July 22, 2026
14 projects funded with 710,000 euros
First Round of Funding in 2026
The second application deadline is August 31
In the first round of grant applications this year, the LWL-Kulturstiftung is funding seven exhibitions, four stage productions featuring music and theater, as well as one film project and two educational outreach initiatives. Fourteen cultural projects from ten cities and municipalities in Westphalia-Lippe will receive approximately 710,000 euros. In total, the foundation’s board of trustees received 37 applications for consideration.
The second application deadline of the year is August 31, by which the LWL-Kulturstiftung has also called for proposals for its new funding priority, “AI & Culture.” Projects that do not incorporate AI may also be submitted under the general funding program.
“The current round of grants once again features a wide-ranging program and demonstrates how both established and new formats can open up access to culture,” said Anneli Hegerfeld-Reckert, chair of the board of trustees of the LWL-Kulturstiftung.
Contemporary educational and event formats—such as festivals in urban spaces, playful theater projects, and participatory museum approaches—create points of connection for various target groups. “Participation from the very beginning is an important aspect of this funding round. Cultural programs that consistently prioritize participation and inclusion bring people together and thereby strengthen social cohesion in our region,” said Dr. Georg Lunemann, Director of the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL) and Chairman of the Board of the LWL-Kulturstiftung.
At the same time, the projects address key current issues—ranging from the culture of remembrance to gender roles and artificial intelligence.
"Culture is an important forum for addressing social issues. Through our funding, we create a stable framework that enables cultural practitioners to take up these issues and discuss them publicly." Dr. Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger, LWL Director of Cultural Affairs and member of the board of the LWL-Kulturstiftung.
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