Künstlerförderung - Scholarship and Culture

Asset Publisher

Artist Scholarship Program

Asset Publisher

What Makes the Artist Scholarship Program Special?

Dancing on stage, painting in the studio, or composing in your mind—artists create new worlds and perspectives.

Through the EHF 2010 Trustee Program, we support artists with work grants in the visual arts, literature, and composition, as well as study scholarships for dance. The scholarship provides up to €1,500 per month for one year.

As a scholarship recipient, you can focus even more fully on your creative work. Whenever possible, we also facilitate contacts with galleries, publishers, and agencies.

Who are we looking for?

Do you tell unique stories about the world through your art? Do you hold your work to the highest standards and engage with important socio‑political questions—through aesthetics, creativity, and emotional depth? Then apply now—we want to get to know you! Each year, we typically award the following:

Work Grants for:

Contemporary visual artists
Writers and literary artists
Composers and contemporary opera creators

Study Scholarships for:

Dance practitioners

What Does the Artist Scholarship Offer Me?

You will receive personalized support from us and, if desired, comprehensive coaching. We take your personal circumstances into account and encourage you to explore new ideas. We also help you present your work to a broader audience, leveraging the Foundation’s extensive network.

We also organize interdisciplinary workshops, for example at Villa La Collina in Cadenabbia, Konrad Adenauer’s former summer residence. These gatherings give you the opportunity to interact with current and former scholarship holders.

Scholarship Holders

Click here for an overview of our current and former scholarship holders.

EHF – How It All Began

In September 1993, Else Heiliger passed away at the age of 91. Ten years earlier, the Aachen native had named the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) as the sole heir to her estate. Her wish was that the funds be used to support exceptionally talented and needy artists.

KAS fulfilled this mandate by placing the inheritance in a special endowment fund, naming it after the donor. In 1994, scholarships were awarded for the first time from the Else Heiliger Fund (EHF) to artists and writers. Since then, the three letters “EHF” have become a mark of excellence.

Else Heiliger specified that her estate should be used promptly. To secure the prestigious artist scholarship beyond 2009 and continue the spirit of civic engagement in the arts, the EHF 2010 Trustee Program was launched.