Here you will find the most important information on the call for proposals and the application process. If you cannot find the answer to your question on this page, please contact the TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund team at Bureau Ritter: tanzpakt@bureau-ritter.de
+ What are the priorities of the call?
TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund supports multi-year projects that combine funding from the federal government with co-financing of at least the same amount from municipalities, federal states or other funders.
The funding programme TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund has three priorities, T1, T2 and T3. Projects should ideally address a combination of all three:
• T1 Expanding excellence by supporting outstanding ensembles, artist collectives and individual artists with an international reach
• T2 Expanding excellence by supporting production houses and venues with a national and/or international reach
• T3 Expanding excellence by developing and implementing collaborative dance development concepts
+ Who can apply?
Applicants must be resident and organisations or institutions must be based in Germany. Depending on which priorities have been chosen, the following persons or institutions are able to apply: independent dance ensembles, artist collectives and artistic teams, individual artists, ensembles of state or municipal theatres, alliances between different sectors of the dance scene, alliances between dance sector professionals and public funding bodies (i.e. local authorities), production houses, choreographic centres, venues, theatres, festivals that produce their own work, production platforms and offices, as well as initiatives calling for the development of new infrastructure and production structures for dance.
+ Can projects apply that have previously received funding from TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund?
Yes. As well as supporting new projects, the programme will also be open to projects that have previously received TANZPAKT funding, enabling them to continue and expand their activities.
+ What is the earliest date that projects can start?
The earliest possible start date for projects in the 2025 funding round is the 15th of November 2025. Please note, however, that funding is not confirmed until the funding agreement has been signed.
+ When should the project finish?
All activities for projects in both funding rounds must be completed by 30 June 2030.
+ Is there a minimum term for the project?
As a rule, projects should run for 36 months.
+ Is there a minimum and a maximum grant amount?
The minimum grant amount that new projects can apply for is generally 90,000 euros, and the maximum amount is 600,000 euros. The maximum grant amount for projects that have previously received TANZPAKT funding is 300,000 euros.
+ How much co-financing does a project need to raise from local authorities, federal states or other funding sources?
Funding from TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund is dependent on securing an equal co-financing share from local authorities, federal states and/or other funders. The total amount of co-financing secured must be at least as high as the requested TANZPAKT grant amount. While we advise that the co-financing should be awarded specifically for the funded project, it is also permissible to declare existing multi-year funding as co-financing. One-off project funding, however, does not count as co-financing.
Unsecured funds such as income from ticket sales or private assets also do not count towards the co-financing share.
+ On what formal grounds can an application be rejected?
No funding from TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund is possible if:
• Sufficient co-financing has not been secured for the project.
• The project or applicants do not meet the eligibility requirements or assessment criteria.
• The application has not been submitted in time for the deadline.
• The application is incomplete or was not submitted via the application portal.
• The applicant or organisation are not resident/based in Germany.
• The project has already begun, expenses have been accrued or contracts concluded before the selection panel has completed its session.
• The project is financed by other funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
+ Who decides which projects are funded as part of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund?
An independent jury of dance sector experts will deliberate in a closed session and decide on the funded projects. The jury will be announced in spring 2025.
+ How and when will I be informed about the jury’s decision?
Applicants will be informed about the jury’s decision by email directly after the jury meeting - expectly in the first days of November 2025. The jury reserves the right to make its offer of funding subject to certain conditions.
+ Can I claim a legal right to funding?
No, there is no legal entitlement to receiving funding from Bureau Ritter gUG as part of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund.
+ Can I reapply, even if my application was rejected?
In principle, applications that were rejected can be resubmitted.
+ Where can I get advice before submitting my application?
Due to the complexity of the funding programme, we strongly recommended that you make an appointment for a consultation before submitting your application.
The TANZPAKT team at Dachverband Tanz Deutschland offers advice on a cultural policy level, for example by helping to identify possible deficits or potentials of dance in a particular location, and by suggesting measures to invest in the sector (e.g. infrastructure projects, new spaces for dance, innovative funding models, audience development, management structures etc.).
The TANZPAKT team at Bureau Ritter will be happy to answer any questions about the design of your project, the application process and the budget requirements. Consultations can take place in person, on the phone or as a video call.
+ What are the deadlines for application?
There will be two funding rounds in the period from 2025 to 2030. The deadline for applications for the first funding round is the 22nd of September 2025 at 6pm. We recommend subscribing to our newsletter, where we will send out important dates as soon as they are confirmed.
+ How can I submit my application?
Applications can be submitted from 1st of April 2025 via the online portal of Bureau Ritter gUG – the organisers of the funding programme TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund. Applicants need to register and create an account in the portal in order to start the application.
+ Is there support available for people with disabilities wanting to apply?
Yes, we are working to make the application process more accessible and inclusive. Applicants with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities can contact the Bureau Ritter team for assistance and support with their application.
+ How many applicants should there be for collaborative projects or networks comprising several partner organisations?
For collaborative projects or networks, only one individual or partner organisation should apply on behalf of the entire project. If funding is approved, this individual or organisation will become the Bureau Ritter contractual partner. The funding programme does not specify how a network should choose its main applicant. A professional organisational structure must be in place to implement the project or has to be built.
+ What documents do I have to submit as part of my application?
Applications must be submitted using the online form provided in the portal, which includes a detailed project description that should take the following points into account:
The following must also be submitted as mandatory attachments:
To help you prepare your application, we will provide you with the mandatory templates for the applicant's self-declaration, the financing plan, the confirmation of your co-financing and the document “Guidelines for the preparation of the financing plan” at www.tanzpakt.de at the start of the application procedure.
A maximum of three additional attachments can be added informally to the application, e.g. press reviews, accompanying letters and/ or letters of recommendation from the co-financing institutions. Projects that have already received funding can, for example, enclose existing evaluations.
+ Can I submit my application in English?
Yes, applications can be submitted in English. The application form, however, is only available in German.
+ What type of funding is offered by TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund?
TANZPAKT funding is based on the concept of deficit funding. This means that project-related expenses that have been approved as part of the submitted budget are covered up to the contractually agreed maximum grant amount, provided that the project organiser is unable to cover these costs from their own or other funds. All grants are based on actual costs, which means that any reduction of costs or increase in match funding or other income will result in a reduction of the grant.
+ What other funding sources cannot be combined with a TANZPAKT grant?
As a rule, projects that are already receiving funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media – or an institution directly funded by the latter – are excluded from applying for funding through TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund. This includes the following funding bodies: Kulturstiftung des Bundes (Federal Cultural Foundation), Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Fonds Darstellende Künste e. V.
+ Who should sign the letter of intent from co-financing partners?
Each co-financing partner must separately complete a letter of intent, which must be signed by an authorised legal representative for the organisation. The letters must be submitted as part of the application. With the start of the application process the template that must be used for the letter is available for download on www.bureau-ritter.de. It can also be downloaded directly from the application portal.
+ Can funds from outside Germany count as co-financing?
In principle and under certain circumstances, co-financing from international sources is possible.
+ What costs are eligible for funding according to the TANZPAKT funding principles?
Eligible costs are costs that are directly related to the project. They can generally include personnel and direct costs, provided they are necessary for the project, are incurred during the project period, and are appropriate and reasonable. All expenditure required for the project must be listed in the financing plan.
+ Can we apply for personnel costs?
Personnel costs can be included in the budget as long as they relate to newly created positions or part-time positions.
Salaried staff
Salary costs for permanently employed members of staff are only eligible if applicants can provide proof of the time that each employee has spent working on the project.Renumeration for employed members of staff must conform to statutory minimum wage regulations according to §1 MiLoG. At the same time, applicants may not place their employees in a better position than comparable employees in the public sector. Salaries that are higher than those stipulated in the collective agreement for the public sector (TVÖD), as well as other benefits above and beyond the collective agreement, will not be covered by TANZPAKT funding.
Fees for freelance staff
The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media supports the German cultural sector in its endeavours to ensure adequate remuneration for professional artists and creative sector workers. Applicants must therefore respect industry minimum-wage regulations. When calculating salaries and fees for your project, you must guarantee appropriate working conditions and renumeration for staff and freelance collaborators. Suggested fees for freelancers in the performing arts are based on the BDFK’s minimum wage recommendations, which in principle should not be undercut.
After you have submitted your application, Bureau Ritter will check if your budget complies with the above requirements. You should therefore indicate in your budget which suggested minimum fees you are using and how they have been calculated. If your budget doesn’t comply, you will be asked to revise it.
+ Are investment costs eligible for funding?
Investment costs are generally eligible for funding, provided they are necessary for the project.
+ Are costs related to improving accessibility eligible for funding?
Costs for measures that improve accessibility (such as sign language interpreters, audio description or accessibility ramps) can be included in the budget, provided they are clearly relevant for the project.
+ Can contributions in kind and/or voluntary staff contributions be included in the budget?
Contributions in kind and services that are covered by an institution on an ongoing basis (such as the provision of event spaces, technology, accommodation, permanent staff, etc.) or voluntary/unpaid work – i.e. services that are nor renumerated – cannot be included in the budget, neither on the income nor on the expenditure side. This is in no way a disparagement of voluntary work or in-kind contributions. You have the option of describing non-cash (in kind) contribitions in the application form.
The necessary templates and forms will be available for download here on 1st of April 2025.