DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Berliner Künstlerprogramm have announced the open call for the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program. This initiative offers funded residencies in Berlin for established international cultural practitioners across specific creative disciplines for the 2028 cycle.

Selected participants receive a comprehensive package that includes a monthly stipend for living costs and rent, fully furnished accommodation, travel arrangements, and health insurance if needed. The exact financial amount of the monthly stipend is not specified on the donor’s page.

The deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2026. The residency takes place in Germany and aims to provide artists with dedicated time and space to live and work in Berlin.

What is funded

The fellowship covers living and working arrangements in Berlin for predefined durations based on the applicant’s artistic discipline. Fellows in the literature as well as music and sound fields receive a 12-month residency, whereas participants in film are granted a 6-month stay.

Beneficiaries receive a monthly stipend intended to cover general living expenses and rent, alongside a furnished apartment provided in Berlin. The award also includes an economy return flight to Berlin and coverage for health insurance if required by the fellow.

Who can apply

The call is aimed at established international individual artists with a proven track record in literature, film, or music and sound. The donor requires applicants to have an established creative profile to qualify for direct entry.

Students and recent graduates are explicitly excluded from consideration. Practitioners in visual arts are also unable to apply directly, as candidates in this discipline are selected solely through an internal jury nomination process.

Conditions and requirements

Selected candidates are expected to reside and develop their practice in Berlin throughout the designated 6-month or 12-month period. Because this intake targets the 2028 residency year, candidates must be prepared to plan their professional commitments well in advance.

Practical tip. Given that applications close in December 2026 for residencies scheduled for 2028, candidates should construct their proposals around mature, long-term artistic plans rather than immediate projects. It is advisable to clearly detail why a multi-month period in Berlin will be relevant to your creative practice at that specific future stage.

How to apply

Direct applications can be submitted online by artists working in literature, film, and music and sound before the deadline of December 15, 2026. Applicants must follow the submission procedures set forth by the Berliner Künstlerprogramm.

Visual artists must not submit open applications, as this category relies entirely on external nominations. All eligible individual applicants should ensure their materials confirm their professional standing and meet all baseline eligibility criteria prior to submission.

Applications are submitted on the donor’s page: berliner-kuenstlerprogramm.de.