TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund
TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund
TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund (DANCE PACT Local-Regional-National) is a joint initiative by municipalities, federal states and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM). It aims to promote excellence by providing support for artistic activities and structural investment in the German dance sector. The multi-year funding programme is open to artists, ensembles, production companies, venues and networks.
In the German system of multi-purpose municipal and state theatres, dance ensembles are usually at the bottom of the hierarchy after opera/music and drama, being allocated the smallest budgets and lower levels of pay for their artists. Independent dance ensembles generally survive on project grants and short-term funding, and are often unable to pay dancers a minimum wage. Ongoing financial support that allows organisations to plan ahead is essential if we are to establish fair working conditions in the dance sector.
Following a consultation with the dance scene in 2017, the funding partners developed TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund as a jointly managed, multi-year funding programme that draws on several sources of funding. They are continually revisiting and revising the programme to unlock new funding sources through match-funding, facilitating lasting change in the dance sector. This collaborative approach to funding has proved inspirational for other sectors and art forms.
The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag has committed 10.75 million euros to the programme, thus securing TANZPAKT’s future until 2025. Independent evaluations have affirmed its status as a model project with outstanding effectiveness and a pioneering approach.
Bureau Ritter as experts in arts funding
BUreau Ritter is responsible for the fund’s conception, design and execution, and also acts as an advisor for the funded projects. The Dachverband Tanz (the Umbrella Association for Dance in Germany) advises applicants and is responsible for cultural policy, providing general information and engaging in dialogue with the wider dance sector. A board of trustees made up of representatives of the German Association of Cities, the Conference of Ministers of Culture, the BKM and the dance scene advises the funding partners.
To learn more about the programme, visit the website of
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Results to date
Since the launch of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund, 94 projects were devised all over Germany to structurally develop the dance sector in cities, regions, states and nationally. 28 of these projects were selected for funding by TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund, and eight pilot projects from the first two funding rounds received additional funding in the third round. The fund has awarded a total of 8.2 million euros in three funding rounds, while the participating municipalities, states and other funders have provided co-funding of around 11.8 million euros.
TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund creates change
Trailer 1.9.2022
Annexes to the grant agreement
Under the following links you will find the annexes to the grant agreement of the third funding round of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund. These annexes are only available in German. Please take these guidelines into account when delivering your project:
- Annex ANBest-P (as of 13.06.2019)
- Annex BVA-Merkblatt zum BRKG (BVA factsheet on the German Federal Travel Expenses Act, as of 01.01.2020)
- Annex BKM-Verfahrensrichtlinie zur Bewirtungspraxis (BKM guidelines on hospitality practices, as of 08.10.2009)
- Annex BKM-Merkblatt Grundzüge der Vergabe (BKM guidelines on procurement regulations, as of 01.06.2018)
- Annex Leitfaden für Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit (guidelines for press and PR activities, as of 15.09.2022)
- Annex Leitfaden für Presse und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit für selbständige Künstler:innen (guidelines for press and PR activities for independent artists, as of 15.09.2022)
- Annex Rundschreiben des BMI (Bahnnutzung i.V.m. Klimaschutz) (newsletter from the Federal Ministry oft he Interior on the use of railways as a climate protection measure, as of 21.01.2020)
- Annex Richtlinie der Bundesregierung zur Korruptionsprävention (Federal Govermnent guidelines on the prevention of corruption in the federal administration, as of 30.07.2004)
Forms for managing the project
In the following links you will find the necessary forms (in German) for managing your project. Please note that you need to save each document on your device before filling it out.
TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund is jointly managed by Bureau Ritter and the Dachverband Tanz (the Umbrella Association for Dance in Germany). Bureau Ritter gUG is responsible for the fund’s conception, design and execution, and also acts as an advisor for the funded projects. The Dachverband Tanz is responsible for cultural policy, providing general information and engaging in dialogue with the wider dance sector. It also brokers sustainable relationships between municipalities, the federal states and the federal government.
Do you have a question about your funded project?
For any questions you may have about your funded project during the funding period, for example about the budget or a change in activities, please contact the team at Bureau Ritter.
Directors Funding Programme
Riccarda Herre
T. +49 (0)30 40 20 33 22 1
r.herre(at)bureau-ritter.de
Isabel Niederhagen
T. +49 (0)30 40 20 33 22 2
i.niederhagen(at)bureau-ritter.de
General requests
tanzpakt(at)bureau-ritter.de
Project and Finance Manager
Bastienne Kästner
T. +49 (0)30 40 20 33 22 6
b.kaestner(at)bureau-ritter.de
Rebekka Mauser
T. +49 (0)30 40 20 33 22 8
r.mauser(at)bureau-ritter.de
Do you have a question about cultural policy?
The aim of our consulting work is to launch sustainable strategies for fostering excellence in dance through the core funding priorities of TANZPAKT Stadt-Land-Bund. We advise local and regional governments on how to strengthen and invest in the dance sector and are working towards ensuring a long-term future for our funding programme.
The Dachverband Tanz Deutschland offers advice in the following areas:
- Developing project partnerships
- Brokering dialogue between the dance scene and public funders
- Supporting project partners in developing concepts
- Strategic consultations to strengthen the local dance scene in federal states
- Cultural policy advice and communication in cities, federal states and nationally
What we offer:
- Individual advice (on request)
- Workshops with dance practitioners, funders or partners who are already involved in a project
- Larger-scale information events at local, regional or national level
Dachverband Tanz Deutschland
Project Coordinator Cultural Policy
Nicola von Stillfried
T. +49 (0)30 37 44 33 92
M. +49 (0)176 71 20 04 99
Fax +49 (0)30 68 07 50 36
n.stillfried(at)dachverband-tanz.de
Funded by:
