Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth has introduced the first federal funding program for popular music festivals. The Festival Funding Fund is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized music festivals. Large, already established festivals can also apply, provided they have special qualitative focuses. For the festival season 2024, organizers can receive up to 50,000 euros each. A total of 5 million euros is available for the program. This fund marks the first structured federal support for popular music festivals.
Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth: “The launch of our new funding program is overshadowed by the horrifying events in Israel, where peacefully celebrating people were brutally massacred at a music festival. Our thoughts are with the people in Israel, the many hostages and injured, and the families of the victims. The barbaric attack by the Hamas terrorist group on the Supernova Festival was also an attack on the values of a democratic society. Because music festivals are identity-building places of encounter and joy, places of diversity, openness, and tolerance.
These values need to be strengthened here as well. Therefore, with our funding program for music festivals, we focus not only on artistic quality but also on societal aspects such as sustainability, educational work, and diversity. In essence, this fund is also a cultural commitment to the societal importance of popular music. Our goal is to support the pop music scene in fully realizing its cultural and societal potential.”