Visiting Program of the Month of Contemporary Music
Call for Applications
The Month of Contemporary Music will be held for the tenth time in 2026. From 2 to 31 October, the programme will showcase a broad spectrum of practices and approaches within contemporary music across Berlin.
To mark this anniversary, the Month of Contemporary Music opens with the Ensemble Festival (2–4 October). For the first time, all established Berlin-based contemporary music ensembles will come together for a three-day programme at the former Neukölln department store CANK. The festival foregrounds the richness of the city’s ensemble scene, collective modes of working, and exchange between musicians, composers and audiences.
On 5 October, Time to Listen continues with its second thematic focus on transnational collaboration and networks. Last year, the conference brought together numerous European initiatives seeking to connect in response to ecological, political and financial challenges, with the aim of sharing knowledge, resources and responsibility. Building on this, the October edition places a particular emphasis on independent ensembles: their pivotal role in contemporary music production, their intermediary position between composers and festivals, their often informal yet robust networks, and the conditions that shape their work and collaborations.
Open Call for the Visiting Program:
From 2 to 5 October 2026, musicians, composers, ensembles, and curators are invited to explore the Berlin scene and connect with its key players as part of the guest programme.
The guest programme includes:
- Concert visits at the Ensemble-Festival Berlin and others
- Visits to venues, studios, and project spaces, including discussions with curators and organisers
- Participation in the Time to Listen conference
- Networking events with Berlin-based music practitioners
To ensure the programme is tailored to the individual needs of participants, we offer personal consultation before the trip and support in arranging meetings with key figures in the Berlin music scene.
Application:
The programme is primarily aimed at composers and musicians, organisers, curators, and ensemble representatives from the field of contemporary music from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, as well as from Switzerland. It is considered particularly beneficial for individuals and organisations with concrete projects or ideas for collaboration. Due to the limited number of participants, only one person per organisation, ensemble, or collective can be supported.
Applications can be submitted via an online form.
Submission deadline: 1. April 2026
The selection will be made by a jury consisting of representatives from the program partners as well as the inm / field notes Berlin. For inquiries, please contact Lisa Benjes (lisa.benjes@inm-berlin.de).
Costs
For selected participants from the partner countries, the program partners will provide support to of up to €1,000. Travel, accommodation, concert tickets, and individual meals must be self-financed from this amount. Reimbursement will be processed after the trip upon submission of receipts. The grant amount varies depending on the partner country and can be found in the respective calls for applications (partner calls: Art Music Denmark, Centre National de la Musique, Iceland Music, Kultur:lx, Austrian Music Export, Music Finland, Music Norway, Pro Helvetia).
If you are interested in the programme but do not come from one of the partner countries, you are still warmly invited to participate. Please note, however, that we are unfortunately unable to cover any costs in this case. We are happy to work with you to find cost-effective solutions.
Impressions by a former participant of the program
“It was a really exciting visiting programme. Even though the program was intense, it worked really well to be bombarded with impressions. I took a lot with me from there, both concrete experiences and lots of food for thought. After the trip, I got in touch with several ensembles and a festival director.“
Mads Emil Dreyer, composer. Participated in the visiting programme September 2022
Partner
Art Music Denmark, Centre National de la Musique, Iceland Music, Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg, Austrian Music Export, Music Finland, Music Norway, Schweizer Kulturstiftung Pro Helvetia
