Übermorgen − Neue Modelle für Kulturinstitutionen

Video description

ÜBERMORGEN

New Models for Cultural Institutions

What will cultural organisations look like in the future?

Funding Program

50 funded projects
50 future visions
2 years of development time

Future Forums

Expert advice
Exchange
Networking

Research trips

Research
Knowledge transfer
Change

New models for our cultural landscape –

ÜBERMORGEN starts now.

Video-Beschreibung

ÜBERMORGEN

Neue Modelle für Kulturinstitutionen

Wie sehen Kulturinstitutionen in Zukunft aus ?

Förderprogramm

50 Geförderte
50 Zukunftsvisionen
2 Jahre Entwicklungszeit

Zukunftsforen

Beratung
Austausch
Vernetzung

Inspirationsreisen

Recherche
Wissenstransfer
Impulse

Neue Modelle für die Kulturlandschaft –

Übermorgen beginnt jetzt.

Perspectives from the programme

Global Conflicts in Organisational Everyday Life: Between Vulnerabilities, (Anti-)Discrimination and Political Conflict

In her lecture, Teresa Koloma Beck, Professor of Sociology with a focus on social analysis and social change at Helmut Schmidt University / University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, highlights how global political conflicts are increasingly shaping the everyday working lives of cultural and academic institutions.
Note: The video recording has been published in this form with the consent of Teresa Koloma Beck.

Learn more

Artistic Freedom and Institutions – The Concept of Artistic Freedom and Its Legal Limits

Art and cultural institutions are coming under increasing political and societal pressure — a point made clear by Christoph Möllers, Professor of Public Law and Legal Philosophy at Humboldt University of Berlin, in his online keynote. But how can they protect themselves and, ideally, even strengthen one another?

Learn more

Discover further insights on our Inspiration page.

Cultural institutions of the future

Enabling cultural institutions and local authorities in major German cities to pursue forward-looking innovation – that is the aim of “Übermorgen – Neue Modelle für Kulturinstitutionen”.

In spring 2025, fifty cultural institutions from across Germany embarked on this journey and are currently developing innovative ideas to help guide their organisations successfully into the future as relevant spaces for social life – particularly in light of the significant challenges and crises of our time.

During the orientation phase, running from May 2025 to December 2026, the German Federal Cultural Foundation – in cooperation with Bureau Ritter as the executive partner – is supporting each institution with funding of €50,000. Academies and international research trips also provide valuable inspiration for shaping these future-oriented projects. A total budget of up to €4.6 million is available for this first phase.

The implementation phase will begin in 2027, during which up to twenty pioneering projects will receive support to put their plans into practice. Applications may be submitted both by participants from the orientation phase and by institutions or consortia that have not previously been part of the programme. A total budget of up to €10 million has been allocated for this second phase, with the call for proposals opening in autumn 2026.

The 50 funded projects of the first phase

Which institutions have been selected?

The funded projects

Programme News & Updates

In conversation with the team of GUM and VIERNULVIER

Insights from Ghent

How can new organisational concepts be integrated into the day-to-day running of cultural institutions? How can we put participation into practice – including for our own employees? As part of our research trip to Ghent, Cornelius Puschke sat down for interviews with the teams of the GUM Ghent University Museum and the VIERNULVIER art centre.

Talking to the teams leading Factory International and Manchester Museum

Best Practices from Manchester

Co-curation, inclusion, accessibility: both Manchester Museum and Factory International treat these not merely as ideological buzzwords, but as a compass and a driving force for their work. Cornelius Puschke found out exactly how this works in practice — and what makes their approach so successful — from the teams on the ground during our research trip.

All information on the second phase

Implementation phase from 2027

As of 2027, an additional €10 million will be allocated from the budget of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, as recently decided by the Board of Trustees. Several of the key conditions for applications to the implementation phase are being published at this stage.

Talks on Artistic Freedom and Political Interference (in English and German)

Cultural Institutions Between Freedom and Function

What should publicly funded art deliver for society? What does it need in order to do so? And where does its freedom lie? These questions are addressed in the keynotes by Christoph Möllers, Professor of Public Law and Legal Philosophy at Humboldt University Berlin, and Prof. Dr Teresa Koloma Beck, Professor of Sociology at Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg. A panel featuring voices from across Europe broadens the discussion with international perspectives.

Talks on Participation (in German)

Culture for and with Whom?

The opening up of institutions, the establishment of third places, and the desire for greater public involvement run like a common thread through many cultural organisations’ initiatives. But how can this be achieved in a sustainable way? The contributions from Esme Ward, Director of the Manchester Museum, and Nicole Ebber, Head of Governance & Movement Relations at Wikimedia Deutschland e. V., offer insights into the opportunities and challenges of participatory processes.

Ideas for networking, exchange and knowledge transfer (in German and English)

Embarking on the Future of Cultural Institutions

Übermorgen is dedicated to driving fundamental structural change and exploring new, forward-looking models for cultural institutions. At its core lies the question of how we can imagine possible futures, broaden our perspectives, and navigate complexity and uncertainty. Inspiration and insight come from keynote speeches by Caroline Paulick-Thiel (Politics for Tomorrow), Dirk Brockmann (Technische Universität Dresden), and Aric Chen, Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation.

At a Glance: The Six Future Forums

Future Forum Dates

From September 2025 to December 2026, six Future Forums will take place in cities across Germany. Each event is designed to foster collaboration between institutions and spark fresh ideas. Discover the full list of dates and topics here.

At a Glance: The Research Trips

Research Trip Dates

From February to November 2026, trips will take place to five different destinations across Europe. Each journey offers the chance to explore alternative models for cultural institutions and discover distinctive community approaches. Find the full list of dates and destinations here.