Allocation of Funding: Scholarships & Residencies 2023

In 2023, Musicboard Berlin together with an independent jury is awarding scholarships and residencies to pop musicians and bands who live and work in Berlin for the eleventh year in a row.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Musicboard’s scholarships support Berlin pop musicians and bands aiming for artistic or professional development with a music project within a given timeframe. The funding is intended to acknowledge up-and-coming talents and the innovative strength of Berlin musicians in the pop music sector.

With a total of 739 scholarship applications, we received more applications in 2023 than ever before. We are happy to support 38 great musicians and bands through scholarships with a total amount of 229.114,00 euros.

Nine of this year’s scholarship holders will also receive an individual musician and band coaching.

In 2023, the following artists receive a Musicboard scholarship:

RESIDENCIES

Musicboard’s residency programme gives Berlin pop musicians the opportunity to work creatively in a new setting, whether in Germany or abroad. With Co-Creation Residencies, Musicboard also welcomes international musicians to stay in Berlin. These residencies promote interdisciplinary exchange and artistic experimentation, serve to further the internationalisation of Berlin’s pop music scene and establish long-term, transnational co-production.

In the first funding round of the Musicboard residencies in 2023, 70 applications were submitted. Two Berlin artists receive international residencies in Salvador de Bahia and Havana. Additionally, three co-creation residencies in Kampala / Berlin, Accra / Berlin and Tel Aviv / Berlin were awarded to one international and one Berlin artist each.

In 2022, the following artists will receive an international or co-creation residency:

The scholarships and residencies were recommended by a jury of Berlin pop experts, consisting of Aida Baghernejad (cultural journalist), Ji-Hun Kim (Editor-in-chief Das Filter, freelance lecturer, DJ and music producer), Katja Lucker (Managing Director of Musicboard Berlin GmbH), Thien Nguyen (label owner, DJ, music and film producer), Pamela Owusu-Brenyah (A&R, music consultant and curator Pop-Kultur Festival), and Misla Tesfamariam (artist manager, label owner). The jury was impressed by the quality and variety of the applications submitted: »Each of the over 800 applications for scholarships and residencies has shown how diverse and colorful Berlin’s music scene is: everything from the local band from Spandau to the multinational artist project was represented. Berlin’s musicians show ambition and readiness to conquer the current pop scene – whether with electronic tinkering, hard guitar riffs, or laconic chansons.« 

Further information on Musicboard’s scholarship holders and residents 2023 will be available soon at Funded Projects.

FURTHER FUNDING FOR ARTISTS IN 2023

The Musicboard residencies in Los Angeles, Ris-Orangis/Paris, HELLERAU, and Sternhagen Gut are currently open for applications, as well as the co-creation residency Detroit / Berlin. The application deadline is 1 June 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

Within the Label Funding programme with application deadlines on 15 May and 15 August 2023, Musicboard Berlin once again awards indirect support for artists by funding independent labels who are planning specific steps to establish newcomer artists based in Berlin.

In addition, up-and-coming Berlin pop musicians can apply for the Musicboard’s Support Tour Funding programme, which supports musicians in their plans to go on national or international tour with a more established act. Ongoing applications are open until 30 November 2023.