Free art strengthens our democracy, inspires dialogue, and is an indispensable part of our society. For art and culture to fully unfold their impact, they rely on reliable support – including from the business community.
As an association that has been fostering and supporting corporate cultural engagement for over 70 years, it is our particular concern to honor outstanding examples. With this mission in mind, the German Award for Cultural Sponsorship (Deutscher Kulturförderpreis) was established in 2006.
Since then, the award has recognized companies and corporate foundations whose projects exemplify the diversity and effectiveness of cultural sponsorship in Germany – and who thus make an important contribution to a free society.
Seize the opportunity to make your commitment visible and give your company’s or foundation’s cultural sponsorship a clear voice, recognition, and visibility.
We look forward to receiving numerous applications in order to once again honor outstanding cultural engagement from the business community in 2026!
A Partnership of Strength since 2006
As one of Germany’s largest public broadcasters, ZDF provides enormous media reach and ensures that outstanding cultural engagement gains nationwide visibility.
As Germany’s leading business and financial newspaper, the Handelsblatt lends the award additional relevance within the economic sphere and ensures that cultural sponsorship receives the recognition it deserves among companies and foundations.
Hapag-Lloyd AG – Host of the 2026 Award Ceremony
Hapag-Lloyd AG, one of the world’s leading logistics and shipping companies, is providing its impressive facilities in Hamburg this year for the formal award ceremony of the German Award for Cultural Sponsorship (Deutscher Kulturförderpreis). On this special evening, meet prominent figures from culture, politics, and business and become part of this unique network.
In a two-stage jury process, 15 nominees are initially selected. From this group, the jury then chooses up to three award-winning companies and foundations.
Even a nomination comes with numerous benefits:
- Visibility for your engagement on the website and social media
- Certificate recognizing your support
- Invitation to the formal award ceremony at Hapag-Lloyd AG in Hamburg
- Access to the Cultural Sponsorship Working Group of Kulturkreis
- Networking opportunities with other sponsors across Germany
The composition of the jury will be published on this page shortly.
Application & Submission 2026
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Start: November 3, 2025
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Application Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2026
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Award Ceremony: June 2026 at Hapag-Lloyd AG in Hamburg (We kindly ask you to keep this date free in case of a nomination!)
You can find information on the evaluation criteria and regulations here.
From November 3, the current call for applications with all further details will be available here.
Are you working at a cultural institution?
Then say thank you and feel free to share the application documents with your sponsors!
Past Award Winners as Inspiration
Discover the award-winning companies and foundations of past years and see how diverse and impactful cultural sponsorship can be.
Stay Up to Date
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Contact
Do you have any questions? Feel free to get in touch with us!
For questions regarding applications and the competition:
Lara Stahnke
+49 30 2028-1406
l.stahnke@kulturkreis.eu
For questions regarding the Kulturkreis:
Dorine Wolf
+49 30 2028-1506
d.wolf@kulturkreis.eu
