"Art is great!" funding programme: 30 projects for more cultural education in schools

The funding decisions for "Kunst ist Klasse", the joint funding programme for cultural education of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKÖS), have been made.

From a total of 283 applications received, 30 innovative projects were selected for realisation in the 2024/25 school year. They will receive financial support of up to 30,000 euros each.

The "Kunst ist Klasse!" programme is aimed at pupils aged 10 to 14 and enables them to actively participate in art and culture, regardless of their social or cultural background. The programme, which is funded with 600,000 euros, is implemented by Austria's education agency OeAD.

"Art and culture must be equally accessible and tangible for everyone. With the new funding programme, we want to counteract unequal cultural opportunities and give as many young people as possible the chance of cultural education. We are starting where we reach the most children and young people: Between the ages of 10 and 14, when school is still compulsory. The pupils of today are the potential cultural audience of tomorrow. I would like to thank everyone involved and wish all participants lots of fun and success!" said Andrea Mayer, State Secretary for Art and Culture.

"'Kunst ist Klasse' offers pupils from all over Austria the opportunity to take part in new, exciting projects in various art and cultural fields. Cultural education thus takes place directly where children and young people are. We deliberately go into the regions and classes to offer art and culture as directly and easily as possible. This is a great opportunity to bring even more cultural diversity into our schools and break down potential inhibitions," says Martin Polaschek, Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research.

As Austria's education agency, OeAD Managing Director Jakob Calice is delighted with the wide range of projects: "The projects show the great and innovative potential of cooperation between art, culture and education. Children and young people experience first-hand how art and culture professionals work. I am sure that the spark of trying out new things will be ignited!"

The 30 selected projects from smaller and larger art and cultural institutions cover a broad spectrum of artistic and cultural activities and will be realised in cooperation with school classes throughout Austria in the 2024/25 school year. Plans include joint music workshops and projects on songwriting, experimental video art and artificial intelligence, film reception as well as radio broadcasts and radio plays, audio performances and poetry slams, forest workshops and theatre plays on climate protection, calligraphy and multilingual writing, manifestos on children and youth culture or educational projects on fashion and building culture.

The starting point for the joint initiative was the audience study commissioned by the BMKÖS in 2023. "Kunst ist Klasse!" aims to provide children and young people with a wide range of experiences through participatory art and cultural projects, to strengthen their cultural skills and to open up new audiences for art and cultural institutions. The programme focuses on a balanced distribution of projects across different artistic disciplines, age groups and regions, with inclusion, gender equality and intercultural openness being key criteria.

The jury consisted of Anna Lukasser-Weitlaner (Salzburg State Theatre), Muhammet Ali Baş (Tangente NÖ), Andreas Gruber (Lower Austrian Education Directorate), Magdalena Tanzler (BMBWF) and Peter Schernhuber (BMKÖS).

Selected projects for the 2024/25 school year

Further information at www.oead.at/kunstistklasse


Further enquiry:

Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport
Ina Gayed, MA
Press Officer of the State Secretary for Art and Culture
+4366478028677
ina.gayed@bmkoes.gv.at
www.bmkoes.gv.at

Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
Lena Wolf
+43 1 53120 - 5025
lena.wolf@bmbwf.gv.at
www.bmbwf.gv.at

OeAD - Agency for Education and Internationalisation
Ursula Hilmar
Press Officer
+43 1 53408-270
presse@oead.at
www.oead.at