International coproductions epitomize a form of artistic collaboration involving partnership and dialogue. With a view to encouraging new collaborative working processes and innovative productions involving international cultural exchange, the Goethe-Institut set up a new coproduction fund in the summer of 2016 to promote new working networks and approaches within a global context and to explore new forms of intercultural collaboration.

This funding is intended for coproductions by artists in the fields of theatre, dance, music and performance art, in which hybrid and interdisciplinary formats and the use of digital media may be key components. The target group comprises professional artists and ensembles abroad and in Germany, which demonstrably lack sufficient resources to realize their coproduction project on their own.

With the International Coproduction Fund the Goethe-Institut would like to support the unrestricted international and intercultural exchange of artists and their ideas. The facilitation of such an exchange and the networking it spawns among the various players are equally as important as the productions resulting from the project.

The joint application, which must be submitted by the foreign partner (living and working abroad), must show clearly that good working contacts already exist between the partners and that both parties are interested in putting together a joint, dialogue-oriented production. Goethe-Institut head office recommends getting in touch with local Goethe-Instituts who may be helpful in developing the application and project.

The International Coproduction Fund promotes projects which are of a high artistic calibre and which have considerable public impact. The results of the collaborative efforts are to be presented in a professional setting in at least one country, though ideally both in Germany and abroad. An application should include a feasible financial plan which, in addition to third-party funding, should also show the substantial contributions of all the project partners involved. The amount of funding requested should not exceed €25,000. The fund mainly provides support for travel expenses (including accommodation and catering costs).

Projects between German and non-European partners, in particular from transition countries, are preferred.

The project partners have the task of doing active, broad-based public-relations work, in which the support from the Goethe Institut’s International Coproduction Fund should always be mentioned. Both partners should pay close attention to documenting the progress of the project with photos, videos, press reports and other modes of display, in order to facilitate a presentation of the project on the website of the International Coproduction Fund.

The Goethe-Institut’s Culture Department is responsible for administering the International Coproduction Fund. The employees of the music and theatre/dance departments carefully examine all the applications received both on their formal criteria, as well as on their compliance with the objectives or award criteria of the International Coproduction Fund. Then, after the end of the application period, the applications that have been accepted will be submitted to an independent expert committee. The five-member jury consists of alternating representatives of the advisory boards of the Goethe-Institut, international experts and a representative of the Goethe-Institut abroad.

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DEADLINES

Deadlines for projects beginning in 2019:
October 15, 2018 and April 15, 2019

The next deadline is October 15, 2018* at 23:59 (CET – Central European Time). The online application form will be available again in September 2018.

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Find more information an the application form here.

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AWARD CRITERIA

• Expected artistic quality of the project
• Innovative potential in the form and content of the collaboration
• Relevance of the participating artists in their respective scenes
• Budget indicating project partners’ own contributions and a solid financial plan
• A balanced project partnership, not dominated by one partner
• At least one performance to be given in one of the participating countries, ideally in other countries as well
• Preference will be given to projects between German and non-European partners, especially from transition countries
• The project’s potential to contribute significantly to current social discourse
• Applicants should be prepared to participate in an event demonstrating the exchange of coproduction knowhow at the end of the agreed grant period
• No applications for guest performance funding
• The projects submitted should embrace only the performing arts (no outright film or exhibition projects)

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