within a 90-day period. To ensure sustainable support, the dates should be reasonably close to each other both in time and location and form a clearly coherent unit.

For performances at showcase festivals and music conferences, funding may be requested for all days of the conference if they are necessary and demonstrably used for establishing business contacts during the event. An overview of the formats visited and the business contacts made must be submitted with the final report.
Please note: The implementation of this module is expected to be possible starting from July 1, 2026, for a maximum of two people per band.

Interviews on foreign TV and radio shows are only eligible if they are accompanied by additional, verifiable live performances.

The following are excluded from funding:

• Performances in Germany
• Performances at song contests, music competitions, street/village fairs and folk festivals, charity events, and private celebrations (e.g., birthdays, weddings)
• Projects in which public-sector companies and/or broadcasting organizations are directly or indirectly involved
• Performances aimed solely at cultural exchange
• Trips undertaken for music recordings, video shoots, or photo shoots
• University projects, educational formats, workshops
• Cabaret and small-scale performing arts
• Sound installations and performances as part of visual art installations
• Appearances as speakers

Eligible applicants are performing artists and ensembles whose primary residence and professional base are in Germany, regardless of nationality. Applicants must provide proof of their main place of residence in Germany. For bands and ensembles, this must apply to at least half of the members.

Supported artists and ensembles must show a clearly recognizable connection to musical life in Germany, and their activities abroad should contribute to international visibility for the German music scene.

In addition to performing artists, guest musicians and up to three accompanying persons from the professional environment (e.g., tour management, management, booking, lighting and/or sound technicians) may be funded as part of the travel party if their participation is essential for carrying out the project and they also have their main place of residence in Germany.

Applicants must already have relevant performance experience in Germany, a clearly defined export strategy geared toward international markets, and ideally a sufficiently established professional structure (management, booking, label, distribution) with an export focus. The repertoire should primarily consist of original musical works.

As a rule, an application may only be submitted for one artist or band. When multiple acts tour together, each act must submit a separate application.

A written confirmation of the performances (contract, invitation letter) from the international presenter must be submitted with the application, including location, date, and all necessary performance details (fees, cost coverage, other agreements).

To avoid double funding, expenses already supported by another federal program for the same purpose (e.g., Goethe-Institut, Musikfonds) or by another foreign music export office may not be additionally funded through this program. Support from federal states or municipalities is generally compatible but must be disclosed in the application.

Funding is awarded as a non-repayable project grant in the form of flat-rate payments based on a fixed-sum financing model.

The flat rates are based on a partial contribution toward typical travel, accommodation, and meal expenses, as well as promotion costs and possible visa fees, derived from experience-based values.

The amount of funding is calculated per person, based on the number of confirmed and verified performance dates and the destination country (Europe, including non-EU states, or non-European countries).

Example Calculation – Europe

The International Live and Showcase Funding may be granted up to three times within a calendar year. The maximum total amount per act per year is 20,000 EUR.

Applications must be submitted online via the application portal no later than six weeks before the first performance date.

Funding applications must be submitted digitally to Initiative Musik. The required application form is completed in the online portal and submitted exclusively online. Details on type and scope are provided in the form.

Projects for which funding is requested may not have begun at the time of application. If bookings must be made between submission and approval, an application for approval of an early project start without prejudice to funding may be submitted in justified exceptional cases. This will be reviewed individually by Initiative Musik and may be granted in writing.

Applications must include the following program-specific documents:

• CV and short profile / EPK of the artist or band
• Proof of professional activity by fulfilling at least three of the following criteria, each documented with at least one file:
  • Proof of freelance activity as singer, instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, artistic DJ, or producer (tax authority document with tax number and designation of activity)
  • Proof of membership in the Künstlersozialkasse (KSK)
  • Proof of membership in GEMA
  • Proof of a currently valid rights administration contract with GVL
  • Proof of a currently valid band takeover or exclusive artist contract with a label, publishing contract, management contract, or booking contract with a booking agency (not a performance contract)
  • Proof of state-recognized vocational or higher-education training in a relevant artistic/musical field
• Project description: schedule of performances, measures, implementation, objectives
• Details on performances: country, city, venue/festival, expected audience size
• Written confirmation of participation by an international partner company

Applications are assessed solely on the basis of the submitted documents by an independent expert jury, which recommends projects for funding. The final funding decision is made by the Supervisory Board of Initiative Musik gGmbH based on the jury’s recommendation and subject to the eligibility of expenses as determined during the application review. Decisions are final. Legal recourse is excluded.

Criteria include, among others:

• Artistic quality
• Export potential of the artist or band
• Plausibility of the planned export strategy
• Prospects for successful internationalization based on previous export activity
• Quality of the live performances or visited event

Funding decisions will be communicated in writing by the office of Initiative Musik. Decisions are not explained.

Funding is approved through the digital conclusion of a private-law funding agreement for the specific case. Approval is granted once and does not establish any entitlement to further funding or increases in the funding amount. The project’s funding period ends six weeks after the last performance. Further details are governed by the General Funding Conditions and Funding Principles of Initiative Musik.

After project completion, Initiative Musik reviews—based on a submitted proof of use—whether the project was carried out and funds were used in accordance with the application and contract.

The conditions described here come into effect on January 1, 2026, and remain valid until December 31, 2029.