In 2026, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) will award the new Federal Theatre Prize (Theaterpreis des Bundes).
The ITI will once again award the prize in cooperation with the Fonds Darstellende Künste.
Application period: 01 September 2025 to 15 November 2025
"Theatres are spaces of free thinking, aesthetic innovation and democratic community spirit. With the Federal Theatre Prize, the Federal Government is honouring those creative forces that create culture, forge identity and fill our open society with life throughout the country - from the major metropolises to rural areas."
Wolfram Weimer, Minister of State for Culture and the Media
With this award, the Federal Government is honouring the diversity of theatrical creation as one of the main pillars of cultural life in Germany and the theatres themselves as places of social reflection, social encounters and artistic innovation.
Starting this year, all theatres in the Federal Republic of Germany can apply for the Innovation Award: municipal and state theatres, state theatres, private theatres and guest theatres as well as independent performing arts production houses. The prize honours theatre structures of all dimensions for their remarkable work throughout Germany.
The theatre prize is awarded for an outstanding programme over several years that is primarily characterised by its aesthetic and artistic quality. The role that theatre plays in social dialogue and cohesion in urban and rural areas, the access to theatre that is created, the commitment to building agile structures and processes as well as sustainability, digitality and socio-cultural issues are also taken into consideration. Prizes are awarded for innovative and forward-looking approaches - from programme and audience to personnel and organisation. The different spatial, financial and structural conditions under which the theatres operate play a decisive role in the decision.
The award ceremony will take place in spring 2026 at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. The exact date will be announced shortly.
Here you can find the press release (in German).
Application
The application period begins on 1 September and ends on 15 November 2025. Further details on how to apply can be found on the website of the German Federal Theatre Award > www.theaterpreisdesbundes.de. The application form will be available at the beginning of the application period.