Guest Programme for young foreign theatre people

Guest Programme

Goethe-Institut, Munich (GI) and the Zentrum Bundesrepublik Deutschland des Internationalen Theaterinstituts (ITI) [Federal Republic of Germany Centre of the International Theatre Institute] jointly conduct a Guest Programme for young foreign theatre people who have already acquired far reaching theatrical experience in their home country and who, in turn, bring their experience as multipliers of the domestic theatrical scene.
Within the context of the Programme, they are taken in by theatres in the Federal Republic of Germany and there, they are to become familiar with the production conditions and the conception and rehearsal process of at least one production. In turn, the host theatres can also benefit from the impetus provided by the guests. Furthermore, the grant recipient is given the opportunity to attend productions at other theatres in the Federal Republic.

The choice from among the applications is made jointly by the Theatre/Dance Section of the Headquarters of Goethe-Institut and by Zentrum Bundesrepublik Deutschland des Internationalen Theaterinstituts in Berlin.

The ITI shall find and arrange a guest place that corresponds with the ideas and wishes of the applicant and it shall then issue the final invitation.

Who can apply?

  • Directors, literary managers, set designers and assistants in these professions, from the fields of acting, child and youth theatre and from musical theatre up to a maximum age of 40.
  • Choreographers up to a maximum age of 40.
  • Critics, students and theatre scientists are excluded.
  • Candidates from developing and take-off countries (Central, South and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America) will be given preferential treatment in selection.

Where and when can people apply?

  • At the GI cultural institutes abroad or the ITI centres, respectively - in places where both are represented, both parties will agree between themselves.
  • An application must be received in Munich or Berlin (ITI) at least three months before the start of the desired guest programme, in the case of an application between March and August is must be received five months beforehand (due to the theatre holidays).


Requirements for the application

  • An essential prerequisite is a good command of the German language (minimum category intermediate at GI) so that the grant recipient can follow the rehearsal process and theatre productions and can conduct technical discussions with his/her German colleagues and can be independent in his/her new environment.
  • Furthermore, it is also expected that he/she has familiarised himself or herself with the German theatre scene and with important works of German dramatic literature - even if only partially in translations into his/her own language or another language. The information centres, libraries as well as film and video libraries of the GI cultural institutes or comparable institutions should provide appropriate help for this.
  • Finally, the applicant should provide credible assurance that he/she will return to his/her country of origin after the guest visit and use the knowledge and experience that he/she has gained for his/her work and as a multiplier.

Application documents

  • The application documents are available from the GI cultural institutes and the ITI centres.

What does the programme offer?

  • The period for a guest visit to a German theatre is usually three months; in justified individual cases an extension to a maximum of six months is possible (a guest visit is not possible in the months of July and August due to the theatre holidays).
  • The candidates can express wishes as to the theatre at which they want to make their guest visit, but we cannot guarantee that these wishes will be respected. What is decisive for the choice of the host theatre, apart from artistic merit, is which theatre can offer the best opportunities for integration into the working processes and more personal mentoring.
  • During the guest visit, the grant recipient shall currently receive a monthly residence payment for rent, subsistence, etc. in the amount of € 780.00 (if the recipient is not present for a full month, the payment shall be reduced by € 26.00 per day).
  • Travel expenses shall be paid in the amount of the lowest price flight ticket (Economy class) if the grant recipient was not previously, or will not subsequently be, resident in Germany.
  • For visits to other theatres, the costs for rail travel (2nd class) and theatre tickets (provided they have not been made available free of charge) up to a maximum amount of € 300.00 shall be paid (after agreement with the Theatre/Dance Section of GI).
  • GI shall take out accident and health insurance for the grant recipients for the length of their stay in Germany (as far as the health insurance is concerned, only complaints that occur during the guest visit to Germany shall be treated).
  • If the grant recipient interrupts his/her visit for reasons for which he/she is responsible, he/she shall be required to return the costs for the flight ticket.
  • The Programme cannot afford personal mentoring for the grant recipient, meaning that independence, initiative and openness have to be expected as well as a good command of the German language.