Grant
Relocation stays for artists and cultural practitioners

Artists and cultural practitioners worldwide:

• who are committed to an open society, freedom, peace and democracy, reject any kind of discrimination and experience persecution or threats due to their commitment or for other reasons,
• who are still active in the regions of origin, who have only recently moved outside their regions of origin (departure after 28.02.2025) or who are not safe in their current place of residence,
• who do not have access to a safe country of residence,
• who have language skills that enable them to work with the host institution,
• who are demonstrably artistically/culturally active and whose activities have proven artistic/cultural or social relevance.

Host organizations can be cultural institutions and collectives (e.g. museums, theatres, and festivals) or socially relevant organizations that temporarily accompany scholarship holders, support their artistic/cultural work and provide the necessary level of supervision. Host institutions submit a joint application with artists and cultural practitioners.

The MRI supports cultural and civil society organisations in Germany and in their regions of origin to temporarily host artists and cultural workers at risk, pay them grants and thus ensure the continuation of their work in a safer context. In addition, the MRI offers other funding opportunities for artists and cultural practitioners, including direct grants that enable them to receive support without host organisations.
In the different program lines, funding can include:

• a monthly scholarship,
• individual support services (language courses, training, networking measures, etc. as required),
• financial support for additional personnel expenses of the host organisation to an appropriate extent,
• accompanying project advice from the MRI as well as networking measures and exchange of experience with other host organisations and scholarship holders.

The Martin Roth-Initiative formally reviews the applications. An independent selection committee then decides on funding commitments based on the following criteria:

• endangerment situation of the artists and cultural practitioners
• content, quality and social relevance of previous work
• quality of the application and capacity of the host organization
• suitability of the host organization in terms of support, integration and artistic collaboration with scholarship holders
• positive impact on the society of origin or Germany through the proposed project
• gender and diversity aspects