We currently accept applications for temporary relocation within the regions of origin!
General Information
This MRI funding programme enables cultural and civil society organisations to temporarily host artists and cultural actors at risk , providing a free and safe space for them to continue their creative work and/or to recover from their risk context.
Host organisations must be cultural institutions or other relevant civil society organisations with formal legal registration (full list of requirements under FAQ for host organisations). Host organisations do not only host scholarship holders but also provide support for their personal wellbeing and professional development.
Artists and cultural actors who through their artistic work are committed to an open society, freedom, peace and democracy,who reject any kind of discrimination and who, because of their work or due to other circumstances, experience restrictions on their freedom or threats from state and/or non-state actors
- a monthly scholarship,
- budget in adequate scope for individual support for the scholarship holder (e.g. necessary insurances, psychosocial support, networking activities, etc.)
- financial support in adequate scope for additional personnel for the host organisation,
- support by the MRI throughout the project.
There are no set deadlines for submitting an application. Based on availability of funding, applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. MRI will communicate on this website as soon as all funds for 2024 have been assigned.
Projects must be concluded by the end of 2024.
Scholarships in this programme regulary last three to six months.
- Applications for funding must be submitted by host organisations.
- An application consists of the application form (and requested annexes) completed in full by the host organisation, and a personal statement completed by the artist/cultural actor. You will receive all forms from the MRI team after an initial consultation session. You can request a consultation by writing to info [at] mri-application [dot] de (info[at]mri-application[dot]de).
- Based on availability of funding, applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis following an initial assessment of the formal eligibility criteria.
- After a formal review of all submitted documents, successful applications are selected by an independent committee consisting of members of the German art and cultural scene and of representatives of civil society institutions. The selection is based on the following criteria:
- Profile and situation of the artists / cultural workers
- Quality of the project proposal (are project goals and measures meaningful and appropriate/realistic and coherent?)
- Host organisation's capability and capacity to implement the project (e.g. administration and project management, security, mentoring and guidance of the hosted artist, see also requirements for host organisations)
- Consideration of follow-up perspectives
Note: There is no legal entitlement to the award of a grant by the MRI.
FAQ for Host Organisations
You are welcome to contact us regarding the support of a specific artist/cultural actor at risk or several artists/cultural actors at risk, or to signal a general willingness to cooperate. We will be happy to advise you and jointly determine possibilities for the implementation of a project. Please always observe our instructions for secure communication.
- The host organisation must have a legal form. private individuals may not apply for funding,
- The host organisation must be a non-profit organisation
- The host organisation should have experience in dealing with public funding (ideally German public funding) or be willing to acquire the necessary skills to comply with public funding regulations,
- The host organisation must be able to integrate artists or cultural actors at risk into its structures, support with the continuation of their artistic work, and/or to provide a necessary level of personal support for a rest and respite stay to recover from the risk context,
- The host organisation must be willing to deal with issues concerning security and to take the necessary measures to guarantee safety standards,
- The host organisation must have sufficient organisational and administrative capacities to deal with matters related to right of residence.
Host organisations take care of the artistic, professional, and personal integration of the scholarship holders. They are responsible for the payment of a monthly stipend and the provision of everyday support to scholarship holders. Host organisations should be able to integrate the scholarship holder into existing structures/networks and provide a setting to further their work and professional opportunities and/or to rest and recover from the risk context.
FAQ for artists/cultural actors
You can apply if you
- commit through your artistic work to an open society, freedom, peace and democracy,if you reject any kind of discrimination and, because of your work or due to other circumstances, experience restrictions on your freedom or threats from state and/or non-state actors
- are still active in your home country or have only recently left your home country,
- do not have access to a safe abode (e.g. for example due toa dual citizenship or permanent residency),
- have the necessary language skills to facilitate collaboration with a host institution,
- are demonstrably artistically/culturally active, and if your works have a proven artistic/cultural and/or social relevance (hobby artists or persons who undertake purely private artistic activities are not eligible for funding)
Please note that all the above criteria must be met in order to be eligible for an MRI-scholarship. EU citizens are not eligible for funding. Please be aware that this programme is a short-term temporary relocation opportunity. MRI support ends with the approved funding period. Please consider the post funding phase within your application/planning.
No, all funding is channelled through designated host organisations. The provision of scholarships without a host organisation is not possible.
Contact
Before reaching out, please thoroughly review all the information provided above and pay close attention on our safety recommendations for digital communication (these are suggestions to enhance digital protection, absolute safety is not guaranteed). Generally, we advise you to use encrypted communication services, such as Protonmail, a free encrypted email service. You can register at www.protonmail.com and, if the above information does not answer your queries, contact us at info [at] mri-application [dot] de. Prior to using this service, ensure that its usage in your country of origin or residing country won't lead to issues (suspicion, legal action). If necessary, seek local advice or research online, for example, at Privacy International.
Note: Unencrypted emails or phone calls are not secure and should not contain sensitive information.
