Three Berlin-Based Performance Artists Will Receive €1,300 Berlin Performance Art Award and A 10-Day Gallery Residency
Table of Contents
The Berlin Performance Art Award 2026 invites Berlin-based artists, duos, and groups to submit performance work that intersects visual and somatic practices. Six shortlisted projects will be presented to a live audience at NEW FEARS Gallery in Berlin on October 16 and 17, 2026. Following the public presentations, three winning projects will each receive a €1,300 grant and a 10-day residency at the gallery. Basic technical support and equipment will be available, but the opportunity does not cover travel, accommodation, materials, or production expenses. Applications close on August 15, 2026.
OF THE FIELD.
Berlin Performance Art Award Snapshot
What: Berlin Performance Art Award 2026
Who: Berlin-based performance artists applying individually, as a duo, or as a group
Where: NEW FEARS Gallery, Reichenbergerstr. 114, 10999 Berlin, Germany
Award / Support: Three winning projects will each receive one €1,300 grant and a 10-day residency at NEW FEARS Gallery. Duos and groups share one €1,300 grant. Winners may have the opportunity to present the outcome of the residency. Basic technical support and technical equipment are provided. The three shortlisted projects that do not win will equally divide 50% of the entrance revenue.
Application Fee: FREE
Residency Duration: 10 days. The residency may take place during 2026 or 2027, with dates discussed directly with the selected artists.
Deadline: August 15, 2026. Time and timezone are not listed.
Official Link: https://www.newfears.net/
Official Application: https://form.jotform.com/261674665583066
Strategy Coach Notes: https://www.patreon.com/pformart/posts/eur1-300-berlin-165266791
Get The Application Strategy
This application is built almost entirely around documentation. There is no required CV, no long project proposal, and no detailed production budget. Applicants may submit an optional text of up to 500 words about their artistic work and up to six links to video documentation. The selection committee will therefore judge your artistic practice primarily through the strength, clarity, and relevance of your videos. Choose documentation that quickly demonstrates how your work operates in a live gallery context, how the body functions within the work, and how your technical needs can be managed within the venue’s limited resources. The first video should establish your practice immediately rather than requiring extensive explanation. Join the network to access the complete Strategy Coach Notes for this opportunity.
About the Berlin Performance Art Award
NEW FEARS was established in Berlin as a platform for artists working across choreography and visual art, with a particular focus on body-based practices. The gallery describes its program as a response to the limited number of hybrid spaces able to support both dance and visual arts. Its activities include exhibitions, performances, workshops, markets, residencies, and community-focused events. The Berlin Performance Art Award extends this mission by offering a presentation platform to artists working outside conventional theatre and institutional structures.
The award begins with a jury selection of six shortlisted projects. The jury members are Bryana Fritz, Jacopo Lanteri, and Burcu Bilgiç. Each shortlisted artist, duo, or group will present one performance work to a live audience at NEW FEARS Gallery on October 16 or 17, 2026. Three winners will then be selected. The winners will be celebrated at Panke Club on October 18, 2026. Applicants must also be available during the preceding week for setup and preparation.
What Is Offered
- One €1,300 grant for each of the three winning projects
- A 10-day residency at NEW FEARS Gallery for each winner
- Residency scheduling during 2026 or 2027
- The possibility of presenting the residency outcome
- A public performance presentation at NEW FEARS Gallery
- Basic technical support
- Access to the gallery’s listed technical equipment
- Discussion with the technical director about realizing the shortlisted work
- A share of entrance revenue for the three non-winning shortlisted projects
- Visibility through the Berlin-based NEW FEARS program
Available equipment includes sound systems, speakers, a mixer, LED lights, a projector, a wind machine, a smoke machine, a microphone, and basic cables. Applicants should consult the venue PDF before proposing work that depends on a particular room, access route, or technical configuration.
Who Should Apply
This opportunity is for Berlin-based performance artists whose work combines visual and somatic approaches and can be presented within a gallery environment using a relatively simple technical setup. Applicants may apply individually, as a duo, or as a group. They may propose an existing performance or a new work, and the call does not list a minimum or maximum performance duration.
The opportunity is best suited to artists who:
- Can be present in Berlin during the setup and presentation period
- Can realize their work within limited production resources
- Have strong video documentation of previous performances
- Work across performance, choreography, visual art, or body-based practices
- Can issue an invoice for the award payment
- Do not require travel, accommodation, or material support
Applicants with a non-German tax number should note that taxes may be deducted from the prize money. The organizer does not list the rate or amount of the possible deduction.
Application Materials
The application is brief and asks for:
- Name
- Email address
- An optional text about your artistic work, up to 500 words
- Up to six links to video documentation
- Passwords for protected videos, when required
No CV is requested. The application form does not include a separate project proposal, technical plan, or budget. Applicants should therefore make sure that their selected videos and optional statement clearly communicate the quality and relevance of their practice.
Berlin Performance Art Award Timeline
Application Deadline: August 15, 2026
Shortlisted Artists Announced: September 15, 2026
Setup And Preparation: The week before October 16, 2026
Public Performances: October 16–17, 2026
Celebration At Panke Club: October 18, 2026
Ten-Day Residencies: Scheduled with the winning artists during 2026–2027
Artist Costs And Limitations
The Berlin Performance Art Award is described by the organizers as a DIY, nearly zero-budget initiative. Travel, accommodation, materials, shipping, insurance, per diem, and production expenses are not provided. The €1,300 award is paid per winning project, which means a duo or group must divide the grant among its members.
The three shortlisted projects that do not receive a grant will equally divide 50% of the entrance revenue. The eventual amount depends on ticket income and cannot be determined in advance.
Why This Opportunity Matters
This award gives Berlin-based performance artists a chance to present work to a public audience, build a relationship with a hybrid gallery and performance platform, and potentially receive both direct funding and a later residency. The application is also unusually accessible because it does not require a CV, detailed written proposal, or complex budget. Its primary limitation is financial. The award is modest, particularly for groups, and there is no separate production budget. For artists with adaptable work and strong existing documentation, however, the combination of a public presentation, €1,300 grant, and 10-day residency may provide useful visibility and development time.
OF THE FIELD.
Apply
Official program page: https://www.newfears.net
Official application form: https://form.jotform.com/261674665583066
Explore More Opportunities
Find more artist grants, residencies, fellowships, commissions, and open calls in the Contemporary Performance Artist Opportunity Database.
