Martin Roth-Initiative Temporary Relocation for Artists and Cultural Actors at Risk in Germany

Benefits & funding

• A monthly scholarship for a stay of up to 15 months.
• Individual support that may cover necessary insurance, psychosocial assistance, language courses, training and networking.
• Resources for the artistic or cultural project and eligible additional personnel at the host organisation.
• Programme counselling, professional exchange and support with the visa process; the scholarship visa does not automatically permit employment or self-employment.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be demonstrably active artists or cultural actors whose work has artistic, cultural or social relevance; hobby or purely private practice is not eligible.
• Their work must support an open society, freedom, peace and democracy, reject discrimination, and they must face restrictions or threats from state or non-state actors because of their work or other circumstances.
• They must still be active in their country of origin, have left it after 20 February 2026, or be unsafe in their current location. They must not have access to a safe abode through citizenship, permanent residence, or a national or humanitarian visa.
• English or German is required. No academic degree or stated age threshold applies.
• Citizens of EU or EEA states, Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States are excluded. People in Gaza at the time of application cannot be accepted for this round because regular departure is currently impossible.
• Previous MRI scholarship holders are ineligible, except for the stated Fast-Track exception.
• The artist or cultural actor must apply together with a German host that is a legal entity and nonprofit organisation, or that can assign the project to a nonprofit part of its organisation. The MRI does not match applicants with hosts.

Application process

1. 1
   The artist or cultural actor and German host first agree on a joint project.
2. 2
   Each party emails the application address to request a separate platform account, naming the partner organisation or artist.
3. 3
   The artist submits the Artist Application and the host submits the Host Application with its attachments through the platform by 11 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST.
4. 4
   The host signs and stamps its application and posts the signed form by 25 September 2026; the postmark controls timeliness.
5. 5
   An independent committee reviews eligible applications and announces decisions at the end of November.

Program timeline

1. Application platform opens.

   6 July 2026

2. English online consultation sessions for artists and hosts.

   20 August 2026

3. Artist and Host Applications due digitally.

   11 September 2026, 17:00 CEST

4. Signed and stamped Host Application due by postmark.

   25 September 2026

5. Selection decisions announced.

   End of November 2026

6. Earliest start of funded project periods.

   15 January 2027

7. Earliest start of scholarship stays.

   1 March 2027