TAG DER CLUBKULTUR is a cultural award for Berlin clubs and club culture collectives that actively shape the scene. Since 2020, the award has highlighted the diversity and cultural significance of Berlin’s club culture while supporting the people and initiatives behind it.

The award recognizes those distinguished by outstanding cultural work, social engagement, and creative vision.

This year, 32 awards ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 € will be awarded.

TAG DER CLUBKULTUR is organized by Clubcommission Berlin and supported by the State of Berlin as well as Musicboard Berlin.

In addition to the award, a citywide festival week takes place each year, during which Berlin’s club scene showcases its many facets through its own events and formats.

Applications are welcome from

• club operators
• event organisers
• club culture collectives (including those without a permanent venue)

Requirements:

• your work must be primarily based in Berlin
• you must have been continuously active for at least one year
• you must have your own publicly accessible programme

The call is open to all genres and disciplines within club culture (e.g. electronic music, hip-hop, jazz, experimental formats, performance art, and more).

To apply, you must:

• be actively operating in Berlin
• have been continuously active for at least one year
• clearly present your organisational structure
• be willing to take part in public communications related to the award

The following are not eligible to apply:

• members of the jury
• the TAG DER CLUBKULTUR project team at Clubcommission Berlin
• the executive board of Clubcommission Berlin
• employees of the Senate administration and Musicboard Berlin

Yes — explicitly.

Your organisational form is not what matters. What matters is the cultural work you do.

No.

Only one application per club or collective may be submitted.

Yes.

Joint applications are possible.

What is important is that you clearly explain why you are applying together (for example, because of an ongoing collaboration, shared projects, or common organisational structures).

If selected for an award, the prize money will be shared between the joint applicants.

Yes — absolutely.

The key requirement is that you can provide:

• evidence of your activities
• a clear organisational structure
• one authorised representative

Applications may be submitted in German or English.

For 2026, there are three categories:

• Space & Aesthetics
• Programme
• Community

You must choose one category when applying.

The number of awards granted in each category is not fixed.

Based on the applications submitted, the jury will decide how many awards are granted in each category.

Choose the category in which your work is strongest.

This is not about covering everything — it is about identifying where your main focus lies:

• Space & Aesthetics → design, atmosphere, spatial concept
• Programme → curation, booking, artistic direction
• Community → socio-cultural engagement, participation, networks

No — there is no separate newcomer category.

However, the jury independently awards three newcomer prizes.

Whether an applicant is considered a newcomer is determined by the jury, for example based on the duration, structure, or stage of development of their work.

No.

You do not need to address every topic equally (such as diversity, sustainability, social engagement, or innovation).

What matters is how these themes genuinely appear in your work, not whether you mention all of them.

Show what is relevant to your practice and how you put those values into action.

A strong application presents a clear and compelling overall picture of your work.

Pay particular attention to:

• describing your work authentically and clearly
• establishing a clear connection to your chosen category
• using concrete examples
• showing a recognisable artistic or curatorial voice

Most importantly, communicate:

• what makes your work distinctive
• where your strengths lie
• what contribution you make to Berlin’s club culture

Applications are submitted through the online application form.

You will be asked to answer four questions:

• Who are you, and what drives you?
• What makes your work distinctive — and why does it belong in your chosen category?
• A short statement: What do you believe is missing from Berlin’s club culture, and what does your work contribute?
• A creative work sample in the form of an event concept for the festival week

You must also provide:

• up to 10 activities from the past 12 months (these serve solely as evidence of your continuous work and will not be assessed individually; fewer than 10 activities may also be submitted)

Optional (recommended):

• additional materials such as images, videos, or links

TAG DER CLUBKULTUR consists of two parts:

• the cultural award for Berlin clubs and club culture collectives
• the festival week, during which you can present your work through your own events and formats

Important:

• the event concept is mandatory and forms part of your application; it should respond to the festival week’s annual theme
• participation in the festival week and staging your proposed event are voluntary, but strongly encouraged
• if you would like to take part, you can indicate this in the online application form
• further information about the festival week will be shared separately at a later stage

→ Even if you initially decide not to participate, you may still sign up to take part in the festival week later in the process.

No.

Participation in the festival week is voluntary.

Your event concept will still be assessed by the jury as a creative work sample, regardless of whether you later decide to participate or stage the event.

We strongly encourage participation in the festival week as an opportunity to showcase your work and connect with others.

Your event helps make the diversity and vitality of Berlin’s club culture visible and contributes to the wider celebration of TAG DER CLUBKULTUR.

Yes.

Participation in the festival week is organised separately from the cultural award application.

If you are interested in taking part with your own format, indicate this in the application form and we will contact you separately with further information.

Participation in the festival week is possible whether or not you apply for the award.

Likewise, participation in the festival week is not required in order to apply for, or receive, an award.

Applications may be submitted exclusively online via the application form:

www.tagderclubkultur.berlin

The selection process takes place in several stages:

1. Eligibility Review

Your application will be reviewed to confirm that all eligibility requirements have been met.

2. Application Review

Applications are assessed by two independent juries:

• one jury for clubs
• one jury for collectives

The jury evaluates each application as a whole, with particular attention to:

• artistic and conceptual quality
• relevance to the chosen category
• contribution to Berlin’s club culture

3. Jury Deliberation & Final Selection

The juries make their final decisions during joint deliberation sessions.

All applicants will be informed of the outcome approximately six weeks after the application deadline.

No.

Jury deliberations are confidential, and individual decisions will not be publicly explained.

The prize money is unrestricted.

There are no spending conditions and no requirement to provide proof of how it is used.

For example, it may be used to:

• provide matching funds for future grant applications
• realize events or projects
• finance structural or spatial improvements
• strengthen internal organisational structures

As the prize money is awarded without anything being provided in return, it is generally not subject to VAT.

At the same time, please note:

Receipt of the prize money must be declared to your relevant tax office for tax purposes.

The tax office will assess on a case-by-case basis whether taxes apply, and if so, in what amount.

We are unable to provide tax advice. If in doubt, please consult a tax adviser or your relevant tax office regarding your individual situation.

If you receive an award, this may include:

• being publicly introduced as part of the TAG DER CLUBKULTUR communications campaign
• taking part in press and public communications related to the project
• providing materials where needed (such as text, images, or other media)

bewerbung@tagderclubkultur.berlin

The jury’s decision is based on the overall strength, clarity, and distinctiveness of your work — not on individual buzzwords or isolated aspects.

In particular, the jury looks at:

A clear artistic identity

Is it clear what you stand for? Does your programme, space, or overall approach have a recognisable character of its own, or does it feel interchangeable?

Curatorial and conceptual decisions

Is it clear why you choose certain artists, formats, or themes? Is there a recognisable perspective, intention, or idea behind your decisions?

How your work is expressed in practice

How does your work become visible in practice — for example through events, formats, spatial design, or collaborations? Do your examples make your work tangible and easy to understand?

Relevance to the chosen category

Is it clear why your work belongs particularly in the category you selected (for example Space & Aesthetics, Programme, or Community)?

Relevance to Berlin’s club culture

Do you make a distinctive contribution to the scene? Do you open up new perspectives, strengthen existing structures, or respond meaningfully to current developments?

How key cross-cutting themes are reflected in your work

Topics such as diversity, sustainability, or social engagement are considered where they are genuinely part of your practice — not as buzzwords, but through how they are meaningfully put into action.

Important: This is not about “doing everything right”.

What matters is that your work is clear, coherent, and recognisably your own.

All award-winning clubs and collectives will be officially announced and introduced at a press conference held in the lead-up to the TAG DER CLUBKULTUR festival week.

They will also be invited to the festival week’s opening event on 3 October 2026, where they will be recognised once again.

All applicants are required to keep the results confidential until the official public announcement by Clubcommission Berlin.

12th of June – Application period opens

23rd of June, 6:00 pm – 1st info call for applicants

7th of July, 6:00 pm – 2nd info call for applicants

12th of July, 11:59 pm – Application deadline

Mid-August – Internal notification of award recipients

3rd of October – TAG DER CLUBKULTUR Opening

3rd-11th of October – TAG DER CLUBKULTUR festival week

No.

Once submitted, your chosen category cannot be changed.

Your application is developed in relation to that category, so changing it afterwards would require a complete revision of your submission. This is no longer possible after submission.

No, unfortunately not.

The application platform does not currently support saving drafts.