The discontinuation of federal funding in 2026 for dance projects like explore dance and tanz weit draußen endangers dance projects for young audiences and for rural regions across Germany.
The nationwide network explore dance – Dance for Young Audiences will receive no financial support from the federal government in 2026. The loss of federal funding stands in stark contrast to the impressive achievements of this award-winning initiative, which for over eight years has enabled active cultural participation and access to the art form of dance for children and young people, thereby fulfilling a fundamental cultural and political responsibility at national level. The withdrawal of federal support hits the network at a time when it is facing steadily growing demand from schools and educational institutions. Only this year, explore dance expanded to six partners from six cities through a collaboration with Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm in Frankfurt (Main) and Perform[d]ance in Stralsund. The network now spans the federal states of Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony in order to enhance its programme, bring performances to a wider range of locations, and reach even more children and young people throughout Germany, regardless of their place of residence or social background.
Press release by explore dance.
With the discontinuation of funding for “Verbindungen fördern”, the work of tanz weit draußen will come to an end. Neither municipal nor state funding can compensate for the loss of federal support, under whose remit nationwide networks fall. Since 2022, tanz weit draußen has strengthened equal living conditions and the attractiveness of rural regions. The network connects civil society, the arts and politics, creates creative impulses, and brings people together across generations, languages and ways of life. With eight partner institutions in six federal states and around 800 associated contributors, tanz weit draußen promotes exchange, the transfer of knowledge and sustainable structures for dance in rural areas.
Statement of tanz weit draußen.
Photo: © Jonas Albrecht