Live Music Funding

In the current tense economic situation, many live music venues and promoters are increasingly focusing on established musicians. Concert formats with newcomers, less popular or experimental genres run the risk of being pushed to the sidelines. The Live 500 funding programme focuses precisely on these low-threshold live music formats. It is intended to ensure the continued existence of the cultural diversity of live music programmes. It also aims to support music venues and promoters in planning more diverse programmes and improving fees for artists (including newcomers), thereby enabling greater cultural participation for artists and audiences alike. Another funding objective is to strengthen rural and culturally weaker regions through the Live 500 programme.

Important documents and templates

We provide templates on the German subpage. All documents for the 2nd round (2024/2025) and 3rd round (2025/2026) can also be found on our general Downloads page.

Starting in 2023, the Festival Funding is the first structural funding program at federal level for festivals in the field of popular music and jazz. The goal of the funding program is to support the culturally significant work of festivals and preserve and promote their artistic diversity. Festivals can submit applications for funding through an open process. Each grant focuses on implementing and expanding socioculturally significant aspects, including diversity, ecological sustainability, and talent development. In its second round, the programme is aimed in particular at festivals outside of metropolitan areas: at least 70% of the approved projects should be carried out by festivals from non-urban areas (up to 100,000 inhabitants). Music Festivals can be funded with up to 50.000 EUR.

Templates and information

All documents on this page apply to Festival Funding – 3rd round (2025/2026). All documents for the 1st round (2023/2024) and 2nd round (2024/2025) can be found on our general Downloads page.

Templates and information (application)

• Example application (in German)
• Funding calculator (in German)
• Budget plan (in German)
• Example budget plan (in German)
• Fact sheet “Honoraruntergrenzen in der Kulturförderung der BKM” (in German, last update 09/2025)
• Application guide (in German)
• NEW: Tool-Tour-Video Application (in German)

Please note that German is the mandatory language for applications. You can find more information in the FAQs in German.

Small and medium-sized music clubs are not always in a position to cover their investment requirements from their own financial resources due to a lower return on sales. The newly launched ‘PlugIn’ funding programme aims to address this and support the improvement of their technical equipment in various areas.

The most important facts about the funding programme:

• Eligible applicants are music clubs with a maximum visitor capacity of 2,000 unseated places.
• The programme supports the purchase of new or used technical equipment and the installation of performance-related elements. Repair measures are also eligible for the first time through this programme.
• The maximum funding amount is EUR 15,000.
• The own contribution is degressive and depends on the total expenditure. The higher the total expenditure, the higher the own contribution.
• Funding is awarded on a first come, first served basis.
• The funds are distributed to the various federal states according to a regional quota so that structurally weaker regions are not disadvantaged in the process.
• Funding projects can be implemented until 31 March 2024.

Templates (application):

• Application template (in German)
• Template tasks and financing plan, funding calculator (in German)

Templates & information (project implementation):

• Time sheet (in German) 

Relevant information:

• Fact sheet on subsidy-relevant facts (in German)