Kindergartens and family centers in municipal or independent sponsorship in cooperation with professional artists and/or art and cultural institutions are invited to apply.

The aim is to create early access and opportunities for participation in cultural education by giving children an authentic insight into the artistic and aesthetic practice of those involved in an art form or cultural institution from an early age and to expand their own skills and abilities through artistic learning and aesthetic experiences. The key here is that the children are able to engage in their own creative activities and gain artistic experience. Purely receptive events (performances of children's theater, puppet shows, children's films, etc.) are not funded by the program.

In the sense of a holistic approach, both children and their parents should be involved in the project planning and implementation.
It is also important that the cooperation lays sustainable foundations for the continuation of cultural education offers in the daycare facility.

The projects can cover individual artistic disciplines or be carried out across disciplines. The funding includes a concept phase in which the daycare center and artist and/or cultural institution can (further) develop, prepare and implement the project. The cooperation partners can agree the timing individually. However, the 40 units should take place regularly (e.g. weekly, fortnightly, etc.) over a period of three to six months. Individual project days or compact project weeks are not funded.

Exchanges of experience and practical seminars for the project participants that accompany the programme, which are organized by the ministry, serve to reflect on practice and are intended to facilitate cross-regional and cross-professional exchange.

Funding is provided on the basis of §23.44 LHO and the associated VV/VVG as well as on the basis of the general guidelines for the funding of projects and institutions in the field of culture, art and cultural education and the provisions of these funding guidelines.

Projects are funded with a maximum of 4,100 euros and receive 3,690 euros (90%) in state funding. The institutions or their sponsors are required to make their own contribution of 410 euros (10%). The amounts stated correspond to the "lower fee limits" guideline in accordance with Section 16 (3) of the German Culture Code.

The funding is to be used as follows:

• Project of 40 units of 90 minutes each
• A minimum of 25 units are to be provided for the project implementation.
• A maximum of 15 units can be taken into account for the preparation and follow-up of the project.
• A fee rate of 82.50 euros per 90 minutes and a requirement of up to 800 euros for material and travel expenses is assumed.
• Participation in project-accompanying exchanges of experience or practical seminars is free of charge.

Please note:

Applicants must contribute 10% of the costs themselves.

The financing of the own contribution of 410 euros must be guaranteed, whereby the maximum amount of eligible and eligible expenditure per project is 4,100 euros.

Your district government will advise you on questions relating to funding law, including the possibility of making a personal contribution. Department 48 is responsible for arts and culture funding, the contact details can be found below.

The current documents (see "Downloads" section below) must be used for the application. Applications must be submitted online via Kulturweb. Instructions for completing the online application can be found on this page in the download area ("Documents to download"). Organizers and artists can submit a maximum of three applications per implementation period.

Applications for several institutions of one organizer must be submitted bundled in one application.

To apply, two forms per project must be completed in full and uploaded when the application is submitted:

• "Project description" form
• "Project partnership" form (for cultural institutions or for individuals)

If the artistic/cultural cooperation partners have already taken part in an exchange of experience

.cultural cooperation partners have already taken part in an exchange of experiences or a training course of the "Artists in the Daycare Center" program the corresponding certificates of participation can also be uploaded as proof.

Other attachments to the application cannot be considered.

Sending signed application documents to the district governments is only required once you have been notified of a positive jury decision by email.

Application deadlines:

The application deadline for the first funding round in 2026 is March 16, 2026.

After the application deadline, a jury of representatives from the fields of cultural education, early childhood education and daycare will decide which projects will be recommended for funding.

The Ministry of Culture and Science will inform you of the jury's decision.

After the jury's decision, you will be informed by email about the next steps.

Further application processing is carried out by the relevant district government.

Your district government will advise you on (technical) questions regarding the application process. Department 48 is responsible for arts and culture funding.

Artists must be members of the artists' social security fund or earn their living primarily from income from artistic and creative activities. They must have completed artistic training or a relevant course of study. If you are not a member of the KSK or do not have any training, you should present your artistic and cultural experience and expertise in a meaningful way in the project sponsorship (e.g. exhibitions, other state funding programs, etc.). All details of the qualification must be clearly stated in the document Project sponsorships individual or cultural institution.

Before the external cooperation partners become active in the daycare facilities, an extended certificate of good conduct must be presented in the daycare facilities.

By participating in the program, the artistic-cultural cooperation partners undertake to participate in at least one one-day practical seminar. Several dates are offered each year. You will be informed of the dates and registration options once your project has been approved. The obligation does not apply if the artistic/cultural cooperation partners can provide proof of participation in an exchange of experience or further training from an earlier phase of the "Artists in Daycare" program.

In addition, artists can optionally participate in a one-day exchange of experience.

Returned applications
Returned applications are possible a maximum of 3 times in a row. From the second application onwards, it must be shown how the institution has developed since the initial application with regard to anchoring cultural education and what further steps are planned.