City of Munich — New Music Project Funding

Munich's Cultural Department pays for concerts of contemporary music in the city — single concerts, concert series, small festivals and looser event formats. "New music" here is read broadly: contemporary classical and experimental music, but also sound art, improvisation, and electronic and electro-acoustic work sitting in that orbit. Music theatre and mainly staged projects go to the theatre funding team instead.

You can apply if you are a professional musician or composer living in the MVV transport region with your working life centred on Munich, or if you are an ensemble, association or initiative from the city's independent new music scene. Organisations that already receive institutional funding cannot apply. The department states openly that men have been over-represented in past rounds and encourages applications from people of all genders.

Grants under €1,000 can be requested at any time with no deadline. Between €1,000 and €10,000 there are two fixed rounds a year, and decisions come roughly four weeks later. Only projects that have not yet started are eligible, and costs only count from the date you first apply — so applying late means losing the preparation costs you have already spent.

You apply by email: one PDF under 5MB containing the application form, a project description, a cost and financing plan, and how you plan to promote it. There is no jury; officials assess against the criteria. Programming weight on new music, adequate representation of women composers, professional standard, meaningful involvement of Munich musicians, and inventive thinking about venues and audiences all count. The forms are in German.