Change of Scene – International Artistic Cooperations for the Performing Arts Program 2017, Germany

The program supports the development of co-operation projects, which, together, from their concept to implementation, take place in the crossing of borders in both countries.

The projects should promise an intensive cultural exchange and be geared towards a comprehensive collaboration. A thematic as well as practical confrontation with the partner country must be visible in the artistic work. The funded projects should develop new realms of experience and reflect other living environments. Finally, the funded works must be presented in public in the German-speaking region, and a presentation in the partner country is equally desirable.

Up to ten projects from all areas of the performing arts can be supported with up to 15,000 euros of funding annually. The cooperation projects can be realized in a timeframe of up to two years.

What is funded?

In the framework of Change of Scene, the funding recognizes costs related to meetings, exchanges and collaborations, as well as the fees for translations and interpreters, the development of productions and projects, rehearsals, traveling costs and accommodations for mutual visits.

Change of Scene not only promotes partnerships based on existing contacts, but also those being newly developed. If a project or production idea is submitted without the application naming a specific project partner, this can be made concrete following an initial phase. This initial phase allows for traveling and discussions meant to allow potential partners to get to know one another in order to develop a project together. Should the project be realized, the cooperation partner must be verified in a written agreement within six months. In addition, a more concrete version of the concept, of the costs and financial plan, and current schedule to be followed at the International Theater Institute must be submitted. The requested funding for the initial phase are part of the overall costs and may not exceed 3,000 euros. The payment of the grants for the project occurs after submitting the necessary documents. In the event of their incompletion, the project is offered no further funding.

What cannot be funded?

• Direct production-related costs such as sets, technical equipment, renting performance locations
• New recordings or reworkings of existing successful productions
• Funding is excluded when the project has already begun before its approval, meaning when expenses have already been incurred or contracts finalized.
• Projects by single individuals are not funded. They are, however, encouraged to submit a grant application together with established, organizational mergers.

Who is eligible for funding?

To be eligible for funding, the theaters or independent groups from the areas of dance, music theater, puppet theater, and performance must be located in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. This should be verified by a valid legal form submitted with the grant application.

Partners from Eastern European or North African countries may not submit an application. The principal applicant must be an institution or independent group from the German-speaking region (see above), which represents all the organizational and administrative concerns of the project with respect to dealings with the promoters.

In a cooperation agreement, both partners are obliged to respect the specific conditions of the collaboration, equally so the basis of the financing, and provide information about the use of the subsidies.