KALEIDOSKOP -
Award for Cultural Variety
A new funding initiative for North Rhine-Westphalia.
In a diverse society, we need places and projects that facilitate encounters, foster dialogue, and strengthen mutual respect. It is precisely where different life experiences intersect that the potential for new perspectives emerges—when opportunities for exchange are created. The unifying power of art and culture plays a central role in this.
This is where KALEIDOSKOP comes in: The goal is to focus on the social impact of art and culture and to put it into practice through concrete collaborations. In this way, cultural participation can be supported and social cohesion strengthened.
In collaboration with TARGOBANK, Kulturkreis (the cultural lobby of German Business) is awarding three grants through the KALEIDOSKOP program to projects in North Rhine-Westphalia that use cultural initiatives to address social issues. The focus is on collaboration between a nonprofit artistic partner and a social institution. Both partners contribute their strengths to the funded project and work together as equals.
With a total budget of 100,000 euros, three projects will be funded: Large and medium-sized projects based in North Rhine-Westphalia could apply for project grants of 50,000 or 30,000 euros. For projects based in Duisburg, there was an additional funding opportunity: They may have also been considered for the DU_Kultur|en_Award, which specifically supports local projects in Duisburg with 20,000 euros.
The winners of Kaleidoskop 2026 have been announced
With the “KALEIDOSKOP – Award for Cultural Diversity”, the Cultural Committee of German Business and TARGOBANK are honouring three outstanding collaborative projects that demonstrate how artistic practice and social work can work together to strengthen social cohesion:
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KuKst Du Erzählcafé, Duisburg (DU_Kultur|en-Award, 20.000 Euro)
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Da müssen wir gemeinsam durch – Das Barbaraviertel, Neuss (30.000 Euro)
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go(o)d kitchen, Oberhausen (50.000 Euro)
A total of €100,000 in funding was awarded, opening up new avenues for participation, interaction and cultural engagement.
Awards Ceremony on 13 June 2026
The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, 13 June 2026 at 4.00 pm as part of the DU_Kultur|en_Festival in Duisburg. We are delighted to be able to give the three winning projects the spotlight they deserve at the awards ceremony.
We are particularly delighted to be presenting this award for the first time this year and to honour these three projects. They are prime examples of the many initiatives in North Rhine-Westphalia that promote cultural participation and strengthen local social cohesion through great dedication and innovative approaches.
We look forward to experiencing these projects in person – come to Duisburg and join us!
Our funding partner TARGOBANK
TARGOBANK is part of TARGO Deutschland GmbH and has nearly 100 years of experience in the German banking market. It serves approximately 4 million private, business, and corporate customers.
The range of products and services for private customers includes accounts and cards, loans, investment and wealth management products, and insurance (through ACM Deutschland). The business model is complemented by offerings for business and corporate customers, including an auto bank. Through its corporate banking division, TARGOBANK provides corporate and specialized financing for upper-mid-market companies, as well as financing solutions in the areas of factoring, leasing, and investment financing
To stay close to its customers, TARGOBANK operates approximately 340 branches in more than 250 cities across Germany and is available online and by phone 24/7.
TARGOBANK is headquartered in Düsseldorf. It employs 7,700 people across Germany, approximately 3,000 of whom are based in Duisburg, where the customer service center and IT department are located. The company also has offices in Mainz (factoring) and Frankfurt (TARGOBANK Corporate Banking).
TARGO Deutschland GmbH is a subsidiary of the cooperative Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, one of the largest and financially strongest banks in Europe.
If you have general questions about KALEIDOSKOP, the application process, or other topics, please feel free to email us at kaleidoskop@kulturkreis.eu at any time.
Dr. Alexandra Schildhauer
