Villa Aurora Artist's Grants

Villa Aurora Artist's Grants

Status: Currently closed due to Los Angeles wildfires. Villa Aurora remains closed and is working on reopening. Application form for 2028 expected December 2026.

Geographic Scope: For artists whose main place of residence and work is in Germany. German citizenship not required.

Award Amount:

Monthly stipend: EUR 2,500 (including project funds)

Round-trip travel allowance: EUR 1,275

Monthly mobility allowance: EUR 600

Free accommodation with furnished room, private bathroom, shared kitchens, communal areas, garden

Child allowances: EUR 400/month for first child, EUR 100 for each additional child

Focus Areas: Visual arts, composition, film, and literature

Award Scope:

Up to 20 grants annually for 3-month residency stays

Two artists may apply jointly (each must submit separate application)

Grants tied to calendar quarters

Up to 6 additional grants awarded through partner organizations

Recipients receive support in project realization, research, and networking

Eligibility:

Artists with publicly presented works/publications

Freelance artists only

Main residence and work in Germany

Students not eligible (doctoral candidates acceptable)

Must contribute to social and productive atmosphere at Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House

Family visits up to 14 days possible with prior consultation

Long-term family accommodation not guaranteed due to space limitations

Field-Specific Requirements:

Film

• Work must be presented at festival, movie theater, or television
• Applicants must be freelance artists
• Must submit streaming link to film (freely accessible, no commercial providers, no registration required; password-protected acceptable)

Literature

• Minimum one book publication with established publisher required
• Qualifying works: novels, poetry, short stories, graphic novels, performed plays, radio plays, film works
• Regular publisher only (no self-publishing, Books on Demand, platforms, anthologies, magazines, online publications, editorships, academic/scientific, non-fiction)
• Freelance artists only

Composition

• Professional musicians/composers whose work presented at renowned venues/concert halls
• Freelance artists only

Visual Arts

• By invitation only — unsolicited applications not considered
• Curators selected annually by Villa Aurora issue invitations

Reapplication: No limit on number of reapplications, but recommend not reapplying year after rejection (wait for new committee)

Contact: infoberlín@vatmh.org

Background: Villa Aurora established 1995 as artists' residence in former exile home of Lion and Marta Feuchtwanger (Pacific Palisades). Honors memory of artists/intellectuals who sought refuge in California during Nazi era. More than 450 artists awarded grants since 1995.